SAT 2s are cancelled—what does that mean for the class of 2022?
One of my core philosophies with my private SAT and ACT tutoring students and on the Ivy Lounge Test Prep blog is that studying for the test isn’t just about practicing a few quadratic equation questions or learning how to fix comma splices—it’s about coming up with a sane, comprehensive PLAN that does most of the work FOR you.
Part of what I do in each and every Ace the Test: Game Plan™ is figure out my student’s Testing Timeline—or rather, which tests we are even going to prep for in the first place, so that there’s enough time to study the strategies and materials to attain their target score, our test prep doesn’t interfere with my student’s academic and extracurricular schedule, AND there are enough back-up test dates should we need them.
And as you may have guessed, it’s NOT one-size-fits-all, even though there are some basic Testing Timelines that work for most any high school junior.
However, now that the College Board has immediately cancelled SAT 2 Subject Tests for US students (and will discontinue them after the June 2021 test date for international students), you may still be freaked out about the changes. In my last post, I told you how this change affects and doesn’t affect AP Exams.
However, you may still be wondering:
How does the College Board discontinuing SAT II Subject Tests Affect My SAT and ACT Test Prep?
Here’s the good news: you have one fewer item in your game of 3-D Test Prep “chess” to figure out! In other words, your only questions when doing your standardized testing should now be:
If you’re in the class of 2022, do you have to take the SAT?
If you’re in the majority of students who DO need to take the SAT or ACT (or you’re younger than the class of 2022), should you take the SAT or the ACT?
What should your Target Score on the SAT or ACT—or ultimate test prep goal that would be sufficient for admittance to your college list—be?
and finally…
What should your Testing Timeline be?
As in, when should you register to take your tests and when should you focus on studying?
You can read past articles or get my SAT and ACT cheat sheets to answer most of these questions. Those questions and answers aren’t changed by the news of the discontinued SAT 2 Subject Tests.
However, Question #4 about your Testing timeline DOES change a bit due to the recent news, depending on which type of Junior you are.
So that’s why I’m here today to help you sort it out, once and for all…at least for the college admissions environment and updates we have as of this writing. (And don’t worry: when things change in the future, I’ll still be the first to tell you how to pivot and adapt, so you can get into the college of your dreams without losing your mind in the process!)
Without further ado, here are the possible ways your Testing Timeline might change now that Subject Tests are gone:
Scenario 1) You’re a Class of 2022 “Hot Shot Junior” in the U.S.
If you are a “Hot Shot Junior”—or a high school junior who is already scoring near perfect in practice tests and is close to his or her target score—and you’re in the United States, you previously may have carved out May and June to take SAT II Subject Tests to beef up your college applications.
However, now that they have already been eliminated, you can’t take them, even if you really wanted to!
Instead, you have some choices:
If you’re able to attain your target SAT scores by March—or target ACT scores by April—of your Junior year, you can now just focus on your finals and APs and IBs and any other exams at the end of your junior academic year. How great to get to focus on these without scattering your study time!
If you HAVEN’T attained your target SAT or ACT scores by early Spring, then guess what? You now can use the May and/or June test dates as backup for the SAT! And if you’re an ACT person, you can go ahead and take the June test and actually focus on it (instead of splitting up your time on ACT prep and Subject Test prep). In other words, if this is you, you can use these extra couple months to keep up your test prep momentum, instead of switching gears to a different test or stopping entirely.
If you’re having trouble registering for test dates in your area due to the pandemic, then that’s also ok: you still have MORE backup test dates for both the SAT (August, October, November, December) and the ACT (July, September, October, December).
If you haven’t attained your target scores by March/April, and you technically CAN get a spot at a testing center, but you STILL want to skip the May/June test dates because of extracurriculars or focusing on your academics—that’s fine, too! You will have those backup test dates as well.
