Account Help
Please browse the FAQs below to answer your questions about creating or accessing your collegeboard.org account.
Note: For questions specifically about SAT Registration and Scores, please go to the SAT Registration Help.
Account Basics
- Why should I create a collegeboard.org account?
- How do I create an account?
- What is "My Organizer"?
- How do I sign in to my account?
- How do I sign out of my account?
Completing the Sign-Up Form
- Can I create more than one account?
- Why do I need to supply this sign-up form information?
- What's the security question used for?
- Why am I asked for both student and parent information?
- Why can I enter information about only one parent?
- Why do I need a number in my password?
- Why am I being warned that my email is already associated with an account?
For Parents
- Can I create an account for my own use?
- Can I create an account on behalf of my child?
- How do I register my child for the SAT?
- Can I sign myself up for the "CC a Parent" service?
- Can I sign myself up for parent and/or student email newsletters?
Your Username and Password
- I forgot my username — how do I get it?
- I forgot my password — how do I get it?
- Where did the security questions come from?
- What do I do if I cannot answer the security question?
- What do I do if I no longer have access to my email address?
- Why is my account locked?
- Why am I getting emails about my account when I didn't request any changes or information?
- Why isn't my temporary password showing up or working?
- How do I change my username or password?
Updating Your Account
- How do I update my personal information and/or email address?
- How do I change my email subscriptions or email preferences?
- How do I turn on or off the "CC a Parent" email service?
- How do I change the email address for the "CC a Parent" email service?
Account Basics
Why should I create a collegeboard.org account?
You can access helpful information on collegeboard.org without an account. But if you create an account, you open the door to a whole range of services that are customized to you and that let you take critical steps on the road to college. Creating an account is fast, free and easy.
- Connect to My College QuickStart™, a free college planning kit based on your PSAT/NMSQT® results.
- Start an SAT® registration and come back to it later.
- Choose your test date and test center online.
- Get immediate registration confirmation
- Print SAT admission tickets for test day.
- View SAT scores online as soon as they're available.
- Participate in The Official SAT Online Course™.
- Save college searches and track colleges on a personal watch list.
- Save your scholarship search matches.
- Complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® Online.
- Save college-cost and financing calculator results.
- Get free student email newsletters and alerts.
You can also take advantage of My Organizer, which makes it easy to manage all of your important activities on collegeboard.org and stay on top of deadlines.
How do I create an account?
Creating an account is fast, free and easy. Just sign up by completing a form, including a username and password. Then we create your personal profile.
The "Sign Up" link appears whenever you're prompted to sign in or sign up to access a password-protected area.
Make sure that you use a single account to manage your College Board activities, so that your record remains complete and you continue to receive critical updates.
What is "My Organizer"?
My Organizer is a tool that organizes all of your college-planning activities on collegeboard.org, from your SAT registrations and SAT practice tests to your college list and financial aid application. There are two ways to get to it:
- My Organizer Dashboard
You'll find the My Organizer dashboard in the left column of most pages once you sign in. It's like a personal toolbox, summarizing your saved information and putting key tools at your fingertips. For example, you'll see the number of schools on your college list and quick links to those schools.
- My Organizer Full View
The full view of My Organizer provides a detailed summary of your activities, plus analysis and advice based on your activities. You'll also find a calendar, reminders and tips — all tailored to you. You can get to the full view by selecting "My Organizer" from the dashboard view. Again, to get to the dashboard, just sign in.
How do I sign in to my account?
You'll save time if you sign in as soon as you start your collegeboard.org visit. The easiest way to sign in is to go to the student home page and enter your username and password where you see the My Organizer box. You'll also be prompted to sign in when you access any activities — like SAT registration or your College List — that require a password.
How do I sign out of my account?
To protect your privacy, it's important that you sign out after you finish each session. The easiest way to sign out is to go to the student home page and click the Sign Out link in the My Organizer box. You'll also find a Sign Out link wherever you see a "My Account" box with your name in it.
Completing the Sign-up Form
Can I create more than one account?
You must use only one account to manage your College Board activities, so that your record remains complete and you continue to receive critical updates. We advise against creating multiple accounts.
You will not be able to start or access any College Board testing activity, such as SAT or PSAT/NMSQT, if you've already started it with another account. For example, if you register for the SAT with one account, then come back later and create a new account to get your scores, you'll get an error message that tells you to sign in to your original account.
Why do I need to supply this sign-up form information?
