College Board Ends SAT II Subject Tests

On Tuesday, College Board announced the end of SAT II Subject Tests in the United States, effective immediately, about 83 years after SAT Subject Tests (then called Achievement Tests) were first introduced. College Board has also announced the removal of the already-optional SAT essay after June 2021. This drastic change comes as the testing industry has been strained time and time again by circumstances of the pandemic, which has hugely affected education and the college application process over the past year.

Why get rid of the Subject Tests and the SAT essay?

College Board’s main reasoning for striking Subject Tests from their testing repertoire is that doing so will “reduce demands on students.” The tested content in Subject Tests has overlapped more and more with AP Test material as APs expand their range of academic disciplines. The SAT Subject Test in Biology E/M, for example, seems understandably redundant when students are also tested in AP Biology. In light of this, College Board has deemed Subject Tests extraneous and unnecessary for testing student knowledge. As for the SAT essay, College Board asserts that student writing “remains essential to college readiness and the SAT will continue to measure writing and editing skills”, but these measurements will be carried out through the remaining parts of the SAT, such as the SAT Reading and Writing and Language sections. Many colleges already require supplemental essays in their applications—another avenue through which students showcase their writing skills with the SAT essay.

COVID-19’s impact on education and the college application process no doubt play a part in College Board’s decision, as well. During this last round of college applications, some students who took standardized tests like the SAT withheld their test results from their applications anyway, believing that, considering remote learning and other pandemic circumstances, their scores were not indicative of their true ability. Other students faced technical difficulties when actually taking their AP tests online. In addition, more than 1,600 U.S. colleges became test-optional in 2020, no longer requiring applicants to submit SAT or ACT test scores. It makes sense, then, that College Board has decided to streamline their testing options and ease the testing burden on students.

If I am a sophomore of junior (class of 2022 or 2023), should I still take the SAT?

Yes. Since it is up to colleges whether and how to factor the SAT into the evaluation process, our advice is for students who are in the classes of 2022 and 2023 to take the SAT (or ACT). This will ensure students meet eligibility requirements for any college of interest.

What if I cannot register for an SAT/ACT test due to COVID restrictions, test center closures, or health concerns?

Don’t worry. Colleges are well aware of these concerns and restrictions. Such factors indicate the likelihood that colleges will remain test-optional at least for the Class of 2022. This means students will not be penalized for taking a test, but a strong score can still help their application stand out.

What about the SAT Subject Tests and SAT Essays you’ve already taken? Will colleges disregard them from now on?

It depends. College Board reports that it has notified its member colleges of this change in SAT testing, and from here on out, each college will decide for themselves how to consider applicants’ Subject Test and SAT with Essay scores. College Board, at least, will continue to facilitate sending both SAT Subject Test and SAT with Essay scores to colleges through its website.

What about your money? Will College Board keep all the registration fees?

No; College Board reports that all students currently registered to take a scheduled SAT Subject Test in the United States will automatically receive refunds for their registration fees. Students registered to take an SAT Subject Test outside the United States can choose to receive a refund by contacting Customer Service. Students who have opted to take an upcoming SAT with Essay can similarly receive a refund for the Essay section specifically.

What about international students?

Because SAT Subject Tests have wider use internationally, such as for acquiring local credits at colleges and achieving advanced standing or placement at universities, College Board will administer SAT Subject Tests twice more for international students, once in May 2021, the other in June 2021. Again, international students can still request a registration fee refund for these upcoming SAT Subject Tests by contacting College Board’s Customer Service. However, after these dates, SAT Subject Tests will be discontinued internationally, as well.

Without SAT Subject Tests, how will colleges evaluate my ability to succeed in a given subject or major? 

As mentioned earlier, AP scores will carry more weight. Students should prioritize taking AP coursework and exams in areas that are relevant to their future plans.

Note that while AP exams only take place in May, registration deadlines are early in the fall prior to the exam date. If you are not sure whether you will take an exam, sign up anyway – cancelling a registration is much easier than late registration.  

My school restricts how many AP courses I can take, when I can take AP courses, or does not offer many AP courses. What can I do?

Colleges evaluate students in the context of their high schools. Your counselor will share the circumstances that affect how many APs students at your school are able to take. For example, colleges will not hold it against you that you did not take AP Physics C if your school did not offer AP Physics C.

Similarly, if you were prevented from taking an AP course due to a lack of space or a school rule, you can mention this in the Additional Information section of your college application.

Students with such restrictions may consider opportunities to take AP courses through online high schools, or opt to self-study for any exam. However, it can sometimes be difficult to find a testing site or proctor. Again, make sure to plan ahead in the fall prior to the exam date.

What else can I do to improve my admissions chances?

Feel free to schedule a free consultation with us! This question is much harder to answer since priorities can vary for every student. We can discuss more about what you should or should not focus on and how to strengthen your application.