Remember, the SAT and ACT are each administered SEVEN TIMES a year! That doesn’t mean you need to take them all. That means you can work around your other commitments and take the test sittings that make the most sense for YOU.
Remember also that if you’re able to finish up your standardized testing by the end of your junior year (that’s everyone’s dream), that means you can use the summer to get started on writing your college application essays! If you aren’t able to finish up your testing by then, that’s ok…it just means you might be studying while you start your college essays and may be a little busier than some of your friends. However, if you know ahead of time that that’s on the docket, you won’t be so stressed about it, because it’ll be part of your larger plan.
Scenario 2) You’re in the U.S. and were never considering taking SAT II Subject Tests in the first place
So, I hope this goes without saying, but if you never considered taking SAT II Subject Tests in the first place—maybe because fewer and fewer colleges were even requiring these tests—then this change just doesn’t affect you!
If you were going to use May and June for regular SAT and ACT test dates, this cancellation doesn’t affect you. Make sure you give your regular SAT or ACT your best effort!
If you were already going to take AP exams, study for those, too! Don’t go out of your way to take more than you were going to, but recognize that you do have fewer standardized exams that colleges get a chance to see now, so try to make any that you DO take, count.
Scenario 3) You’re located OUTSIDE the U.S. and WERE considering taking SAT 2 Subject Tests
For you, you’re in a rare position: many testing centers outside the United States will still offer SAT II Subject Tests in May and June. If you wanted to submit them to colleges to show expertise in particular academic subjects, this is your last chance EVER to do so.
If I were in your shoes, I just might reserve my May and June to take Subject Tests before they became discontinued for me as well. (Need help studying for Math Level 1 or Math Level 2? I can work with you privately for Math 1, Math 2, or Literature.)
Are you only a Sophomore but taking advanced classes in school and considering a Subject Test or two at the end of the year? Go for it! It can’t hurt, and you’ll never look back and wonder “what if.”
Remember, you never have to submit them if you don’t like your scores, but if you choose to skip them this Spring, your window of opportunity will be gone forever!
NOTE: If you’re a U.S. student reading this, PLEASE DO NOT FLY TO ANOTHER COUNTRY DURING A PANDEMIC TO TAKE SUBJECT TESTS. Not worth it. They won’t bolster your chances of acceptance THAT much, and frankly, you have many other ways to show off your academic prowess that count WAY MORE for admissions officers and take up less of your time, money and energy: earning stellar final grades in your academically rigorous classes at school, acing the regular SAT or ACT, and nailing any AP exams you’re scheduled to take.
Scenario 4) You’re a NON-U.S. student who was NOT considering taking SAT II Subject Tests
I get that FOMO is real, and if you see some of your classmates taking SAT 2 Subject Tests in May and June, you might think you’re missing out by not doing them, too.
However, if you don’t need Subject Tests for any of the colleges on your college list, you have such superb academic standing at school that you don’t need to show any more test scores for admissions, and Subject Tests were never part of the “plan” for you—then don’t bother. Don’t change your long-term plans now because you see some classmates taking them and don’t want to be left out.
If you are a student who needs more time to attain your target SAT or ACT test score in the first place, THAT’s where your attention should be. Don’t get distracted and scatter your efforts and energy.
Remember that after you take any standardized tests that you need to complete, you still have to craft authentic, thought-provoking and expressive college application essays—and those take time! Don’t give yourself an extra project if you truly don’t need to.
So, class of 2022, that’s how to ace the complex SAT II situation facing you.
I hope that helps clarify how the removal of Subject Tests from all our lives might impact you if you’re in the class of 2022 (or beyond)! As you can see, this change doesn’t actually impact very many of you, but it might give you some more wiggle room if you’re an American Junior, or this news might be a motivator if you’re a Junior or Sophomore outside the U.S.
As always, I get that many of you might be wondering how to make to most of the rest of this school year with regards to the SAT and ACT. If you’re looking for personalized help to get you through junior year and into the college of your dreams, look no further.
