Questions to Consider About Prepping During a Pandemic

Should you take a test at all during COVID-19?

After many selective colleges moved to a test-optional review process for the class of 2021 admissions cycle, many students questioned the value in taking the SAT or ACT at all fall. With the effects of COVID continuing to impact local schools, this is a valid concern for current sophomores and juniors with little time and big goals: why work towards something if colleges are promising equal consideration in admissions?

Today, it's a bit more difficult to ascertain and a question that you should pose to someone more qualified in that area, such as your high school counselor or an Independent Educational Consultant. We’ve listed some questions below that may help you make this decision.

Questions to Consider About Prepping (In General)

• Do the colleges that you’re considering accept standardized test scores on their application?

  • The key words you want to look for are “test-optional” (accept scores for admissions) or “test-blind” (do not accept scores for admissions). You should also double-check if your colleges’ current test policies apply to admission cycles past the class of 2021, or if they are temporary due to COVID-19. While many colleges made the decision to go test-blind or test-option this year, very few of those schools have repealed the ACT/SAT requirement for the class of 2022 and beyond.

• How are the colleges you’re considering using test scores during the admissions process?

  • Colleges have been pushing, since going test-optional due to COVID, that not submitting test scores cannot hurt applicants at test-optional schools. However, knowing how colleges are comparing students who choose to submit scores versus do not submit scores may give you better insight into if submitting scores will help your application. Click  here for an example of how the UC’s were planning to navigate student comparisons prior to getting banned from using ACT or SAT scores for the class of 2021.

• Do you have to submit test scores to qualify for scholarships (e.g. private or college-awarded)?

  • Some schools may accept scores for scholarships and course placement, but not for admissions. The California State schools are one example of a school system that is test-blind for admissions purposes, but accepts ACT and SAT scores for course placement. Additionally, many schools require test scores for their biggest merit scholarships (e.g. Dean’s scholarship) even if they do not require test scores for other merit aid.

• Do a majority of applicants at the colleges you are considering choose to submit scores? You may be able to find this information by contacting the admissions office at the college. 

  • If the answer is yes, you may want to consider submitting scores with your application. Consider this: as an applicant competing for a small amount of spots, you want to put yourself in the best possible position for admission.  If most applicants you’re competing against have an extra measure of success, you likely also want to have that extra measure to stay competitive.

• Have students at your high school who plan to apply to similar colleges taken the SAT or ACT?

  • Colleges directly compare students from the same region, high school, and socioeconomic status for consideration in admissions. Knowing how you would compare against another student of similar academic standing at your high school puts perspective on what college admissions officers see when reviewing applications. 

Questions to Consider About Prepping (During the Pandemic)

• Do you have the ability to test at a location outside of your county/area if available?

  • Additionally, is this something you would like to do and/or do you think you would be able to achieve a top score for yourself under travel conditions? We’ve had many students travel to other cities, counties, and states to take the ACT or SAT this year, and most have had a positive testing experience in another area. If you are looking at highly competitive schools and have the ability to take a test outside of San Diego County, signing up at a farther, more reliable test site may be a good option for you.

• If you do decide to take the ACT or SAT, have there been a disproportionate number of either ACT or SAT test cancellations in your area?

  • If you don’t want to travel outside of San Diego County, you might want to consider registering for the ACT over the SAT. The ACT has had success in hosting official exams at local pop-up sites that are able to administer the exam even under shelter-in-place conditions. Students in the class of 2022 that are looking to test either this spring may want to consider preparing for the ACT over the SAT due to reliability of the test, but students who don’t plan to take an official exam prior to fall 2021 may see much more SAT exam availability as schools start to reopen for in-person instruction.