Big News! The College Board announced today that they are no longer offering SAT Subject Tests or the SAT with an essay component. This change comes from College Board recognizing the new realities of the college admissions process due to COVID-19. They hope that by modifying the testing process they might also reduce demands on students and streamline their application process.
Official Collegeboard statement: https://blog.collegeboard.org/January-2021-sat-subject-test-and-essay-faq?excmpid=SM48-ED-CB-tw
This shift in testing will be permanent and anyone already registered for subject tests will be automatically be refunded. CNN reported that dropping the essay section and subject tests is happening after major universities like Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California system suspended their SAT or ACT requirements for this year.
CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/19/us/college-board-essay-subject-tests-trnd/index.html
With the pandemic continuing to challenge students in ways never expected, this is certainly welcome news. With fewer data points like test scores for colleges to use, they will be examining other factors like extracurriculars and coursework more closely. The team at My Best College Plan Counseling will help students showcase their talents beyond the data.
