Quick big news - College Board, the company that owns the SAT, PSAT, AP exams, and the Subject tests just announced today that they will eliminate the Subject tests from their products as of today. So, if you were studying for an SAT Subject test, stop.
And, for the SAT, the Essay portion will no longer be an option as of June 2021. You will not need to register for the essay portion if you are planning to take the SAT. You can request a refund for that part of the test if you have already registered for an upcoming SAT.
So what? What does this mean to YOU, Class of 2022 and 23:
1- Control WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL. If you are taking AP courses, be fully immersed into scoring well on your AP exams in May. If you need an AP diagnostic session with a tutoring company, check out AJ Tutoring who offers this service (or other tutoring of your choice). Do it now, and if it's within budget then spend time getting tutoring to be fully ready for your AP exams. These exams WILL happen, even if it is online. And, it will be full length, unlike last year.
2- Still take both a sample ACT and SAT before registering for one later this year - if you haven't already done so. Remember, these are 2 different tests, ALL colleges accept either. They differ in style, timing, and content. However, almost 80% of the material is covered by both. Either contact me to schedule a sample test of both or you can contact Arborbridge which will offer both in February. Want to know more about the difference, check out their ACT or SAT Quiz here.
3- Should you register for an SAT or ACT later this spring? Almost 2/3 of the colleges in the US are now TEST Optional (see right side of the Fairtest.org website for the colleges currently that are test optional - more being announced weekly). After you take sample tests of both, decide if you are a strong test taker. We can discuss this at your next meeting. Then, go ahead and register just in case you end up choosing colleges on your list that really favor having a test score and you are strong at testing. Again, this is an INDIVIDUAL decision and there is no right answer for every student. Let's make it together, once you get some data with sample tests.
Remember, the CSU system (includes Cal Poly SLO) and the UC system have BOTH announced that they are TEST BLIND for next year, Class of 2022. This means they won't even let you submit test scores as part of your application. We will see for Class of 2023, stay tuned.
As you can see, there is a lot to evaluate and it depends on YOUR roadmap and goals! Let's talk, and we can help plan your options together! Thanks! Here is a great blog post from NACAC, the national admissions/counselors association, regarding what Test Optional means in terms of college admissions in the next few years. I stay on top of the news from all these associations and this college industry to help YOU make the best choices based on the most current updates. Stay flexible, and focus on what YOU control!
