Question: All of my SAT I and SAT II scores were sent to the four colleges that I requested last May, when I was a junior; I have not taken any more SAT's since that time. I am now a senior (it's November) and have applied to those four colleges. Do I need to ask the College Board to send those scores again, or will those colleges have the scores still in their system from when they were sent last May?

You're all set. If you sent official score reports last spring, you don't need to resend them now. The colleges will have those scores in their system. (Note, however, that if you were to retake the SAT's this fall, the four colleges you named last year would not automatically get your new results unless you list them again when you take the test.)

Nonetheless, once your applications have been submitted, you should make sure that all of your target colleges have received everything they require. In some cases, the colleges will let you know, either by postcard or by posting in a password-protected place on their Web site. (This usually happens a couple weeks after you've sent in your stuff, not right away.)

But, if you have NOT heard from colleges after two weeks, then you need to telephone the admission offices and confirm that your application is "COMPLETE."

Don't worry if those two weeks take you past the deadline. Even if materials are missing and can't be found, they'll give you time to replace them without any penalty whatsoever (just be sure to do it promptly).

Also, many colleges will tell you that documents are missing that you are sure you sent. Sometimes this stuff has been lost in the mail (though that's rare). More commonly, the colleges have misfiled it. And, even more commonly, it's stuck in a pile on a secretary's desk and will eventually end up where it's supposed to be. But, in the meantime, you'll be having a heart attack because you think it never arrived.

So ... if a college tells you that something is missing and you're sure it was sent, ask them if they want you to replace it immediately or to call back in a few days instead to see if it's surfaced.

But, again, don't panic when documents go missing. It happens all the time and it's no big deal as long as you're on top of it and send replacements, if needed

So, once your applications have been submitted, be sure to follow up to make certain that all your materials ... not just the SAT scores ... are where they're supposed to be.