What to Do if Your Test Gets Canceled
School closures and restrictions due to the pandemic have caused many test site cancellations this fall. While you can’t control the factors surrounding the cancellations, like state mandates, you can set yourself up for success by planning your next steps.
Plan around other commitments near the upcoming test date(s). Keep in mind the other conflicts you may have around the test date you are registering for so that you know in advance how much time you can commit to preparing for the test. Some students avoid the May SAT date because it is around the same time as AP exams or the June ACT date because it falls close to finals.
Reschedule for another date. In areas most affected by heavy ACT/SAT cancellations (e.g. San Diego), students are all fighting for the same amount of available seats at test centers. If you’re able to get a seat at the next available date at a test center within driving distance, you should consider registering for that date just in case it fills up quickly. That way, you have a confirmed seat if you want to keep that date, and still have the ability to switch to a different test center or date if one becomes available. In some cases, ACT or College Board will automatically sign you up for the next test date at the closest available test center. You can check your test registration on ACT or College Board’s websites to see if this is the case.
If possible, consider signing up for a test site outside of San Diego County or at a pop-up site. San Diego County has restrictions on schools that limit their ability to host tests during COVID-19, so schools in this county are more likely to cancel close to the test date than a school in a County further along in reopening. Our students have had great success testing out of state in Scottsdale as well as in Las Vegas, as they tested in schools that were open for in-person classes this fall. Additionally, we had many students take the ACT this fall at the Sheraton San Diego, San Diego’s pop-up ACT site. Pop-up test sites are run directly by ACT and can only be canceled by state mandates, making them the safest choice for students worried about exam cancellations.
Take a practice test the weekend you were scheduled to take the official exam. If you feel ready to take the official test to hit your goal score but can’t because of the cancellation, a practice test will give you insight into how you would have performed if you were able to take the official test as planned. The feedback will give you the opportunity to make decisions about when, where, and how to prepare for the next test with scores in-hand. This choice will also allow you time to plan for additional sessions if you end up scoring lower than expected on your practice test.
If you had planned on taking the official test as the first of multiple official tests, sign up for a few practice tests leading up to your next official test date. This is in addition to a practice test on the date you were originally scheduled. The test on your original official test date will give you valuable information on what you should focus on to guide your future sessions, and the additional practice tests will act as a check for how well you are incorporating the feedback from the first test. You can even choose to take a one-week break from tutoring after your first practice test as if you had taken the real exam and then resume tutoring as if you had taken the official, now with specific information on how to focus prep in your back pocket.
Use your tutor as a resource. Your tutor has the background on both your specific needs and the testing process, and they can help you reassess your prep plan with all of that information in mind. Whether you need assistance determining a new test date, adjusting the focus of your sessions, or just laying out all of your options, your tutor is prepared to provide you with guidance.