The information that you provide is used to create your official College Board record — the record that's sent with your SAT scores to colleges, for example. We'll also use the information to tailor services to you, such as reminders that are customized to your grade in high school.
Tips for creating your profile:
- Provide your full, official first and last name, as you'd see them on a student ID or other official identification. You won't be able to change your name online once you start any testing activities.
- Use an email address that you plan on having for a while. Email is used for critical communications such as your SAT admission ticket, score alerts and password reminders.
- Your high school graduation date will be used to customize services for you. If you've already graduated, enter the past date.
- Your birthday, security question and answer, as well as other information, will be used to verify that you are you if you forget your password or need to call customer service for help.
- You cannot create a collegeboard.org account if you are under 13 years of age.
What's the security question used for?
Your security question and answer are used to verify that you are you.
You'll be asked to answer your security question if you forget your password and want to reset it online or if you call customer service for help. Your answer is not a hint that will be presented to you.
First choose the question that you'd like to answer from the pull-down menu, and then answer it in the space below.
Why am I asked for both student and parent information?
A collegeboard.org account is focused on a student's college planning activities. So the student's information is required in order to create the official student record and appropriately customize services.
Additionally, we recognize the important role that parents play on the road to college. So we provide a way for parents to receive their own email services and to be linked by email to the student's account. Click the "Learn more" link associated with any email service to find out more about it.
If a parent's information is entered (which is optional), we'll invite the parent to participate in the selected services — parent newsletters and the "CC a Parent" email service. We won't send any emails unless the parent confirms he or she wishes to receive them.
Why can I enter information about only one parent?
Because the "CC a Parent" email service can contain sensitive information about a student and that student's testing record, we are currently limiting the service to a single parent or guardian. This is to protect the security of the information.
Another parent can sign up independently to receive email newsletters using a form on the parent home page, but only one person can be copied on student emails.
Why do I need a number in my password?
Your password gives you access to College Board services and personal information that you've saved. We require at least one number so that it's more secure.
Good passwords ...
- contain between 7 and 15 characters — the more the better.
- have at least one number (0–9).
- are changed periodically.
- are unique but easy to remember.
- are hard for someone else to guess. For example, if everyone knows you love peanut butter, you wouldn't want to make your password "peanutbutter." But you could make it "ILPBIM1S" ("I love peanut butter it's my #1 snack").
Bad passwords ...
- use words or phrases with which you're easily identified.
- are names, such as your name, your IM nickname, a pet's name or any other name associated with you — even if it's doubled (bobbybobby) or some combination of first and last name (bjohnson).
- are personal numbers, such as your bank account number, your Social Security number, your birthday, your phone number, your address or your license plate number.
- use a simple pattern, such as repeated characters, keyboard sequences or an acronym.
It's a good idea to change your password periodically — for example, every six months. And certainly change your password if you've told it to anyone or suspect that someone may have access to your account.
Why am I being warned that my email is already associated with an account?
If you see this warning when you try to create a new collegeboard.org account, it's because there's already a collegeboard.org account that uses your email address. This can happen if you already have an account and are creating another one, or if family members share an email address and another family member has an account.
We present this warning because you should use only one account to manage your College Board activities so that your record remains complete and you continue to receive critical updates. You will not be able to start or access any College Board testing activity, such as SAT or PSAT/NMSQT, if you've already started it with another account. For example, if you register for the SAT with one account, then come back later and create a new account to get scores, you'll get an error message that tells you to sign in to your original account.
If you must create the duplicate account, you can ignore the warning. But we do not recommend that you do so.
For Parents
Can I create an account for my own use?
Yes. While a collegeboard.org account is tailored around a student's college planning activities, we recognize that you may have a perfectly good reason to create your own account. Perhaps you want to create your own College List or save information to a college financing calculator.
- Are you creating an account for your own personal use, with no connection to official activities like SAT registration?
The student's profile information is still required and will be used to customize services. But if you enter your email address in the student's email field, you will be the one to receive any account-related receipts and reminders. - Are you creating an account on behalf of your child or to access student services like the SAT?
Then we recommend that you have your child create the account or that you create the account together, because by creating the student's account, you are establishing your child's official College Board record online. And for security, there can be only one account that's tied to that official record. In other words, if you create this account and register your child for the SAT, and later, your child attempts to create an account to get scores, he or she will be blocked from creating that account.
Can I create an account on behalf of my child?
