Applying to College during the Pandemic

Our lives have been turned upside down since Covid-19 arrived here in the U.S.  Most notably for our students, school became online learning, and standardized testing came to a halt.  Both the SAT and ACT canceled tests this spring when many high school juniors plan to take these exams.  While both SAT and ACT have scheduled summer and fall testing dates, we are not certain if these scheduled dates will even happen due to the necessity for social distancing. Will test centers, many of them high schools, be open?  Even if they are open, there may be fewer testing slots available if students have to be separated six feet apart from each other.  What if my child isn’t able to get a chance to take a test?  For this reason, many colleges and universities are going test optional for the 2021 admissions cycle.  Test optional means that applicants are NOT required to send a SAT/ACT score.  What does this mean?  How will it impact me?  Is not sending an SAT/ACT score a good strategy for my situation?  Again, there are no easy answers as it really depends on each applicant’s personal situation. 

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