Sending scores after the test

[Bennet]

I'm taking the GRE for the first time this Tuesday, and I've only just learned that you're asked for four schools to send your score to that day and to send them later, you have to pay almost $30 per school. I'm applying to at least ten schools, so that would be a lot for me to pay, but what would be the point of sending my scores to four of them now if I haven't sent in any other materials for my application yet? Also, I plan on taking the GRE twice because I'm sure my scores this first time won't be as good as I hope, so I don't know if I want to send these scores now if the second time I take them, I get better scores.

Basically, I'm unsure of what to do the day of the test. I can't afford to wait and send my scores to 10 schools when I'm finally ready, but how do I decide which schools to send the scores to now? Should I send them to my fallback schools, or the ones I really want to go to? Also, has anyone else sent their scores to schools before they've actually applied to them? I can't help thinking that it would be weird for schools to get my GRE scores when I haven't indicated to them in any other way that I'm applying there...and the GRE is certainly not going to be my strong point in my application so it's not the first impression I want my schools to have of me.

So advice and past experience on sending scores, please?

[hahahut]

I got the impression that the score is sent electronically twice a month. Most schools would match scores to applicants automatically based on name and DOB. I guess at some point a human needs to interfere to tidy up. But even so, I doubt anyone would pay attention matching name to scores. Like working in a bank, after a while, the teller just doesn't care about the amount. Just transactions (Hope you get what I mean).

Another point I am sure you are aware is each score report has all scores from the past five years. So they would see your old score from the past anyway.

I would send them to less favorable schools this time. You imply you might not do good enough for dream schools this time. But you might still get a sufficient one for a safe school. So in that case, you would save yourself the money to send them again next year.