Forgot department code at recipient school: can it be fixed?

[Catria]

When I went on ETS' website to order GRE score reports to be sent to institutions, with the appropriate set of scores, I have entered an institution. The problem is, I forgot to enter a receiving department when the university's website did not explicitly say that department codes were not in use.

 

Is there any way to tell ETS to append the department code (given an order number and the institution where I need to have the dept code appended) to an institution in a pre-existing order? Or is there another way to have that mistake fixed?

Edited October 17, 2014 by Catria

[TakeruK]

First, I would check with the department -- tell them that you only entered the institution code but not the department code. If they say it's okay and they can still access your score because they get scores through the Grad School, then you're fine. If not, then I would call ETS and explain your situation and see what they can do. ETS has fairly strict rules on their website, but like any other company, they want to make their customers (i.e. us) happy. It does not sound like it would financially disadvantage them to add a department code to your score report (other than losing a chance to punish you for a mistake) so I think they would do it if it were possible.

[Catria]

Here is the answer from UChicago (I am applying to the astro department there because it's the better cosmological fit between the physics dept and the astro dept):

 

 

Because all GRE scores submitted to the University of Chicago are sent electronically to a central database, a department code is not required. Your test scores will automatically attach to your application upon their receipt, provided your biographical information submitted by ETS (name and date of birth) matches your application information. If you do not see your test scores appear on your application within 24 hours of receiving the email confirming we have received your test scores, please let us know and we will manually transfer your scores to your application.

 

So it didn't have much of a bearing after all...

[TakeruK]

That's good I get the sense that most schools are moving towards central databases for test scores, so department codes aren't as important any more!