From last-minute test cancellations to hastily-rescheduled testing centers and COVID-19 scares to hours-long drives, every aspect of this year’s standardized testing administrations has been in great disarray because of the coronavirus pandemic. With few testing centers open this year, juniors and seniors throughout the country are left with the inability to obtain scores for college applications.
In response, many colleges and universities have either waived the requirements of entrance examinations or have gone completely test-blind, for both the SAT and the ACT as well as supplemental exams such as the SAT Subject Tests. Submission deadlines for test scores have also been made flexible for this year, allowing for late submissions because of the unpredictability of this year’s testing situation.
Hundreds of testing centers for both the SAT and the ACT have closed throughout the county, leaving hundreds of thousands of students anxious and awaiting the next available facility—that may also find itself closed soon after. There are countless tales of desperate students driving for hours on end to even neighboring states, miles from their homes.
For the few testing centers that do remain open, significant protocols have been put in place to ensure testing safety.
Before a student is even granted access to enter the testing center, in addition to normal check-in procedures, a staff on standby administers a short screening that will either permit the student to enter the center or deny them access, depending on whether the student has either come in close contact with a person who either has or is presumed to have COVID-19 or violated “travel restrictions or quarantining requirements.”
Capacities for each testing center are also greatly limited as seating arrangements have been restructured to keep testing students at least six feet apart or more for the duration of the exam. Both students and staff are required to wear masks throughout the testing time, and students must, in addition to requirements set by the College Board and the ACT, adhere to local health guidelines and center-specific regulations.
“Registration [this year] is a lot more stressful because of COVID, but the test itself is better. There’s nine people in the room rather than 24, which is very nice… there’s less distractions,” Walter Johnson High School senior Kevin Canha said.
If students are unable to take an exam on a certain test date, they can request either a refund or a rescheduling for both the SAT and the ACT.
On Oct. 20, Montgomery County Public Schools announced its plans to administer the SAT for the November and December administrations with planned test centers in various high schools throughout the county. The district also announced testing fee waivers and transportation assistance for MCPS seniors, as well as accommodations for ACT Special Testing.
“I’m taking it in December, but will probably take it again in spring,” Walter Johnson junior Amy Tran said.
College Board’s next-coming SAT administration is scheduled for Nov. 7, and the registration deadline for the Dec. 5 SAT administration is Nov. 5. The ACT will be holding its next test administration on Dec. 12 with a Nov. 6 registration deadline.
Article by Ellie Montemayor of Walter Johnson High School
Graphic by Ha-Tien Nguyen of Winston Churchill High School