SAT Scores Pending: Students Worry College Board Delay Could Hurt Early Applications

The College Board emailed test takers Thursday to inform them that the latest SAT score reports would not arrive at colleges in time for early action and early decision application deadlines. The news led college applicants to trade complaints and fears about how this may affect their chances.

"Processing of SAT score report orders placed on or after Oct. 14 is taking longer than expected, and your score reports are among a set that have not yet been sent to the colleges," the company wrote in an email. "This communication is most relevant for students who are using scores to meet immediate deadlines."

The deadline for the majority of schools' early admissions applications is Nov. 1. College Board told students that it is making colleges aware of the complications processing the scores. It is "encouraging them to be flexible should scores arrive late."

It is unclear when the scores will be received by the colleges, but applicants took to Twitter to air their frustrations.

Last week, the organization behind the American College Test, or ACT -- another college admissions test -- said there was a delay in processing scores because of the high volume of test takers. Steve Kappler, vice president of brand experience for ACT, wrote to members of the National Association for College Admission Counseling about the situation.

"We understand that some students may be facing important application deadlines," he wrote. "Students who took the ACT with writing may view their multiple-choice scores -- their ACT composite score, subject test scores (English, mathematics, reading and science), and subscores -- on the ACT student website. Official score reports, however, cannot be sent to students, high schools or colleges until the writing test scoring is complete."

Last year, nearly 1.7 million students took the SAT, while more than 1.92 million took the ACT, according to Education Week. Both organizations saw an increase in the number of students taking the exams.