Colleges that do NOT superscore the SAT

The University of California system does NOT superscore the SAT

Calculating a “superscore” is the process by which a college considers a student’s best score from each individual SAT or ACT section, regardless of the date the test was taken. 

This means that if a student takes either test multiple times, the college promises to take only the highest individual section scores and use them for making admissions decisions.

Colleges that superscore the SAT only consider the highest Critical Reading, Math, and/or Writing scores across all test dates (for the ACT, the practice is less common and slightly more complicated involving four different subscores:  English, Math, Reading, and Science).

Colleges that superscore swear they never sneak a peek at lower test scores, even though they have been sent and are readily available in a student’s file.  In fact, some colleges use enrollment management software that deftly picks out the highest scores from among those submitted and only provides those scores to application readers.

“When I read, I’m looking at the two or three digit scores.  I don’t see how many times an applicant took the test and I don’t see all of their scores,” explains UVa Dean Jeannine Lalonde, in her admissions blog.  “The application system shows me the right mix of scores to get the best possible combination.”

For this reason, colleges strongly encourage students to send all scores and not risk missing deadlines or underreporting their scores by using Score Choice—a policy in permitting applicants to choose scores they send by seating.  Note that virtually all colleges allow Score Choice and only a very few relatively selective schools—Stanford, Yale, Rice, Penn, Georgetown and Carnegie Mellon for example—don’t let you choose which scores to submit.

While most colleges superscore the SAT, a handful are very clear that they do not.  A recent review by Cigus Vanni, school counselor at Cherry Hill High School West in New Jersey, uncovered almost 120 colleges and university systems that do not currently superscore.

The following is a sample of those schools that do not superscore the SAT:

Arizona State University

Auburn University

Augsburg College

Belmont University

Boise State Uniersity

Bowling Green State University

Calvin College

Carthage College

Coe College

Colorado State University

Hillsdale College

Kent State University

Lakeland College

Louisiana State University

Marquette University

Middle Tennessee State University

Missouri State University

Ohio State University

Oregon State University

Pennsylvania State University (all branches)

Ripon College

Rosemont College

Texas Woman’s University

University of Arizona

University of California university system

University of Houston

University of Minnesota (all branches)

University of Texas university system

University of the Ozarks

University of Utah

University of Wisconsin Madison

Valparaiso University

West Virginia University

To receive a copy of the entire list, feel free to email me (Nancy@CollegeExplorations.com) or Cigus Vanni (cigusvanni@verizon.net).  

And keep in mind that all admissions policies are subject to change each year.  You should always consult with an individual college website for the most accurate and complete statement of how test results will be treated in the admissions process.