The coronavirus has been filled with uncertainty since the very beginning. Lives are rapidly changing, provoking stress in those who have important plans approaching in the future. In the midst of the chaos, high schoolers are concerned about the standardized testing scores that they will submit to colleges. As they work to enhance their applications, they are forced to deal with yet another change. For those applying to colleges this year as 2025 college graduates, the SAT and ACT were optional for many colleges. Understanding that this time can be especially tough on students, colleges decided to look to other parts of a student like their GPA, their college essays, the clubs they are involved in, sports, awards, recommendations, and outside activities in order to gain a deeper understanding on each individual as a student. Knowing that many test centers are shut down and that most students can’t travel to other regions in order to take their standardized tests, colleges have been understanding and have been flexible with the demanding college application process. When told that submitting the standardized tests was optional amid the pandemic, many students were left wondering what to do. Would sending their test scores boost their applications in any way? What will happen to the future standardized tests?
Those involved in the college admissions procedure have made it clear that they are allowing for flexibility when it comes to applications. The College Board states that their top priorities during the pandemic are health and safety. They mention that colleges are even “extending score deadlines for early action and early decision to take pressure off and give students more time to test and send their scores.” Limited testing capacities have been established in certain areas in order to adhere to the public health restrictions. While the COVID pandemic is a time of uncertainty in general, these testing dates are uncertain as well. The College Board extends their message of concern, mentioning that “test centers make individual decisions about whether to administer the SAT, and they may close before the administration, right up until test day.” While they will make the effort to let students know about closings ahead of time, they may need to cancel these tests last minute due to unexpected circumstances. For this reason, it is important for students to make sure the College Board can reach them either by email or text message so they can be notified about the changes as soon as they are determined. If students are notified that they will not be able to go to their test center on the expected day, they will either be given a makeup day or the test at that center will be cancelled completely. When testing is not cancelled and students are expected to go, they are expected to wear a mask, sit six feet apart from other test takers, and complete a safety screening beforehand.
When it comes to optional standardized testing, many students are unsure of which route to take. Students are permitted to decide whether they would like to submit their standardized testing scores. CollegeVine states that if a student chooses not submit these scores as part of their application, it “won’t factor into their admissions decisions.” Those who are unable to go to testing centers might fear that they will be denied; however, this is not the case and colleges are aware that changes will take place in the lives of students during these perplexing times. A couple of colleges have even taken standardized testing off of their requirements list before the start of the virus, realizing that the test score is only one element that contributes to a student’s persona. Other colleges may be test-blind during the pandemic, meaning that the school will disregard test scores even if they are submitted by the applicant. Collegevine mentions that even “if a school is test-blind, your scores may still make you eligible for certain scholarships and play a role in areas like course placement.” When given the decision to decide whether to send these scores or not, suggestions can be made but ultimately, it is up to the students themselves to make the choice. They must reflect on their strengths and weaknesses to decide if sending the scores will help or hurt their chances of being accepted. If students find that test taking is not an accurate measure of how they are as a student, they may decide to leave this part out of this year’s application process. On the other hand, if a student’s GPA doesn’t meet their goal, their extracurriculars are not as rich as they would like them to be, or their teacher recommendations are not as persuasive as they had wished, they may choose to add the SAT or ACT in their applications to assist them on their path to college admissions.
Seeing these changes in standardized testing may cause those who will be applying to colleges in the future to question whether the tests will be optional for them as well. A few colleges have already stated that they will make standardized testing optional for the class of 2022. Most colleges haven’t made this decision since it is uncertain how conditions will be at that time. College admissions officers are empathetic towards students as they submit their applications. They are aware that families have been directly affected by the deadly disease, stealing jobs away from some families and giving the virus to others. The coronavirus has taken an emotional toll on individuals around the globe, adding to the distress seniors feel as they work towards making it to the colleges that they have dreamed of going to. Those applying to colleges must keep in mind that the world knows what they are going through and that college admissions officers are not out to get them. Seniors should be commended for their accomplishments. These are unprecedented times and they have successfully navigated through them.
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