Yes, Georgetown requires applicants to submit scores from all SAT or ACT sittings; they do not participate in the College Board’s Score Choice program.
Applying to Georgetown University involves navigating a unique set of admissions requirements. While many universities have moved toward test-optional policies or allow students to curate their testing history, Georgetown maintains a rigorous standard. You cannot hide a bad testing day here. The admissions committee expects full transparency regarding your standardized testing history.
Understanding this policy prevents processing delays and ensures your application remains competitive. This guide explains the “all scores” rule, how it impacts your strategy, and the steps to send your reports correctly.
Understanding Georgetown’s Testing Policy
Georgetown University stands apart from many of its peers in the Ivy League and top-tier bracket. The university holds a long-standing philosophy that a student’s testing history provides a complete picture of academic readiness. Consequently, the admissions office mandates that you release your entire record of standardized tests.
Most colleges utilize a feature called Score Choice. This College Board option allows you to select which test dates to send to a university. If you took the SAT three times but tanked on the second attempt, Score Choice lets you send only the first and third reports. Georgetown explicitly forbids this. When you apply, you must verify that you have submitted every score from every sitting.
Why The Strict Requirement?
The admissions officers at Georgetown believe in reviewing an applicant holistically. They do not look at a lower score as a failure but rather as a data point in your academic timeline. Seeing multiple scores allows them to track improvement. A trajectory that moves upward demonstrates resilience and the ability to master material over time. Hiding a score removes this context.
Transparency builds trust in your application. If a discrepancy appears between your self-reported scores and the official report later, it could jeopardize your admission offer. Honesty regarding your testing history remains the safest and most effective strategy.
Does Georgetown Require All Sat Scores?
You might still wonder, strictly speaking, Does Georgetown Require All Sat Scores? without exception. The answer is a definitive yes for the vast majority of applicants. This applies to both the SAT and the ACT. You cannot pick your best SAT sitting and your best ACT sitting and only send those. If you attempted the SAT twice and the ACT once, Georgetown expects to receive three distinct score reports.
This rule catches many students off guard. You might assume that because the Common App or the College Board website offers the option to hide scores, you can use it. However, Georgetown’s specific supplement and their stated policy override those general tools. You must proactively opt out of Score Choice when ordering your reports from the testing agency.
Check your dashboard — When you log into the College Board website to send scores, you will see an option to “Choose Scores.” To comply with Georgetown’s rules, you must select “All Scores” rather than unchecking specific dates. Failure to do so technically violates the terms of your application to the university.
How Georgetown Uses Your Multiple Scores
Sending every score often induces anxiety. You might worry that a low math score from your sophomore year will drag down a near-perfect score from your senior year. Fortunately, the “all scores” policy works in tandem with a review process that benefits the student.
The Superscoring Reality
Georgetown effectively superscores the SAT. This means the admissions committee considers the highest Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score and the highest Math score, even if they come from different test dates. They might see the lower scores, but their focus remains on your peak performance.
For example, suppose you scored a 700 Math and 600 Verbal on your first attempt. On your second attempt, you scored a 680 Math and 720 Verbal. The admissions team looks at the 700 Math and 720 Verbal. They see the 600 and 680, but those lower numbers do not define your candidacy. They understand that test days vary and that nerves play a role.
Does A Bad Score Hurt You?
One poor performance rarely breaks an application if the rest of the profile is strong. Admissions officers look for patterns. If you have a 4.0 GPA and strong AP scores, one outlier Saturday morning on the SAT will likely be disregarded as a fluke. The “all scores” mandate aims to prevent students from taking the test excessive times—say, 10 or 12 times—just to inch up a score. It encourages a balanced approach to testing.
Reporting ACT Scores To Georgetown
The policy covering the SAT applies equally to the ACT. If you tried the ACT as an alternative, you must report those sittings as well. Georgetown does not treat the two tests differently in terms of the reporting mandate.
