Into each life, a little rain–or snow or natural disaster or pandemic–must fall. Isn’t that how the line goes? No matter what calamity comes your way, don’t make it worse by showing up for a test that’s been cancelled. Both College Board and ACT maintain pages with critical information about test center closings and reschedules.
SAT
Test center closings for the SAT are listed on the SAT Test Center Closings page a few days before each test date. Information about makeup testing is posted to this page as it becomes available. If a makeup date has been confirmed, that information is included. Note that students affected by test center closings will be notified by email, possibly before the official page is updated. It’s also worth sharing that the College Board page doesn’t always update quickly, so consider checking in with the school hosting your test if you have reason to fear a disruption in normal testing.
ACT
If inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances cause a test center to reschedule, students will be notified via mail or email with instructions when the new date is finalized. Closed U.S. and international test centers can also be found on the ACT Rescheduled Test Centers page. Test center changes are not allowed for rescheduled test dates.
Finding out at the last minute that the test you’ve been working so hard to prepare for has been cancelled can feel devastating. Bounce back by rescheduling for the soonest available retest. You can also mitigate the anxiety of an emergency closing by planning for your SAT and ACT as early in junior year as makes sense for your schedule and goals; generally, missing one test date in 11th grade still leaves plenty of opportunities before college applications are due. In all cases, prioritize safety for yourself and others. Good luck!
Mike Bergin