It's out with the old and in with the new for test-takers this year. Earlier today, the College Board announced that it will discontinue SAT Subject Tests as well as the general SAT's optional essay section. The news is not highly surprising—the coronavirus pandemic simply hastened the demise of what have become increasingly unpopular offerings. What's more, the announcement is likely good news for many students, who can say goodbye to the added stress of deciding if and when they should squeeze more testing into their schedules.
Here's what we know so far and what these changes mean for students.
Goodbye to SAT Subject Tests.
What do we know?
- U.S. students: as of today, Subject Tests are no longer available to students in the U.S.
- International students: students in international locations still have two opportunities to sit for Subject Tests—in May and June of 2021.
What does this mean for students?
- U.S. students: if you're already registered for one or more Subject Tests, your registration will automatically be canceled, and you'll be issued a full refund.
- International students: you can either proceed with the May and June administrations or contact the College Board to cancel your registration for a full refund.
- All students:
- Talk to your college counselor about how these changes may affect your plans. Every student’s situation is unique, and your counselor can help you figure out the next steps that make the most sense for you.
- Keep an eye on colleges' websites. In late spring and early summer, most colleges update their application requirements for the upcoming fall admission cycle. At that point, you’ll know whether any of the schools on your list still want to see Subject Test scores from students who already have them.
- Continue to work hard in your classes and take AP exams seriously. In its announcement, the College Board cited "the expanded reach of AP and its widespread availability for low-income students and students of color" as a reason why Subject Tests are no longer necessary. It's very likely that AP scores will become a more significant piece of the college application process going forward.
Goodbye to the SAT's optional essay section.
What do we know?
- The optional essay section of the general SAT will be offered through June 2021.
- After June, it will be available only to students living in states that use the SAT for state-mandated testing on a school day (such as Delaware and Oklahoma).
What does this mean for students?
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Check with your counselor if you're unsure whether to sit for the essay or skip it. If you're already registered for the SAT with Essay, you can either sit for the essay as planned or cancel the essay section up until the registration deadline (in which case you'll receive a refund of the essay portion of your registration).
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Keep an eye on colleges' websites. In late spring and early summer, most colleges update their application requirements for the upcoming fall admission cycle. At that point, you’ll know whether any of the schools on your list still take into consideration SAT essay scores from students who already have them.
- Be on the lookout for a similar announcement from ACT. As we predicted last summer, there's a good chance ACT will soon follow in the College Board's footsteps and scrap its essay section, too.
Hello to a digital, more flexible SAT.
What do we know?
- The College Board is continuing to develop a streamlined version of the SAT to be administered digitally. Similar plans were announced last April but paused a few months later. Today's announcement reaffirms the College Board's intention to eventually shift to digital testing.
What does this mean for students?
- For now, there's nothing you need to do. More details are expected to be shared in April, so stay tuned.
Need more individualized advice?
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