How and When to Get Your Standardized Test Scores Back


A cartoon of students in class. One is thinking "Why should an unusual guy like me be given a standardized test?"

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It may seem like a hassle to get back your standardized test scores, but really, the only hard part is waiting. Instant gratification has always been a real problem of mine, and luckily, when I took the GRE, it spit out my scores right away. Unfortunately for all of the tests that are offered in high school, (the PSAT/NMSQT and the PSAT 10, the SAT, and the ACT), you’re going to have to practice patience. Consider it character building.

The PSAT 10 and the PSAT/NMSQT

This fall, the PSAT/NMSQT was given on either October 19, October 15 (for those who needed Saturday testing), or November 2 (an alternate test day). Scores will be available online to students on December 12, but paper reports won’t arrive to schools until spring 2017. To check your scores online, you must log in to your College Board account.

The PSAT 10 will be administered between February 21 and April 14, 2017. Paper score reports will be passed out to students by their schools after scores become available online. Some schools may also choose to mail score reports to parents, however no colleges will receive these scores.

The SAT and SAT Subject Tests

This fall, the SAT and SAT Subject Tests were offered on October 1, November 5, and most recently, on December 3. In the spring, the SAT will be offered on January 21, March 11, May 6, and June 3. SAT Subject tests will not be offered on the March 11 date. It is important to note that different subjects are offered on different test days; this list shows what was/is offered when.

Scores are available to students shortly after their test date. The following chart shows when students can expect to receive their scores online. For students who elected to have their scores sent directly to their prospective institutions, scores will be mailed one day prior to them being released to students online.

Test Date Scores Released
October 1 October 27
November 5 November 29
December 3 December 22
January 21 February 23
March 11 April 13
May 6 June 8
June 3 July 12

Wondering how to view your SAT and SAT Subject Test scores? If you registered online or registered by mail and set up a College Board account at that time, you can sign in with your College Board account login information and view your score report online. You will receive an email when your scores are ready to be viewed.

Students check online for their standardized test scores.

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If you registered by mail and don’t have a College Board account, you will be mailed a paper score report. If you registered online and want a paper report, you have to request that one be mailed to you at the time of registration. You can also get your SAT scores by phone for an additional $15 fee (and you must pay with a valid credit card. The phone numbers are listed below:

  • Within the United States: 866-756-7346
  • Outside of the United States: 212-713-7789
  • TTY for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or who are speech impaired in the United States: 888-857-2477
  • TTY for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or who are speech impaired outside of the United States: 609-882-4118

When you call, you will be asked for your registration number and your birthday.

The ACT

The ACT has been offered three times this fall (September 10, October 22, and December 10) and will be offered three times in the spring (February 11, April 8, and June 10). Unlike the SAT, which has definite dates by which your standardized test scores will be available, the ACT provides date ranges. You can find these in the table below.

Test Date Scores Released
September 10 September 20 – November 4
October 22 November 8 – December 27
December 10 December 20 – February 3
February 11 February 22 – April 7
April 8 April 18 – June 2
June 10 June 20 – August 4

Multiple-choice scores are generally available online two weeks after the test day, but score reports may take anywhere between two and eight weeks after test day to be released, depending on whether you took the writing section or if there were any special circumstances at your test location. You can view your scores online through your ACT Web Account.

If you took the ACT with writing, you will receive your multiple-choice score online between the above dates, but it will take your score report longer to be officially released (generally between five and eight weeks after test day). This is because your score is not official until the writing section has been graded. If you’ve already received your multiple-choice score, you writing score is likely to be released within two weeks.

Scores are not available by phone.


About Megan Clendenon

Megan C. is obsessed with Cincinnati-style chili, Louisville basketball, and Scandinavian crime fiction. She has lived in six different states and held 12 different jobs since beginning her undergraduate degree at Carleton College in 2008. The wanderlust abated somewhat in recent years, as Megan settled in Texas from 2013 to 2016 to finish a master’s degree in geosciences, write a thesis on the future horrors that stem from climate change, and get married. During her free time, you will find Megan sitting on the couch, cheering for her Louisville Cardinals, planning future adventures abroad, and snuggling with her dog, Tiger. She currently lives outside of Washington D.C.

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