Prospective College Students Unable to take the SAT due to COVID-19


Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Recent higher education news updates reveal that students across the country who are registered to take the SAT in September or October will be unable to do so.



Of the 334,000 students who are registered to take the SAT exam on September 26, at least 183,000 will not be able to take the exam because of testing centers closing due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to a news update published recently by Scott Jaschik on Inside Higher Ed. 

Students could not take the test because testing centers—which are usually classrooms in high school campuses—were closed or had limited space due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Out of the test centers that were initially open to administer tests, 61% are open for September and 65% are currently open for October, with a reduced capacity. Closures and limited space issue problems are similar to the issues that happened last month, when 402,000 prospective college students were registered to take the exam or SAT Subject Tests but as many as 178,600 were unable to do so because of testing center closure.

Priscilla Rodriguez, the College Board Vice President of college readiness exams, shared in a statement, “We’re grateful to educators across the country who were able to provide opportunities for nearly 150,000 students to test safely during the August test administration. We know this is a challenging time for students who want to take the SAT. We will continue to work together with educators to provide testing opportunities to students throughout the rest of the fall and academic year.”

College Board Testing centers must follow local public health guidelines as well as College Board health-related policies. For example, at all weekend test centers, all students and staff have to wear a mask or some kind of secure, protective face covering throughout the SAT administration. Students also have to be seated at least six feet apart while testing. Students also have to confirm through a series of health and safety statements before entering the testing space. 

Any students whose tests are canceled will receive a refund and the right to register for a future test. 

College Board has also asked colleges and universities to extend any deadlines for receiving test scores. It has also asked students to equally consider prospective college students who cannot take the test due to COVID-19. Colleges and universities must understand that college entrance exam test opportunities are quite limited. Many have already dropped the requirement for this application season. 

While most colleges and universities are abandoning the SAT/ACT requirements for this year, many students feel the need to take the SAT or ACT and do well in order to improve their chances of admission.




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