My ACT or SAT was cancelled. Now what?

In response to COVID-19, the College Board and ACT, Inc., announced that the SAT and ACT will be postponed until at least June. Students who were planning on taking the makeup SAT on March 28, the SAT on May 2, or the ACT on April 4 will have to adjust their testing plans. If you were signed up for these test dates, College Board will be refunding your money. We recommend signing up for the June SAT and ACT as soon as possible. Rest assured that colleges and universities are aware that this is affecting millions of students and they will make adjustments if necessary to the admissions process this coming fall. Because the situation is changing day by day, there have not yet been any announcements on how colleges will handle these testing delays. The SAT and ACT are also offered in the fall, with December 2020 as the last test date most colleges will accept. So, what does this mean? It means you have time. Remember, every single high school student in the world is experiencing this and are working to figure out a plan. 

What do I do if my test date has been postponed?

For students who have spent months preparing, we understand that this is an extremely stressful time. But don’t worry – all of the work that you have put in isn’t for nothing. We recommend that you continue to prepare for your exams by either continuing your test prep class or private tutoring online. In fact, this gives you even more time to prepare. In our experience, an increase in test scores is directly related to the amount of time that a student puts in on their own time. This means that after your tutoring lesson or your class, take time to really understand the strategies and material on your own. This will build your confidence outside of a classroom setting and help you be more prepared when you do actually take the test. If your school isn’t providing you with enough work to keep you busy all day, this is your chance to put in more time getting ready to test.

AP and Subject Exams  

If you were planning to take the SAT Subject Exams in June and your test date has been postponed from March or May, you may need to adjust your plans. You cannot take the SAT and the Subject Exams on the same day. If you are in this situation, consider taking your Subject Exams on June 6 and move your SAT test prep to the fall for August or October exams. The reason for this is that it’s best to take the Subject Exams at the end of the academic year. If you are planning to take the June ACT, you can take the Subject Exams on June 6 and the ACT on June 13 (at the publishing time of this post). 

The College Board is working on plans to possibly allow for AP testing online in May if circumstances demand it. They are planning on releasing more information about this on Friday, March 20. 

 What’s next? 

We are currently working on plans to further support our students who have been affected by this massive change in schedule. Please feel free to reach out to our office at booking@sevenpointsprep.com or 206-701-0232 and we will be happy to answer any questions for you to the best of our ability. We are continuing to hold private and group sessions online. If you are currently working with a tutor or enrolled in one of our group classes, we will be communicating with you directly. Hang tight – together, we’ve got this. 

By Sarah Leonard, MA