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It’s been an exhausting and stressful few weeks. In an effort to provide information that’s pertinent to your family, in this blog post, we’ve pulled together helpful information on coronavirus’s effect on standardized testing and this year’s college application process.
The SAT and ACT Test Dates
Many of you were likely affected by the cancellation of the March SAT makeup tests or the May 2nd test date. The most recent information from CollegeBoard is that the June 6th test will still be administered. Check CollegeBoard’s dedicated page for SAT updates to find out if new information is available.
The ACT has cancelled its April 4th test date and rescheduled the test for June 13th across the U.S. For some helpful Q&A, visit the ACT’s page on the impact of coronavirus.
Students who were registered to take one of these cancelled tests may be feeling uncomfortable, as later test dates will mean scores being returned later than preferred. However, students should take solace that these cancellations are happening across the country to every student preparing for college admission. Both the CollegeBoard and the ACT want to help students adhere to their college application timelines as closely as possible, but a nationwide effort will require time. Check each company’s website frequently for updates.
Preparing for the SAT and ACT While Social Distancing
As you’re most likely reading this blog post while quarantined at home, we thank you for helping to flatten the curve! Now that so many extracurricular activities have been cancelled, students have largely unchallenged free time available for review. While social distancing has made preparing for the SAT and ACT more difficult, it’s not impossible. We’ve gathered a few strategies to try.
- Take The Answer Class course online! We’ve transitioned our classes to virtual courses, so you can still get the full The Answer Class curriculum from the safety and comfort of your own home. Register for a class on our website, and you’ll receive a link through email that’s specific to your online classroom.
- Studying is always more enjoyable when done with friends, and this is still possible while at home. Just like people around the country are linking up through video chats to create social gatherings, students can share review questions, study techniques, and test prep resources.
- Like we teach in our classes, the SAT and ACT measure the topics that you’re already learning in school, so practicing math skills, analyzing writing pieces, and reviewing grammar rules will help you prepare for both of these tests. If you’re looking for additional SAT help, you can check out the free Kahn Academy resources offered in partnership with the CollegeBoard.
The Long-term Impact on the College Application Process
Because we’re not sure how long coronavirus will cause cancellations and shutdowns, it’s hard to judge how the college application process will be impacted. We do know that students all over the country (and internationally) are being affected by this pandemic, so colleges and universities will have to make sweeping and coordinated modifications to their normal procedures. Some colleges are temporarily waiving standardized test scores for prospective students, and it is likely that exceptions like this will soon be more widespread.
The best way to stay up-to-date on these modifications is to visit the admissions website of each school to which the student intends to apply. If there’s any confusion during the application process, students should also call the admissions office to clarify. It’s a confusing time, so there’s guaranteed to be many questions!
Our Take
Things are going to feel very messy for quite a while. Planned school visits have to be rescheduled, application deadlines may be moved, and admitted student days are now virtual affairs! We must all try to be patient and flexible throughout these uncertain times because it’s simply all that we can do. We can focus on what we can control, take some time for self-care (constant studying at home will lead to burnout), and listen to the advice of scientists. We will get through this together, and this year’s brilliant college applicants will become awesome college graduates!