Each new day of the COVID-19 crisis brings changes. However, what doesn’t change is International College Counselors’ commitment to delivering dedicated service and the latest news to our families. Standardized testing options have particularly been impacted by the pandemic. Listed here are the most recent updates from the world of testing.
SAT: The College Board cancelled the June 6 SAT test worldwide. This is in addition to the May tests that were cancelled earlier. They also announced that they would offer digital at-home testing in the fall if in-person testing is not possible.
As of now, the organization says they will provide weekend SAT administrations every month through the end of the calendar year, beginning in August. This includes tests on August 29, September 26, October 3, November 7, and December 5. According to the College Board website, students can register for these administrations starting in May. Students with postponed tests will be contacted directly during the week of May 26 with an exact date. Eligible students can register with a fee waiver.
Students can get early access to register for August, September, and October if they’re:
– Already registered for June
– In the high school class of 2021 and don’t have SAT scores
SAT SUBJECT TESTS: The June 6 SAT Subject Tests were cancelled by College Board worldwide. The August 29, October 3, November 7 and December 8 dates are still scheduled as planned.
ACT: As of now, ACT test administrations will be offered on the June and July test dates as scheduled. The ACT is also providing additional makeup test dates.
The April 4 test date was rescheduled to June 13. All students registered for the April 4 test should have received an email from ACT informing them of the postponement and providing them with instructions for free rescheduling to June 13 or a future test date.
The makeup test date for the June 13 national test date is June 20, and the makeup test date for the July 18 test date is July 25. Students may make free test date changes from the June to the July test date.
In addition to the three previously planned fall test dates on September 12, October 24, and December 12, ACT will also offer a remote proctoring option for the test in late fall 2020/early winter 2021, allowing students to take the test from home.
TEST OPTIONAL POLICIES: U.S. colleges and universities continue to announce SAT and ACT test-optional policies for students applying for fall 2021. Note that test optional does not mean that the school will not accept a standardized test score; it means the student has the option to decide whether to report their score. If a student receives a great score, we recommend that the student send their score, as the college will factor the score into their admissions decision. We also recommend that all students continue to study for standardized tests and aim to take a standardized test in the summer or fall. For real-time updates, visit
AP TESTS: AP tests will be administered online this year. Students can use a computer, tablet or smartphone. Students also have the option of hand-writing their responses and submitting a photo of that writing. Here are the primary exam dates. All students worldwide must take the test at the same time for security purposes, so look for your time zone in the table. On this page, students can also find links for Makeup Exam Dates and Course-Specific Exam Information.
Over 100 schools have publicly announced that they will accept 2020 AP credits, including Boston University, MIT, NYU, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tulane, the University of California System, the University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt, and Yale.
RESOURCES: College Board and Khan Academy continue to provide free resources online, including full-length practice tests for the SAT and personalized learning tools. The ACT also offers free practice test questions for each section of the ACT. If possible, we recommend that students work with a tutor so they can develop personalized strategies. Looking for this kind of personalized test preparation? Contact us for the name of a tutoring company that we recommend and trust.
International College Counselors strives to be a strong resource and partner for your family. Even in these unprecedented times, we can enable your student to reach their fullest potential in the college admissions journey. We’re here to help.
