FORESTVILLE, Md. — Some major universities in our region are holding firm on requiring SAT scores with applications for admissions next year, even though many colleges nationwide have announced they'll waive the requirement after coronavirus canceled the spring round of standardized testing.
It's a stressful situation for high school juniors who haven't been able to take the SATs this spring and who aren't sure what to expect in the fall.
"I'm kind of worried, because I have been doing SAT preparation since February and my parents have spent money on that and now I'm worried I won't even be able to take the test," said Alexis White, a junior at Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland.
"I was pumped for my test. I was ready to take it," said classmate Akosa Obainwu.
White and Obianwu both plan to apply to the University of Maryland, which has not announced any plans to waive SAT and ACT standardized tests for 2021 applicants.
The University of Virginia has also not changed plans.
But a growing number of universities have announced they will waive standardized test scores for 2021 applicants because of the disruption caused by coronavirus testing cancellations.
The National Center for Fair and Open Testing maintains a growing list of colleges that are making standardized testing optional.
Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University, Salisbury University and George Washington University are among them.
Alicia Oglesby, the director of school and college counseling at Bishop McNamara says the normal strategy of taking the SATs twice is now out the window.
Oglesby said she is hopeful that the SAT crisis fuels a discussion about doing away with standardized tests altogether because she believes they can be unfair to students who can't pay for advantages like tutoring and technology.
"I’m hopeful it will show colleges and universities that the SATs and the ACTs are unnecessary," she said.
The College Board has announced it is preparing for SAT testing in the fall, even if it means it has to be online-only – raising questions about security and cheating.
Oglesby's advice to her students is to stop fretting about the SATs, because it's out of their control. Instead, she advises to stay focus on schoolwork and producing good grades and a high GPA.