Do Colleges Require the SSAR/SRAR? Here’s What You Need to Know
Sometimes it’s better to be safe than SSAR-y.
Nonsensical puns aside, when it comes to college applications and the Self-Reported Student Academic Record (SSAR), questions abound. What is the SSAR, and how does it differ from the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR)? When do I complete it? Do I even need to complete it at all? Which colleges require the SSAR/SRAR?
Here’s everything you need to know…
What is the SSAR/SRAR?
The SSAR/SRAR is a self-reported summary of the courses you’ve taken – or will take – in high school. The SSAR/SRAR allows you to electronically submit all of your courses and the grades you’ve earned to participating colleges for admissions consideration.
Using your high school transcripts for reference, you must accurately enter the required information. If you’re a high school senior, choose the “In Progress” option for any courses not yet completed. If a course doesn’t appear in in the available descriptions built into your SSAR/SRAR, enter the information exactly as it appears on your transcript.
Once you’re admitted into a college, you’ll be required to submit your final high school transcripts. Colleges will cross-reference your transcripts with the information you entered into your SSAR/SRAR – so it’s crucial that you enter it precisely.
What’s the Difference Between the SSAR and the SRAR?
Until recently, students applying to certain Florida colleges and universities completed the SSAR, and students applying to participating colleges in other states completed the SRAR. However, the SSAR and SRAR merged in August 2022. This means that students can now complete either the SSAR or SRAR to submit to participating colleges and universities.
Independent Educational Consultant Kathy Hart says that now that the SSAR and SRAR are fully integrated, students only need to create a single account.
“If students started working on the SSAR prior to August 2022, they will be invited to import the information previously entered into the updated account,” she said. “It’s a straightforward process, and only takes a few minutes.”
So…Do I Need to Fill out the SSAR/SRAR?
You only need to complete the SSAR/SRAR if it’s required by the colleges to which you are applying. Find out on a school’s admissions site, and also check the list below.
Certain applicants are exempt from completing the SSAR/SRAR, including GED graduates, students who didn’t attend high school in the United States, and students who attended schools that don’t use the traditional A-F grading system. Some universities require their own processes to self-report scores. For example, the University of Central Florida only accepts their Self-Provided Academic Record for Knights (SPARK) form.
It’s important to know which universities require the SSAR/SRAR, because those that do will not review your application until your SSAR/SRAR is submitted.
Colleges and Universities that accept the SSAR-SRAR
(Source: SRAR/SSAR Support Team, August 2022)
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
OPTIONAL
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY, STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
OPTIONAL
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
REQUIRED
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
OPTIONAL
FLORIDA A & M UNIVERSITY
REQUIRED
FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
OPTIONAL
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
REQUIRED
KEAN UNIVERSITY
OPTIONAL
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
OPTIONAL
NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA
OPTIONAL
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (NYU)
REQUIRED
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
REQUIRED
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, CAMDEN
REQUIRED
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NEWARK
REQUIRED
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NEW BRUNSWICK
REQUIRED
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
REQUIRED
TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
OPTIONAL
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
OPTIONAL
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TWIN CITIES
REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE
REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO
REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA
OPTIONAL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA
REQUIRED
VIRGINIA TECH
REQUIRED
Once you’ve created your account, be sure to frequently visit the “My Colleges and Universities” dashboard on the homepage of your SSAR/SRAR for pertinent information, including the most up-to-date list of participating colleges and universities.
How Do I Submit My SSAR/SRAR?
Once you’ve entered all of the required information, review and submit your SSAR/SSAR. Although deadlines and linking processes vary between colleges, most ask that students submit their SSAR/SRAR through a portal on the college website after the application has been submitted. Note: Your application is not complete until the university receives your SSAR/SRAR.
Hart says that because each college may have specific requirements, linking processes, and deadlines for the SSAR/SRAR, it’s important to check college admissions pages for university-specific information.
“Students should check their emails regularly for all follow-up instructions after they’ve submitted their applications,” she said. “These emails will include detailed instructions on how to set up the applicant portal and how to link the SSAR/SRAR with the application.”
Filling out the SSAR/SRAR is a simple – yet important – part of the application process for many colleges. Be sure to follow the steps and familiarize yourself with each college’s requirements, because missing a deadline would be an SSAR-y state of affairs (admittedly, that pun was even worse than the first one. SSAR-y. Not SSAR-y).
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