If a school doesn't require the extra essay component of the SAT, and a student takes the essay portion and it shows in the score report (no way to eliminate it) so the school still technically "sees" it, should that student send ALL test scores to "superscore" the essay just in case?
For example, in one sitting a student scored 730 Read/Writ, 800 Math, and 19 (7/6/6) on Essay.
In a previous sitting, the student scored 650 Read/Writ, 740 Math, and 22 (8/7/7) on Essay.
I would be tempted to send only the sitting with the 1530 score, since the essay is not required...what do you advise? Or is it safer to send all?
You should send in the score where you did well in the sections the college explicitly cares about. In general, you should only send in "extra information" that the college says it doesn't care about only if that extra information is unambiguously good for you. In your case, the second score doesn't look all that great.
My reasoning is as follows -- the college already said it doesn't care about the essay. While I agree that they will still glance at the essay score, there is no case of the world where sending the previous sitting score will help.
Case 1: You believe that the college keeps its word and doesn't care about things it says it doesn't care about. Then since they don't care about the essay, the previous sitting score doesn't help.
Case 2: You think the college does get a negative impression by even "glancing" at scores they say they don't care about. In this case, if you send the previous sitting score, the low Read/Writing and Math scores will far undo any advantage that the 22 might do for you.