What is Going On With Testing?!?!? Summer & Fall 2020
You’re Not Going Back to School Full-Time
August 9, 2020Test Optional = Test Preferred
August 9, 2020Overview
The SAT wimped out of their ambitious plans to do in-home computer based testing in the fall. They cited equality reasons. They lied. The AP tests were a public relations disaster for the SAT. Over 95% of students had no issue, but the other five percent is what people talked about. The other 5% is what made the test seem even less valid. The other 5% undermined public trust in the product line at-large.
It was a tough choice for the SAT, because, in a very real sense, they’re fighting for institutional survival. They need people testing. But, they decided they couldn’t afford to expose themselves to more anti-egalitarian arguments, and they most certainly could not afford some nightmare scenario where testing went poorly.
The ACT managed to give a small percentage of the exams planned for last Saturday. Students in most states had their test centers canceled, and, like in June, the cancellations ran up into the week of the test. I had students testing in Indiana that did not get a cancellation until Tuesday or Wednesday of that week. The ACT was quiet (read: sneaky) about it too, there was no press-coverage or broad based announcement, nor did I see a press release on their website. They just slipped emails into the affected students inboxes.
At the end of the day, both tests are struggling to give administrations, even with reduced capacity per room and increased room numbers. The spike in cases and states' retreat from opening, has left the ACT and College Board in a vulnerable spot. They'll do everything they can to give tests this fall; they believe--and rightly so--that they need to give tests if they hope to fully recover from the pandemic test-optional rush.
Their Plan
The ACT
The ACT released their test dates later than they planned, and they still had massive sign-up problems. Some students waited two or more hours to get registered, others had to sign up for centers a significant distance away. I suggest you sign up for something that works for you, then check back reasonably often looking for an ideal solution. You can sign up here for email updates from the ACT. Here are the datesSeptember
October
What to Expect
Preference will be given to seniors, reschedules, and those without an ACT score. Some students may get bumped for those reasons, although I haven't seen a lot of that yet.
Traditionally, the ACT has a smaller administration in September, fewer test-takers at fewer centers. Obviously, with the backlog, they'll want to get as many students testing as possible. While it looks like they've added centers for the September exams, each center will be taking fewer students.
I think many of the September test dates are likely to be canceled.
I suggest you sign up for multiple test-dates if you can. There's no word on whether or not the ACT will allow that, but I would suggest you try. If you live in close to a state border, consider the environment in the neighboring state. I've seen test centers in Michigan closed and test centers 20 minutes away in Indiana open.
The SAT
After some delay, the SAT registration for fall is open. There is one new test date, September, of interest to US students, and a possible--likely--test date in January.
Register now, seating is limited.Fall SAT Dates
What to Expect
Seriously, register now. Seating is limited and the SAT is playing things more conservatively.
Last spring, the SAT canceled test centers piecemeal for the March administration but then employed a wholesale cancellation approach for the rest of the testing season. It's tough to say for sure what approach they'll take this fall, but it's likely that they will go center by center for cancellations.
I think we'll know more about the SAT's strategy after the August 29 administration, as it's looking like that test is headed for massive cancellations.
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