However, note a slight difference in how they process the numbers. While they superscore the SAT, Georgetown typically looks at the highest Composite score for the ACT. They review the subscores (English, Math, Reading, Science) from all test administrations to gauge your strengths, but the highest Composite remains the primary data point.
Review your ACT account — Similar to the College Board, the ACT website allows you to delete scores from your record permanently. If you requested to delete a score from the agency’s records before applying, it no longer exists. You cannot send what does not exist. However, once a score is on your official record at the time of application, you must include it in your report to Georgetown.
Step-By-Step Guide To Sending Official Scores
Since you cannot rely on self-reporting alone for the final decision, you must order official reports. Follow these specific steps to ensure compliance with the Does Georgetown Require All Sat Scores? mandate.
- Log in early — Access your College Board or ACT student account well before the deadline. Processing takes time.
- Locate the send feature — Find the “Send Scores” button on your main dashboard.
- Search for Georgetown — Enter Georgetown University’s code (5244 for SAT, 0668 for ACT).
- Select all test dates — This is the critical step. Do not filter. Check the box that includes all available past scores.
- Pay the fee — Complete the transaction. If you qualify for a fee waiver, apply it at this stage.
- Verify receipt — Check your Georgetown application portal two weeks later to confirm they received the data.
Important timing note: Georgetown imposes strict deadlines. Scores must ideally arrive by the application due date. Electronic transmission is fast, but peak times in October and December can slow down the system. Order your reports at least two to three weeks prior to the cutoff.
Exceptions And Special Circumstances
While the rule is firm, life brings nuance. Specific situations might alter how you approach standardized testing, though the “all scores” baseline remains dominant.
International Applicants
International students follow the same rules. If you took the SAT in London, Singapore, or Dubai, the requirement stands. If the SAT was unavailable in your region due to cancellations or conflict, you must explain this in the “Additional Information” section of the application. Usually, if the test was accessible, you must send the results.
AP And IB Scores
Georgetown recommends submitting Subject Test scores if you have them from previous years, but since the College Board discontinued them, AP (Advanced Placement) and IB (International Baccalaureate) scores have gained weight. These supplement your SAT data.
Unlike the SAT, you generally self-report AP scores on the application and only send official reports once admitted. However, providing a full view of your AP history supports the narrative of academic rigor that the “all scores” SAT policy seeks to establish.
Common Myths About The All Scores Policy
Rumors spread quickly on college forums. Clarifying these myths helps you approach the application with confidence rather than fear.
Myth: They average your scores.
False. Georgetown does not average your attempts to create a single mean score. They look at the highest sections (SAT) or highest composite (ACT). The lower scores are visible but do not mathematically lower your evaluation metric.
Myth: Three attempts is too many.
False. Taking the SAT two or three times is standard. It shows dedication. The “all scores” policy discourages taking it six or seven times, which indicates a lack of preparation or obsession with testing rather than learning.
Myth: You can hide a score if you cancel it immediately.
True, but with a caveat. If you cancel your score at the test center or within the few days allowed after the test (before seeing the score), it never becomes part of your permanent record. In that case, there is nothing to send. Once the score is posted to your account, however, it becomes reportable and mandatory for Georgetown.
Strategies For Retaking The SAT For Georgetown
Knowing that you must disclose every attempt changes how you plan your testing schedule. You cannot treat an official test date as a “practice run.”
Prepare Before You Register
Only register for the official exam when your practice test scores consistently hit your target range. Use free resources like Khan Academy or official practice books. If you are scoring a 1200 on practice tests, do not take the real exam hoping for a miraculous 1500. The real score will likely mirror your practice, and that 1200 will be permanently visible to Georgetown.
Space Out Your Attempts
Leave enough time between tests to study. Taking the October SAT and then the November SAT leaves little room for content mastery. A better cadence involves taking the test in the spring of your junior year, studying over the summer, and retaking it in the fall of your senior year. This creates a logical narrative of improvement.
Use The Additional Information Section
If you have a disastrous score due to illness or a family emergency on test day, use the application’s explanation section. Write a brief, factual note. “I attempted the SAT on [Date] while suffering from the flu, which impacted my performance.” This context helps the admissions officer interpret the low number on your report.
