Route SAT and ACT Score Reports Correctly

Test scores create a specific kind of recruiting delay. The athlete has the score, but the program cannot see it because the official report was never ordered or went to the wrong place.

A routing log makes the difference between "the score exists" and "the admissions office has it" visible.

Separate self-reported from official

A score on a recruiting profile or questionnaire is self-reported. It helps a coach start a conversation. It does not satisfy an admissions requirement.

Record both: the self-reported score and the date the official report was sent. Never let the first stand in for the second.

List each destination

For every program on the target list, record whether an official report is required, the school code or portal, the date ordered, and the confirmation.

Some programs accept scores through a central application; others want them sent directly. Record which rule applies before ordering, or the family pays for a report that does not count.

Order early enough

Score reports are not instant, especially during busy application periods. Set the order date at least two weeks before the program's deadline, and earlier if the school requires the score before an official visit.

Add the expected delivery window to the log. A report that has not confirmed within that window is an open item, not a completed task.

Handle a missing report

If a program says the score is missing, check the destination and the student identifier before ordering again. A mismatch in name, date of birth, or school code can send a report into a void.

Keep the order confirmation. It is the evidence that the family did its part, and it helps the admissions office trace the report.

Do not send every score blindly

Score choice rules and superscoring policies differ by school. Record what each program accepts and whether all sittings must be reported.

Where the rules are unclear, ask the admissions office in writing. Do not guess on a requirement that can affect eligibility or aid.

Review at three points

Check the log before official visits, before applications are submitted, and before the final transcript is sent. Each stage has a different destination and a different deadline.

The log does not need to be elaborate. One row per program, one confirmation column, and one owner is enough to prevent the quiet failure that costs an athlete a roster spot.