While we cannot know for certain whether or not any ACT or SAT exams will actually be administered this fall due to the pandemic, the start of a new school year is a good time to review our policies regarding the distribution of fee waivers for the ACT, SAT and SAT Subject Tests.
Who is eligible? All financially disadvantaged students (as determined via completion of NYCDOE school lunch forms) are eligible for fee waivers for these exams. Each family must complete an income verification form each school year. Eligible meal codes are A, 1 and 2. Students may use fee waivers for SAT Subject Tests as early as grade 9, but only 11th and 12th graders can use fee waivers for the ACT or SAT exams.
How many times can an eligible student use a fee waiver for these exams? In their lifetime, eligible students can use a fee waiver to register for the ACT twice, the SAT twice, and for two SAT Subject Test dates (students may take up to three SAT Subject Tests on one test date). Fee waivers are considered to be used upon registration, not actually taking the exam; registering for an exam with a waiver but then not taking said exam still counts toward the limit on fee waiver use.
Did the March School Day SAT last semester count toward my fee waiver limit? No, it did not.
How may one obtain an exam fee waiver? Eligible students request a fee waiver by emailing either of our College Office secretaries, Ms. DeMasi or Ms. Tosto.
Ms. DeMasi: ADeMasi@schools.nyc.gov
Ms. Tosto: JTosto3@schools.nyc.gov
Please know that if you have ever registered for the SAT or an SAT Subject Test with a fee waiver, you do NOT need to request an additional waiver from the College Office to register for future SAT or Subject Tests. CollegeBoard will have a record that you are eligible for fee waivers and will automatically allow you to test for free when registering until you have met your limit.
Please visit the following links if you'd like more information about ACT/SAT fee waiver policies:
https://stuy.enschool.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=126943&type=d&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=392197
https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/FeeWaiver.pdf
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/fees/fee-waivers