If you're creating this account for any other reason than your own personal use, such as to save your own College List, then we recommend that you have your child create the account or that you create the account together. This is because by creating the student's account, you are establishing your child's official College Board record online. And for security, there can be only one account that's tied to that official record. In other words, if you create this account and register your child for the SAT, and later, your child attempts to create an account to get scores, he or she will be blocked from creating that account.
How do I register my child for the SAT?
We recommend that you have your child register for the test or that you register for the test together:
- Go to the registration page and select "Register Now."
- When prompted, either sign in to an existing collegeboard.org account or click the "Sign Up" button to create a new account. Since creating this account establishes the official online record for your child, and only one account can be the official record, you should have your child create this account or create it together. Make sure that the student's information is complete and accurate.
- When you land in the SAT registration area, you'll be asked to provide additional information that's used for registration and score reporting, such as a mailing address. Follow the step-by-step instructions throughout the rest of the process.
Tips:
- Make sure that your child enters his or her complete, full name and information in the student form fields. The information entered will become part of your child's official record.
- Be sure to enter your child's email when prompted for the student's email address, so your child receives critical notifications about the account and activities.
- Enter your name and email address in the parent information section if you would like to receive copies of important emails that your child receives or would like to receive your own email newsletters and reminders.
- Once an account is used to perform any testing activities, that account becomes the official account, and no duplicate account can be created. So, if you were to register your child for the test, and then your child came back later and tried to create an account to get scores, your child would be blocked and told to access the original account.
For help with SAT registration, please visit the SAT Registration FAQs.
Can I sign myself up for the "CC a Parent" email service?
Only your child can turn on the service, through his or her official collegeboard.org account. That's done to protect the security of your child's record and to keep your child in the driver's seat.
Talk to your child to have the "CC a Parent" email service turned on. It's done in one of two ways:
- When the student account is first created, your child checks the "CC a Parent" checkbox and provides your name and email address.
- When your child signs in to an existing collegeboard.org account, he or she can go to the account profile and add your information there. The "Update My Account" link appears on his or her personal My Organizer start page.
If your child turns on the service, you will be prompted to confirm that you wish to participate. You or your child will be able to turn off the service at any time.
You can, however, sign yourself up for other email services, such as parent newsletters and the Official SAT Question of the Day™. Go to the parent home page to sign yourself up for parent email services.
Can I sign myself up for parent and/or student email newsletters?
Yes. There are two ways for you to sign up for the College Board's email services:
- You can be signed up by your child. When your child's collegeboard.org account is first created, there are places on the sign-up form for the parent's name and email address. At that point you can be invited to receive parent email services, such as newsletters and the Official SAT Question of the Day.
- You can sign yourself up. Go to the parent home page and use the sign-up form that's promoted there. You can sign up for parent newsletters customized by your child's grade level and/or for the Official SAT Question of the Day.
Tips:
- You do not need a collegeboard.org account to receive parent email services.
- Regardless of how you signed up for parent emails, you'll be required to confirm that you want the email subscriptions. This is to prevent unwanted email. You'll receive an email with a confirmation link in it.
- Regardless of how you signed up for parent emails, you and only you will manage what email newsletters you receive. You'll do that via "Manage email subscriptions" link in any College Board email that you receive. Only the "CC a Parent" email service is managed via your child's collegeboard.org account.
- When you confirm subscriptions, you'll have a chance to add other emails — such as student newsletters — and manage what you'll receive at your email address.
You cannot, however, sign yourself up for the "CC a Parent" email service, where you receive copies of important emails your child receives from the College Board. That must be turned on through your child's official collegeboard.org account. Talk to your child to have the "CC a Parent" email service turned on.
Your Username and Password
I forgot my username — how do I get it?
Getting a collegeboard.org username reminder is secure and simple:
- Go to the Forgot Username? page. You can get to this page through the "Help" links that appear wherever you're prompted to sign in.
- Submit your email address. It must be the email address associated with your account, so we can look up your information.
- Check your email. We'll send you all usernames associated with your account, and indicate which (if any) are associated with a College Board test record.
I forgot my password — how do I get it?
Getting a new collegeboard.org password is secure and simple:
- Go to Forgot Password? (You can find links to username and password help wherever you're prompted to sign in.)
- Submit the username for your account. (If you forgot your username too, first get that through the username help.)
- If we have enough information to securely verify you online, you'll be asked to answer one security question. If you correctly answer this question, you can reset your password online and immediately access your account.
- If we don't have enough information to securely verify you online or you wish to bypass the security questions, we will email a temporary password to you. There's an "Email Me My Password" option on the security question page.
Where did the security questions come from?
