Some of you may have already heard CollegeBoard’s recent announcement regarding SAT Subject Tests and the Essay Section of the SAT.
To summarize:
1-SAT Subject Tests have been discontinued in the U.S. Students who already registered for a Subject Test in the U.S. will automatically have their registrations canceled and receive a refund.
2-The SAT Optional Essay section will be discontinued after the June 2021 test administration. Students who are registered for the SAT with Essay this spring can cancel the Essay portion at any time, free of charge.
These may seem like shocking announcements. However, many in the profession have anticipated that this moment would arrive. Both the SAT Subject Tests and optional essay were no longer required or recommended components of the admissions process for most American colleges and universities, a trend that began even before the pandemic.
It will likely take several weeks or months before colleges begin to post changes to their admissions requirements on their websites as a result of this announcement (if necessary). Juniors, don’t worry; you still have plenty of time to research college options and learn about any noteworthy changes to the process at prospective colleges as you progress through the second half of your junior year, next summer, and the fall.
Want answers to questions on the SATII? Check out this FAQ on the College Board site: https://blog.collegeboard.org/January-2021-sat-subject-test-and-essay-faq
