I’ve never been a big fan of the June SAT and ACT—most teens are simply too mentally tired at the end of a long stretch of academic exertion to do their best–but their reliable arrival has always signaled the end of the school year. Well, COVID-19 has temporarily upended most traditions, and testing hardly seems feasible while school buildings lie empty as their students and faculty shelter in place. The March SAT (at least in some places), April ACT, and May SAT were all victims of the coronavirus crisis. Now we look to the June tests…
JUNE SAT AND SUBJECT TESTS
College Board wasted no time in shutting down their June tests: “To keep students safe, and in alignment with public health guidance and school closures across 192 countries, we will not be able to administer the SAT or SAT Subject Tests on June 6, 2020.”
Students targeting the June SAT may take some small comfort in learning that College Board is planning monthly weekend SAT administrations every month through the end of the calendar year, beginning in August, though the only new administration would be September. High schoolers in the graduating class of 2021 who don’t have scores yet should be able to register for these administrations as early as May. As for the Subject Tests, this may be the final nail in their collective coffin.
JUNE ACT
ACT Inc, on the other hand, seems more optimistic about testing prospects in June:
As CDC and local guidelines for safety allow, ACT’s flexible scheduling offered throughout the months of June and July will provide students with reschedule options—without change fees—for June 13 to June 20 and for July 18 to July 25. Students may also make free test date changes from the June to the July national test date.
ACT is also expecting to bring the digital ACT already promised for this fall in-home by the end of 2020: “In addition to three previously planned fall/winter 2020 national test dates in September, October and December, ACT will also offer a remote proctoring option for the ACT test, allowing students to take the test at their home on a computer. ACT will launch the test at-home option in late fall/early winter 2020 as part of its national testing program.”
So, in summary, the status of the June 2020 tests as of mid-April is no to SAT and yes to ACT with a strong likelihood of digital tests for either or both within the year. If the June ACT is going to run, let’s make it count!
Mike Bergin