Comparing Georgetown To Other Top Schools
Georgetown’s policy is an outlier. It helps to know how this differs from other schools on your list so you do not make a clerical error.
| University | Score Choice Allowed? | Superscore Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Georgetown | No (All Scores Required) | Yes (SAT) / Highest Composite (ACT) |
| Harvard | Yes | Yes |
| Yale | Yes (Usually) | Yes |
| Stanford | Yes | Yes |
As the table illustrates, Georgetown requires a specific workflow. When you sit down to order scores for your college list, group Georgetown separately from the others. Send the “All Scores” batch to Georgetown, and then use your discretion for schools that permit Score Choice.
The Impact Of Test-Optional Trends
The landscape of college admissions shifted dramatically in recent years. While many institutions remain test-optional, Georgetown reinstated its requirement for standardized testing. This signals that they still view the SAT as a strong predictor of college success.
Do not assume that because you have a high GPA, you can skip the test for Georgetown. Unless strict exceptions apply (rare cases where testing is impossible), the application will be incomplete without scores. This adherence to data makes the “all scores” submission even more critical. They want the data, and they want all of it.
This strictness actually benefits prepared students. It levels the playing field by ensuring that the 1550 you see on a peer’s application wasn’t the result of 15 attempts. It maintains the integrity of the admissions metric.
Technical Issues And Troubleshooting
Sometimes technology fails. You might order scores, and the portal still shows “missing.”
Wait for the lag — Electronic scores usually arrive within a week, but the university’s system might take longer to update the checklist. Do not panic if the green checkmark does not appear immediately.
Name matching — Ensure your name on the SAT registration matches your application name exactly. “Jon” versus “Jonathan” can cause a mismatch in the database. If this happens, email the admissions office with your College Board ID number to merge the files.
Correct codes — Verify you used the correct school code. Sending scores to “Georgetown College” in Kentucky instead of “Georgetown University” in D.C. is a common error. Triple-check the code 5244 before hitting submit.
Key Takeaways: Does Georgetown Require All Sat Scores?
➤ Georgetown mandates submission of all scores from every SAT and ACT sitting.
➤ Score Choice is strictly prohibited for all applicants.
➤ The university superscores the SAT, looking at your highest section scores.
➤ One poor score will not ruin your chances if higher scores exist.
➤ Order official reports weeks in advance to meet strict application deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide a bad SAT score from Georgetown?
No, you cannot conceal a specific test date. The university’s honor code and admissions policy require full disclosure of your testing history. While the College Board allows hiding scores technically, doing so for Georgetown violates their specific application instructions.
Does Georgetown superscore the ACT?
Georgetown typically focuses on the highest Composite score from a single sitting for the ACT. However, they review all subscores from every attempt you submit. This helps them identify your strengths across different subject areas, even if they rely on the composite for data entry.
What happens if I retake the test four times?
You must submit all four score reports. While this is allowed, admissions officers might view excessive testing as diminishing returns. It is generally better to test twice or thrice with substantial preparation rather than repeatedly testing hoping for a lucky break.
Is Georgetown test-optional for the current cycle?
Georgetown is not test-optional. They require SAT or ACT scores for all applicants unless a student can demonstrate that access to testing was impossible. This is a high bar to clear, so plan on taking the exam.
Will a low Subject Test score hurt me?
Since Subject Tests are discontinued, they are less relevant. If you have old scores, Georgetown recommends sending them. A low score on an old Subject Test matters far less than your current SAT and GPA. Focus on your main standardized tests.
Wrapping It Up – Does Georgetown Require All Sat Scores?
Navigating the Georgetown admissions process requires attention to detail. The answer to Does Georgetown Require All Sat Scores? is a firm yes. This policy ensures fairness and allows the university to see your full academic progression. By preparing adequately, testing strategically, and ordering your official reports correctly, you can turn this stringent requirement into an opportunity to showcase your persistence and growth.