SAT/ACT Update: Will the Class of 2021 Be Test-Optional?

With spring and early summer test dates canceled for the SAT and ACT, we continue to expect a huge demand for the next several test dates for both exams. While many colleges are offering test-optional policies for the class of 2021, we strongly advise students to provide test scores if possible. Students who need or plan to take any of these tests should register as soon as possible to ensure their seat.

SAT Status

Here’s the latest on the SAT tests for summer and fall:

• The May and June test dates were cancelled across the country, affecting more than one million students, according to the College Board.
• The next date in August is still scheduled, and a new date of September 26 has been added, meaning students will potentially be able to test every month in the fall/winter of 2020. The back-to-back tests in September and October also offer a great option to get two score sets quickly and double down on your prep. Note that SAT Subject Tests will not be offered during the September date.
• Students who have not yet taken an SAT or who were registered for the canceled tests will receive priority for the next test dates in August, September and October. The College Board emailed many of those students directly on May 28 with registration instructions. Those students and any others in the class of 2020 or 2021 who do not have an SAT score (or who registered for the June test and did not cancel) can register through 8:00 p.m. ET on June 3. Registration for these exams will be open to all students after that time.
• The free in-school SAT from March will be offered in the fall if schools are open. Montgomery County Public Schools has not indicated when it might schedule its date, but the College Board is suggesting September 23 as the national in-school test date, with a second possible date of October 14.
• If schools and testing locations remain closed in the fall, the SAT is preparing to launch an online exam that students would take at home. The College Board got its first trial of a global test admission with the recent Advanced Placement exams, which students took online for the first time. They have also run a pilot program offering computer-based tests at testing locations for several years, giving them the confidence to implement a digital test on a national scale.
• When in-person testing resumes, College Board plans to expand the testing capacity at its locations. No details have been provided on how they plan to do this or how they would accomplish this while adhering to likely social distancing requirements.
• The next scheduled test dates are August 29, September 26, October 3, November 7, and December 5.
• For students planning on taking SAT Subject Tests, the loss of the June date is a difficult development. We encourage those students to keep focused on the August exam.

ACT Status

The last national ACT was administered in February. ACT canceled their April test, but as of this writing, they were planning to proceed with the June 13 test if local testing centers are open, meaning some students might get to take the test but most likely will not take it. The current list of closures lists all of the test centers in Montgomery County and many more across Maryland. Here’s what we know about your future opportunities to take the ACT this year:
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• ACT has said it will offer a makeup date of June 20 if the test on June 13 cannot proceed. This too is unlikely to occur in Montgomery County.
• After June, the next test date will be July 18. Given the current trends and the published criteria for re-opening, we think it is possible that Maryland will be re-opened enough to allow this test to proceed. This date also has a makeup date, July 25. If it does proceed, expect reduced capacity at test centers.
• ACT is working on an online at home test to offer if schools do no reopen soon. They hope to offer it in the late fall or winter, with more details to be announced soon.
• ACT will be offering computerized testing at some test center locations this fall. ACT is providing all of the testing computers, likely limiting the availability in most locations. The main benefit to this platform is receiving your scores in days instead of weeks.
• The previously announced section retesting option will still be rolled out this fall. This would allow students who have previously taken an ACT test to take just the sections they want to improve on and then combine their best section scores into a composite score.
• The next tests scheduled after July are September 12, October 24, and December 12. Registration for the September-December dates should open in late July. If you are a rising senior who needs to take the ACT, we recommend you go ahead and register for July as soon as possible.

How Optional Is Test Optional?

This is the $100,000 question. Hundreds of schools have announced that they will implement some form of test-optional policy for the class of 2021, some for 2022, and others schools have announced they will go completely test optional. As if students did not have enough confusion to deal with, the University of California system announced a plan to abandon the SAT and ACT requirements for in-state students while it develops its own test, but it will keep them in place for out-of-state students for now. And then you have other schools, like local-favorite University of Maryland College Park, who have not budged on their requirements at all, meaning those prospective Terps who lack the necessary scores will face some pressure to meet the preferred early November application deadline.

You should also be aware the definition of “test optional” differs by school and often within a school (say an engineering versus business). With so many policies changing, we feel it is imperative that students check the admissions pages for their target schools regularly to confirm what actual leniencies the schools are offering. Also know that most schools who are adopting test-optional policies encourage you to submit scores if you have them since it gives them a known metric to compare applicants. Schools also gain by expanding their applicant pool, either by increasing their reject rate or by potentially filling admissions slots that might go unfilled in this uncertain year. (Link: Read about what college admissions might look like this fall).
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Here are the current policies for a sample of local schools:

University of Maryland: No announcement yet; priority early action application deadline is November 1, allowing few opportunities for students to test/retest and have scores. An SAT or ACT are normally required for the application.
 
Towson University: Has said it does not plan to be test optional for the 2021 admissions cycle and encourages applicants to take a test in the fall.
 
University of Virginia: No announcement yet, and also has a November 1 deadline for early application.
 
Virginia Tech: Will be test optional for applicants for in fall 2020 or spring 2021. Has said applicants will not be penalized for not submitting scores.
 
Our advice is to take at least one test (SAT or ACT) if you get the chance. Every school will still accept the score, and it can be a differentiating metric for your application in a year where many others will decide not to submit it. Many scholarships, aid applications, and other financial programs also require a score, limiting your options for paying for school if you cannot provide one.

What If...

With the continued uncertainty, we recommend having a plan that looks at your probable application deadlines and work backwards to plan your test prep based on the likely dates. Once you have this plan, get registered for your target test immediately. These test slots will be more coveted every day the situation extends and application deadlines get closer.

Get Ready This Summer

​Everest is offering our SAT and ACT prep classes in one-week courses in July and August. These focused classes provided a great value for students needing to prepare for the upcoming summer and fall tests. Seating is very limited. Contact us today to reserve your seat.

​Ready to get started? Private tutoring is available seven days a week to meet your schedule. Call us to get a customized plan for your test prep needs.