As the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic progresses, College Board is scrambling to make sure that students know what is going to happen as far as their standardized test dates. The ACT is doing the same. Both testing bodies have also canceled upcoming tests. College Board has canceled the May SAT date as well as the make-up test dates in March, and the ACT has rescheduled it’s April 4 test day to June 13. ACT’s decision to reschedule their April test date to June 13 should serve as a signal to the many students who are currently wondering if continuing to study for the SAT is even worth it. “If they canceled May,” we are being asked, “why should I put my effort into June?”
It’s a fair question. Studying on an open-ended timeline is stressful, tiring, and boring. Students have been working hard to excel on a test that requires practice, and now you and your peers will have to keep studying for another month or more so that you don’t lose the proficiency you’ve worked hard to acquire. Frustrating? Yes. Necessary? Also, yes.
It is entirely possible that the June SAT date will be moved — but acting as if that potential is an eventuality would be irresponsible. As we’ve said already, colleges aren’t going to drop their standards just because of a pandemic. If anything, they are looking for who in their applicant pool thrived when things got tough. They want to see academic accomplishment in adversity, creativity in isolation, and excellence in spite of it all. Which is to say that they want high grades, interesting passions, and superior test scores.
If you aren’t sure how best to stay motivated, we’re big fans of creating a schedule. Structure is critical to success, so try setting one hour aside for test prep three days each week. An hour is enough time to keep you fresh without wearing you down, and three days per week feels like a perfect balance of staying on top of it without letting it drag you down.
Focus most heavily on practice tests. What most trips strong students up on the SAT isn’t the content; it’s the form. In order to excel, you have to figure out the system, and that only comes with time and practice. If you didn’t before, you now have the time to practice!
As things progress, remember to check the College Board and ACT website and to keep an eye on your email inbox for updates and further adjustments. Everyone is trying to figure this thing out at the same time, and there are sure to be a few bumps in the road.
If you are looking for your college admissions process to go as smoothly as possible, send us a note. We specialize in making applying to college a positive experience.