SAT, ACT tests cancelled poses problems for juniors
SAT exam administrations were cancelled for the months of March, May, and June due to the coronavirus. Students who have yet to take the exam or are unsatisfied with their score must take the exam at a later date.
Many people consider junior year to be the most challenging year of high school. Along with the increased academic rigor and the search for the right college, juniors also need to worry about standardized testing.
Standardized tests have an immense impact on a student’s chances to be accepted into the college he or she desires, and throughout high school, they prepare for tests such as the SAT and the ACT in hopes of attaining the highest score.
As a junior, with the effects that the coronavirus has had on the entire country, my opportunity to take the SAT is up in the air. The SAT exams scheduled for March, May, and June were all cancelled, posing a problem for students like myself considering I signed up for the March exam.
I did not perform the best in my initial attempt, so I signed up for the March SAT exam in an effort to earn a higher score. Now I will not have the chance to take the test again for months.
The College Board has attempted to provide compensation for students by creating a solution to the potential issue of students being unable to earn the SAT score they desire before applying to colleges. According to the College Board, the SAT will be administered every month until the end of 2020, starting in August.
These efforts by the College Board and universities themselves are certainly helpful, but it may not be enough compensation for many students.
Although new dates were added, students will still have difficulty earning their desired scores before the application deadlines for colleges — especially those who want to go the route of early decision or early action and have to submit their scores at an earlier time.
Some universities, such as the University of California and Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, have made test scores optional for the class of 2021.
However, not all universities have made test scores optional, meaning that unless students are applying to those specific colleges, they are still at a disadvantage. But even applicants that are applying to test optional schools are also put at a disadvantage.
There will still be some students who have already attained the highest score they can, which could potentially be the deciding factor in their acceptance into the school he or she prefers.
The coronavirus has had the most prominent impact on the lives of seniors, but let’s not forget about the juniors.