When you created or last updated your collegeboard.org account, you chose a security question from a list of available options and provided an answer. The answer is not case sensitive, but when prompted you must answer the question exactly as you did before. You may also be asked to answer questions that are based on your account profile or testing record, such as your date of birth or SAT registration number.
What do I do if I cannot answer the security question?
On the page with the security questions, select the "Email Me My Password" link. We'll email you a temporary password so you can access your account.
What do I do if I no longer have access to my email address?
For your security, we send information to the email address associated with your account — the address you provided when you created or last updated your account.
If you cannot use online options to retrieve information and you no longer have access to an email address to retrieve the information, please call customer service for help. They'll verify that you are you and help you access your account. SAT Services can be reached at 866-756-7346 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern Time).
Be sure to keep your email address current, because we use it for critical communication about your account and services.
Why is my account locked?
For your security, we lock your collegeboard.org account if someone has failed multiple times to sign in with your username. Your account will be locked for 30 minutes, and you'll receive an email with details and instructions. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, but we want to take every precaution to ensure the integrity of your account.
If you forgot your password and were unsuccessful in guessing it, please go to the Forgot Password? page to have it reset. If you are not the person who attempted to sign in to your account, we suggest that you make sure your password is as secure as possible.
Why am I getting emails about my account when I didn't request any changes or information?
We send automated emails to your address in order to confirm a change to your account or to send you requested information. If you got information that you did not trigger or request, then someone may have your email associated with their account or someone may have typed your email instead of their own when requesting a username or password. We recommend that you make sure your password is as secure as possible.
Keep in mind, too, that if you share an account with a family member — for example, to receive College Board emails — then activity performed by any of you could trigger an email about your account.
Why isn't my temporary password showing up or working?
Here are some tips for using the temporary password that's emailed to you if you forget your password:
- Be sure you're checking the right email box. We tell you where it's going when you request the email on the "check your mailbox" confirmation page.
- Most requests will arrive within a few minutes, but if the system is busy it could take longer.
- If you've requested a temporary password multiple times, you must use the password in the most recently received email. Each temporary password replaces the earlier temporary password.
- Each temporary password will work only one time. When you sign in with it, you'll be prompted to change your password to something that's still secure but also easy to remember. If you bypassed that password change somehow, you'll need to request a new password.
- If you have trouble using the sign-in link that's in the email, please use the username and password fields on the collegeboard.org student home page.
How do I change my username or password?
You can change your password at any time, but for security reasons you cannot change your username. To change your password:
- Select the "Update My Account" link on your personal My Organizer page. You'll be prompted to verify your existing password, for extra security.
- Select the link to change your password (it's just below your username).
- Enter and confirm a new password, then submit the form.
- You'll receive an email confirming that your password was successfully changed. Use this new password the next time you sign in.
Updating Your Account
How do I update my personal information and/or email address?
You can change your personal information, such as your email address, at any time. Just select the "Update My Account" link on your personal My Organizer page. You'll be prompted to verify your existing password again, for extra security.
How do I change my email subscriptions or email preferences?
You can add subscriptions, remove subscriptions or change the preferred format of your emails at any time. Just select the "Manage My Email Subscriptions" link on your personal My Organizer page.
You can also select the "Manage Email Subscriptions" link in any email that you receive from the College Board.
How do I turn on or off the "CC a Parent" email service?
Though either a student or parent can turn off the service at any time, only the student can turn it on or change the recipient — through the linked collegeboard.org account.
To turn on the service for a new account, opt in to the service on the account sign-up form. Just enter the parent's name and email and check the box for the "CC a Parent" service.
If a collegeboard.org account has already been created, sign in and go to the Update My Account form to modify the parent information section. Select "Update My Account" on your My Organizer start page.
If you turn on the service, we'll send an email to the parent confirming that he or she wishes to participate. The parent has 14 days to confirm before the invitation expires, and he or she will get a follow-up reminder in another seven days. The student is notified by email if the parent confirms, if the invitation expires or if the parent turns off the service. The parent is notified by email if the student turns off the service.
How do I change the email address for the "CC a Parent" email service?
The email address for the "CC a Parent" recipient can be changed only through the collegeboard.org account that it's linked to. Just sign in and update your parent's info on your "Update My Account" form linked from your personal My Organizer.
If you change the email address for the service, you are essentially turning it off for the original address and turning it on for the new address. The original address is notified by email that the service has been turned off, and the new address is required to confirm participation within 14 days of the invitation.