How to Send SAT Scores to Colleges
A practical step-by-step guide to official SAT score reports, free sends, current fees, delivery timing, Score Choice, superscoring, and college deadlines.
Before You Send SAT Scores, Check What Each College Requires
The right process depends on whether a college accepts self-reporting, requires an official report, superscores, or asks for every test date.
Do not assume every college needs a paid official score report when you submit the application. Many institutions let applicants type SAT scores into the application and request an official College Board report only after admission or enrollment. Other colleges require official scores by the application deadline. The admissions page for each college is the source of truth, and its policy can change between cycles.
Create a simple score-report tracker before ordering anything. Record the college name, application round, deadline, test-optional policy, self-reporting rule, official-report requirement, superscore policy, and the date you placed the order. This prevents duplicate purchases and makes it easier to notice a recipient that still shows as pending.
If you are deciding which result to send, compare section scores as well as totals. A college that superscores may combine your highest Reading and Writing score with your highest Math score from different test dates. Use the SAT Superscore Calculator before ordering reports, then verify the college's own superscore instructions.
- Confirm whether the college is test-required, test-optional, test-flexible, or test-blind for your application cycle.
- Check whether scores may be self-reported or must arrive as an official College Board report.
- Record the score deadline, which may differ from the main application deadline.
- Check whether the college superscores and whether it asks applicants to send all test dates.
- Use the recipient's official College Board code or carefully verify the institution name and location.
How to Send SAT Scores to Colleges in 6 Steps
The exact screen labels can change, but the decision sequence stays the same.
1. Sign in to the correct College Board account
Use the account connected to the SAT registration and score history you want to send. If a score is missing, resolve account matching before placing the order so you do not pay for an incomplete report.
2. Open the SAT score-sending area
Go to the official College Board score-sending page and start a new score report order. Avoid third-party pages that ask for account credentials or promise to transmit an official score.
3. Find each college or scholarship recipient
Search by institution name or recipient code. Confirm the campus, city, and state because universities with similar names or multiple campuses may use different recipients.
4. Choose which test dates to include
If the recipient allows Score Choice, select the complete test date or dates you want sent. You cannot send only Math from one date while hiding Reading and Writing from that same date.
5. Review cost, timing, and recipient details
Check whether the order uses a free score send, a standard paid report, or rush reporting. Recheck spelling, campus, score dates, and the college deadline before payment.
6. Submit and monitor the order
Save the confirmation and return to your score-send history to monitor status. A report marked sent does not always mean the college application portal has already matched it to your file.
How Much Does It Cost and How Long Does It Take?
College Board lists separate prices and processing windows for free, standard, and rush score reports.
| Report option | College Board price | Typical processing | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four registration score sends | $0 when selected by the deadline | Scores are sent when available | Students who already know their recipients and are comfortable sending without first reviewing the score |
| Additional standard score report | $15 per report | Usually 5–10 business days | Normal application planning with enough time before the college's score deadline |
| Rush reporting | $31 rush fee plus the score-report fee | Usually 1–4 business days | A tight deadline when the college accepts electronically rushed reports |
| Fee-waiver score reports | Unlimited reports for eligible students | Depends on the selected report method | Students with an SAT fee waiver who need to send scores to multiple colleges |
The four free registration score sends are available until nine days after the test date. This option saves money, but you may have to name recipients before seeing the result. It is most useful when you are confident that the score should go to a college regardless of the exact total.
Standard and rush windows describe College Board processing, not the entire admissions workflow. A college may need additional time to download the file, connect it to your applicant record, and update its portal. Weekends, holidays, identity mismatches, archived scores, and manual review can add time. Order early enough that a short delay does not put the application at risk.
Rush reporting is not a universal solution. College Board notes that rush orders cannot be changed or canceled, and not every college reviews a rushed report faster after receiving it. Contact the admissions office if a deadline is very close, then follow its instructions rather than assuming a rush order guarantees an on-time match.
Score Choice, All-Scores Policies, and Superscoring
These terms answer different questions, so treat them separately when deciding what to send.
Score Choice is College Board's score-report option that lets you choose which complete SAT test dates to send, unless a college's stated policy requires all scores. It works by test date, not by individual section. When Score Choice is not used, College Board sends all available SAT scores in the account's reportable history.
Superscoring is a college admissions policy, not a College Board report-editing feature. A superscoring college may combine the highest section scores from multiple dates after it receives the relevant records. If your strongest Math and Reading and Writing scores come from different dates, the college may need both dates to calculate the best combination.
