On this page
You picked your test date, sat the thing, and got a score you are willing to show. It still has to travel from your College Board account to each college's admissions office, and that trip is on you to start. It is a short process, but the timing and a couple of policy quirks trip people up right before deadlines.
You send SAT scores through your online College Board account: open your score report, choose to send scores, then add each college by name or code. Each registration comes with a few free score reports if you request them within a short window after you register, and beyond those College Board charges a per-report fee. Whether a given score is worth sending is a separate question, covered in should you submit your scores.
Key takeaways
- You send scores yourself through your College Board account, by adding each college as a recipient.
- Each registration includes a few free reports if you claim them within the deadline after you sign up; extra reports cost a per-report fee.
- You choose which test dates to send. Some colleges ask for all scores, so check each school's policy.
- Order sends early. Delivery takes time, and superscoring happens on the college's end after your dates arrive.
How do you send SAT scores to colleges?
The whole thing lives in your College Board account. After a test, your scores post there, and sending them is a matter of picking recipients. For a school-day SAT your counselor may handle part of this, but for a weekend test it is yours to do. Here is the path.
- 1
Sign in and open your scores
Log into your College Board account and go to your SAT scores. Sending is done from the score report itself, not a separate site.
- 2
Choose to send scores
Select the option to send scores, then search for each college by name or enter its four-digit code. You can add several recipients at once.
- 3
Decide which test dates to include
You choose which sitting or sittings to send. This is where you either send a single date or, for a school that wants everything, send them all.
- 4
Confirm and pay if needed
If you still have free reports from a recent registration, sending is free. Otherwise you pay a per-report fee before the order is placed.
- 5
Verify it went through
Check that each recipient shows as sent. Reports take time to process and reach a college, so an order placed is not the same as a score received.
Are SAT score reports free or paid?
Both, depending on timing. Each time you register for the SAT you get a handful of free score reports, but you have to claim them within a deadline shortly after you sign up. Miss that window, or want to add more colleges later, and each report carries a fee, with a higher fee for rush delivery. If you qualify for a fee waiver, score sends are covered. College Board lists the current amounts, and because they change, treat any figure quoted elsewhere as a starting point to verify. Scholarships often key off these scores too, which SAT scores and scholarships gets into.
Which scores get sent, and can you choose?
You control which test dates go out. College Board's Score Choice policy lets you send scores by sitting rather than sending your entire history, so a single rough date need not travel with the rest. The catch is that some colleges ask you to send all your scores, and you are expected to honor that. When a school superscores, sending more than one date can actually help, since it takes your best section from each. Can you retake just one section explains how those section bests combine, and superscoring in full covers which schools do it.
When should you send scores so they arrive on time?
Early. Processing and delivery take time, and application deadlines do not care that you ordered on the last day. Once you have a college list and a score you are ready to show, place the sends rather than sitting on them. If you are still waiting on a recent test, when SAT scores come out tells you when they post so you can plan the order around it.
The trap
Assuming scores send themselves, or waiting until the night before a deadline to order. Reports are not automatic, and a late order can arrive after the college stops accepting materials.
The move
Order sends as soon as your list and score are set, use your free reports first, then confirm each college shows the report as received well before the deadline.
A higher score is worth more than a faster send. StudyHall's lessons and question bank are free, and Pro adds Click, the voice tutor, for \$7.99/week if you want feedback out loud before your next date.
Raise the score before you send it →Frequently asked questions
- How do you send SAT scores to colleges?
- Sign in to your College Board account, open your SAT score report, choose to send scores, and add each college by name or four-digit code. You pick which test dates to include, then confirm the order and pay any fee if your free reports are used up.
- How much does it cost to send SAT scores?
- Each registration includes a few free reports if you claim them within the deadline after you sign up. Beyond those, College Board charges a per-report fee, with a higher fee for rush delivery. Fee waivers cover score sends for eligible students. Check College Board for current amounts.
- Can you choose which SAT scores colleges see?
- Yes. You send scores by test date, so you can send one sitting rather than your whole history. Some colleges ask you to send all your scores, so check each school's policy before choosing, especially at schools that superscore across dates.
- How long does it take for colleges to receive SAT scores?
- Orders take time to process and deliver, so it is not instant. Place your sends well before any deadline rather than the night before, and confirm each college shows the report as received rather than assuming an order placed has arrived.