The College Board announced big changes to the essay portion of their test recently that you should understand, because your teenager and pocketbook may be affected.
If you have already paid for the SAT essay, you can cancel the essay portion to get those fees back. The College Board says the subject tests will be immediately refunded, so check to make sure you receive the money. This page has the explanation of how you get a refund.
Most businesses make big changes because of finances, and, although they didn't say so, I'm sure that could be the case here, too. Why did they make the changes so suddenly in the middle of the year without warning? Perhaps the global pandemic is making it harder to find locations and teachers for in-person testing? Perhaps, they want SAT® to take priority over the SAT Subject Test®. It could also be that because of the pandemic, more colleges are "test-optional" and have started a holistic review of applicants. This is what their site says about the discontinuation of the SAT Subject Tests®, "We are no longer offering SAT Subject Tests™ in the U.S. Because SAT Subject Tests are used internationally for a wider variety of purposes, we'll provide two more administrations, in May and June of 2021, for international students." They also state that they are reducing the demands on students. Whatever the reason, you need to be sure you're aware of all the changes.
What are your alternatives?
Instead of SAT Subject Tests®, there are two other options available to you. The first is the AP® Exam. The AP® is much harder, a college level, essay-based test that requires a specific curriculum tailored to the test. For those reasons, many students take an AP® course to prepare for the test. The second alternative is the CLEP® exam. It's also a difficult college-level course, but it's multiple choice rather than an essay based. It assumes the student has learned naturally and doesn't require a specific curriculum. It's college level, so test scores can earn college credit at some universities. (Check with your student's chosen university before relying on this option.)
How might homeschoolers be affected?
Some colleges request (or require) subject tests from homeschoolers. They will need to provide a more holistic review of applicants, so they see the whole person. The college admission interview and application essays become a priority in these cases. Without having a high school level SAT Subject test®, there may be more emphasis on course descriptions, SAT® or ACT® scores, AP® or CLEP® tests, dual enrollment, and work history.
In addition, if your student has already taken the SAT® essay test and is planning on sending that in to a college, be sure to check with the college to see if they will still take that test score as documentation. The College Board site says that each college will decide "whether and how to consider student' subject test scores", so be sure to check with individual colleges.
My staff and I are here to help you weed your way through these new policies by the College Board. Please be patient while I update all the free and membership information that I provide for homeschoolers. Thanks for your patience while we update everything.
SAT®, AP®, and CLEP® are trademarks owned by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this blog post or The HomeScholar, LLC.
Yes, the SAT® is still being offered. There are two areas that the College Board made changes to (Lee references those in the first paragraph). They are doing away with the essay for the SAT® and they will no longer be offering SAT subject tests®. Hope that helps clarify!
~Anita, Assistant to Lee
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.homehighschoolhelp.com/
One of my favorite writing curriculum resources comes from my friends at IEW. If you aren't familiar with IEW, Institute for Excellence in Writing , you should go check them out! So many great resources that make writing fun to learn and remember! And, if you've never participated in their 12 Days of Christmas giveaways , you're in for a treat! Read
A current trend in college applications now is for student to self -report everything and be admitted based on the facts the student gives on the application. Self -reported grades, GPA, test scores, etc. After the student is admitted, the college receives the official documents: transcript, course descriptions, tests scores, etc. Then they will reject any student that lies. So,
Homeschoolers are often Christian families - and they often include Christian education in their homeschool. Let me show you how to include your study of faith onto your transcript. After all, Christian high schools include faith-based classes on their transcript, and you can too!
How to give high school grades, assign credits, and make transcripts are the top questions I get
When did my baby grow up? A question every parent asks as they send their child off to college or as they launch them into life. As we are homeschooling high school, every parent processes the feelings of letting go differently. Whether you struggle with the process or not, you may be sad, glad, or simply relieved.
One thing homeschoolers have