The COVID Crystal Ball: Looking at the Future of Testing and College Admissions
Back when all "this" started in March, I doubt that most people thought we would still be dealing with Covid-19 going in August. But we are. In working with families on the college process, I always stress that I don't have a crystal ball that foresees where students will be admitted. I certainly wish I did.
Very few students in the Class of 2021 have been able to take the ACT or SAT since March. Many students have signed up to take them in the fall. While the ACT just opened registration for testing dates starting in September, I don't think these tests (or the SAT) will take place as they put students at risk. Most colleges (not all) have gone test-optional or test-blind. Test-optional means that students have the option to submit their test scores; the reality is that a number of rising seniors did take the ACT or SAT before March 2020. However, I recently read that 2/3 of rising seniors who planned to take the SAT and 3/4 of rising seniors who planned to take the ACT have not been able to do so. So if you haven't been able to test, know you are not alone. This means that colleges will put more emphasis on things like your transcript, activities, letters of recommendation, and essays.
Rising senior (Class of 2021), if you are applying to a college that is still requiring the ACT/SAT and you don't have scores, reach out admissions to explain your situation. Ask if they would consider any other scores such as AP, PSAT, or IB. They won’t think less of you.
Colleges do use test scores in admissions, especially at more selective schools. Test scores, like GPA, are used as data points. So if you can test and are comfortable testing, I encourage you to test. Do not do it as the risk of your mental or physical health. If there is any year that college admissions will be flexible, it is for the Class of 2021.
Rising juniors (Class of 2022), please do not sign up for tests for the fall. Leave that slim possibility to the seniors. Standardized test scores are meant to measure what a typical junior in high school knows. That means that the Class of 2023 (rising sophomores) and beyond do not need to think about the ACT or SAT.
Another issue impacting standardized testing is social unrest. It has long been said (and I agree) that standardized tests benefit the wealthy and privileged. The push to remove standardized testing has been in place for quite a while and Covid-19 has pushed the momentum forward. If colleges see that admitting students without standardized test scores still leads to successful outcomes, more schools may permanently drop the requirement for ACT or SAT scores. It will be interesting to see what happens.
Most of the schools in our area have announced that classes will be held remotely in the fall. Remember, this is happening everywhere and is out of our control. When this happened in March, it was unexpected, and schools went into emergency mode. A lot of planning has gone into the fall and things will be handled differently. Your specific school or district is the best source of answers. Supplementing classroom time with a tutor might be worthwhile, especially for more rigorous classes like math (which is so foundational). Small group tutoring might make good economic and social sense.
We will get through this. None of us has ever experienced something like this before. I have seen some true growth and amazing in students in how they respond to the pandemic. Colleges want to hear about this.
Mary Pat ONeil is an Independent College Counselor at True Fit College Counseling
