After you’ve taken the SAT or ACT and received your scores, one critical last step remains: sending your official score to the colleges you’re applying to. The SAT and ACT both allow students who have registered for a test to send four free score reports to colleges of their choosing - but the SAT and ACT each have different processes and associated fees for how those scores are sent.

Sending SAT Scores to Colleges

When you register for the SAT, be sure to sign up for the four FREE score reports you’re offered.

These four free score reports can be sent to any four colleges of your choosing, starting from the date you registered for the SAT until 9 days after your SAT test date.

If your four free score reports expire, or if you want to send your SAT scores to more than 4 colleges, there is a $12 fee for each additional score sent.

Yikes! We know - it’s expensive. One tip - if you plan to re-take the SAT, each time you take the test you’ll receive 4 additional free score reports to send to four more colleges. The SAT only provides colleges with your highest score across all the times you’ve taken the test, so you don’t have to use these new free reports on colleges you’ve previously sent scores.

If you’re eligible for an SAT fee waiver (ask your school counselor), you can send your scores to as many colleges as you want for free.

Sending ACT scores to colleges

When you register for the ACT, sign up for the four FREE score reports you’re offered.

Just note that you have to select the four free colleges at the moment you register for the test. Choose your colleges wisely, and remember that most colleges use Super Scoring, which means they look only at your top SAT or ACT test score, even if you’ve sent in lower scores.

If you want to send your ACT score report to additional schools beyond the initial free four, the fee is $13 per school.

If you’re eligible for an ACT fee waiver (ask your school counselor), you can send your scores to up to 20 colleges for free. Unlimited free score reports are now available for students who take the ACT with a fee waiver.

Have more questions about how to sign up, prepare for, or send scores for the SAT or ACT? Text “College” to 33-55-77 and our trained advisers will walk you through it!