An all-scores policy means the college wants every SAT administration specified in its instructions. Policies can change, and a blog list may be outdated. Always confirm on the current admissions site before hiding or sending a test date.
| Situation | Recommended action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| College accepts self-reported scores | Self-report first; order an official report only when requested | This can avoid unnecessary fees during the application stage |
| College superscores | Send every test date needed to show your highest section combination | The best total may depend on scores from more than one date |
| College requires all SAT scores | Follow the college policy rather than using Score Choice to omit dates | The recipient's admissions rule controls what the application requires |
| College is test-optional | Submit only when the score strengthens the application under that college's guidance | Test-optional does not automatically mean every score should be sent |
Build a Deadline-Safe SAT Score Sending Plan
Work backward from the college's score deadline, not only from the application deadline.
Start with the official score deadline for each application round. Some colleges accept scores that arrive shortly after the application, while others require the official report by the deadline. Some allow self-reporting at first and request verification later. Because these rules differ, one universal order date cannot protect every application.
For a standard report, a practical buffer is to order well before the listed five-to-ten-business-day processing window ends. Add more time when a deadline crosses Thanksgiving, winter holidays, or a period of heavy application traffic. If your SAT result has not been released, use the SAT Score Release Dates guide to see whether the score can realistically reach the college on time.
After ordering, check both systems: College Board for the report status and the college application portal for the matched score. If College Board shows the report was sent but the college portal still shows missing, wait for the institution's normal document-processing period, then contact admissions with the order date and confirmation details.
- List the application deadline and any separate testing-material deadline.
- Decide whether you will self-report or order an official score report.
- Select the required test dates based on Score Choice, superscoring, and all-scores rules.
- Choose standard or rush service only after checking the recipient's guidance.
- Save the confirmation and verify that the college portal eventually marks the score as received.
Common SAT Score Report Mistakes to Avoid
Most problems come from policy assumptions, recipient errors, or insufficient time—not from the score itself.
Paying before checking self-reporting rules
An official report can be unnecessary during application review. Check the current admissions instructions before purchasing reports for every college on your list.
Sending to the wrong campus
A university system may contain several campuses or programs. Match the institution name, location, and recipient code instead of selecting the first similar result.
Confusing score release with score delivery
Seeing a result in your account does not mean every college has received it. You must still place the required order or follow the college's self-reporting process.
Using Score Choice without reading the college policy
Score Choice is optional, but College Board tells students to follow each college's stated reporting requirements. Verify all-scores and superscore rules before omitting dates.
Ordering rush service without confirming it helps
Rush shortens College Board processing, but it does not control how quickly a college matches the file. Ask admissions what it recommends when the deadline is close.
How to Send SAT Scores to Colleges FAQ
Answers to the most common questions about cost, timing, score selection, and old scores.
How long does it take to send SAT scores to colleges?
College Board says standard score reports are generally sent in 5–10 business days, while rush reports are generally sent in 1–4 business days. A college may need additional time to match the report to your application portal.
How much does it cost to send SAT scores?
As of July 30, 2026, College Board lists additional SAT score reports at $15 per report. Rush reporting adds $31 per order. Eligible fee-waiver students can send unlimited score reports at no charge. Always verify the current official fee page before ordering.
Can I send SAT scores to colleges for free?
You can select up to four free score-send recipients during registration and through nine days after the test date. Students with an SAT fee waiver can send unlimited score reports for free.
Can I choose which SAT scores to send?
Usually, yes. Score Choice lets you choose complete SAT test dates, but not individual sections within one date. Follow the recipient's policy if it requires all scores, and send enough dates for a superscoring college to see your best section combination.
Do SAT scores expire?
SAT scores remain in your College Board record, but colleges decide how old a score they will accept. College Board says scores from five or more years ago may be less valid predictors of current academic performance and can require additional processing. Ask the recipient before paying to send an older score.
Should I send SAT scores before I see them?
The four free registration sends may be chosen before you see the score. This saves money, but it reduces your ability to review the result first. Use them when you are comfortable sending the score regardless of the final number.
Do colleges receive SAT scores automatically?
No. Score release in your College Board account and official score delivery are separate. You must choose recipients, place the required order, or self-report according to each college's instructions.
Can I send SAT scores after submitting my application?
Often yes, but the college's score deadline controls whether the report will be considered. Check the admissions policy immediately and contact the college if the deadline is close or has passed.
Final SAT Score Sending Checklist
The safest process is policy first, order second. Confirm whether the college accepts self-reported scores, note the score deadline, choose the necessary test dates, verify the recipient, leave time for processing, and monitor both College Board and the application portal.
Do not create separate paid orders for questions the college has already answered. A few minutes on the admissions website can clarify whether you need an official report, whether the school superscores, and whether every SAT date must be sent.
Official sources checked July 30, 2026
- College Board: Sending SAT Scores — Official steps, free score-send deadline, standard timing, recipient policies, and Score Choice guidance.
- College Board: Additional SAT Score Report Fees — Current score-report price, rush fee and timing, fee-waiver benefits, and older-score processing notes.