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College board drops 'score choice' for SAT-II exams

Updated

SAT-II Subject Tests (formerly Achievement Tests) are an admission requirement for many highly competitive colleges. These hour-long exams are used in tandem with SAT-I results to compare students' mastery of specific subjects (English, history, social studies, mathematics, sciences, languages). While the SAT-I gives colleges a broad picture of students' verbal and quantitative skills, the SAT-II allows admission officers to focus on a more specific skill set.

For the past several years, students have been able to exercise a greater degree of control over their SAT-II scores by electing Score Choice. This option, when elected in advance of an SAT-II testing date, allowed students to see their scores before determining whether -- or if -- to report them to colleges. This was a great benefit for students seeking admission to highly competitive colleges; so many applicants have perfect transcripts, near-perfect scores and impressive extracurricular accomplishments that sometimes the least blemish on an application can sideline a candidate. The ability to suppress a weak SAT-II result allowed students to take some risks, knowing that they would have a chance to improve their showing at a later date.

Unfortunately, the death knell for Score Choice came this spring. "At the urging of our member schools and colleges, the College Board will eliminate Score Choice for SAT II: Subject Tests starting in fall 2002," reads a statement published by the College Board. What a shame! Score Choice was the one vehicle provided by the College Board that allowed students some measure of control over which test results colleges might see. Now, scores for all tests taken from fall of 2002 forward will appear on the score reports that students send to institutions.

The policy change did not come about as easily as the published statement might imply. Many college advisors favored retaining the Score Choice option, while many admission officers sought to dismantle it. In the end, ironically, the latter voice proved the most persuasive. The College Board has historically reported all SAT-I scores on official reports to colleges; students have not been able to specify their single best SAT-I testing date. Beginning next fall, the same will hold true for SAT-II scores.