I have heard that colleges aren’t even looking at SAT/ACT scores for admissions. Do I have to take them? While it is true that some schools are making the switch to “test-optional” for their admissions process, either temporarily or permanently, it is not true that you don’t need to take these tests at all. It is extremely unlikely that every school on your list will continue be test-optional during your application season, even if they were for classes before yours, and it’s even more unlikely that your application wouldn’t benefit from including a test score. Scholarships thresholds will still exist, and frankly, unless your GPA, resume, and admissions essays are all simply outstanding, you’d probably benefit from sharing your test scores, even if you think you could have done better with more time. So don’t stress–just do your best! Preparation helps!

What happens if my test is cancelled or I get sick? While I can’t be the one to help you with this, both the SAT and the ACT testmakers understand that things come up and are very good about rescheduling tests. Before covid, students would still have no problem rescheduling if they woke up with the flu or didn’t make it on time. Crazy things happen–one time a testing center had to cancel two days before the test because the school flooded. Another time, the tornado sirens malfunctioned and were going off constantly for almost 24 hours. If anything, this should be a lesson in not waiting until the absolute last opportunity to test–you never know what will happen–but both testing companies know this, and they will make it right. You just might have to be patient and call a couple of times to get it resolved!