Gone are the days of traveling hundreds of miles to take the SAT. This year, it is coming to you! Thanks to the efforts of the PUSD community, both Amador and Foothill are hosting the SAT on Oct. 11 this year.
In past years, PUSD did not offer it at the high schools, forcing students to travel all across California – and even out of state – just to take the test.
“I had to go a little bit under Los Angeles [to take the test]. It took like three and a half to four hours. If there was a test center closer, it would be better,” said Abhi More (‘26).
However, the hassle of driving far away is beyond just a simple annoyance. The time and monetary costs of taking the SAT also raise concerns for many. Some families can’t afford to take the time required to drive across the state to participate in the SAT. Others struggle to pay for the lodging or plane tickets associated with the lengthy journey.
“It’s an equity thing. Before, if you didn’t have money for a hotel or for a parent or someone to drive you one hundred miles or three hundred miles [you couldn’t take it], now we have a lot more accessibility,” said Mary Jo Carreon, the President of the PUSD School Board.
The fall SAT will take place at Amador and Foothill on Oct. 11 at 7:30 a.m. PUSD will release room assignments one week before the test. Students can register for the SAT at regismart.net, but sign-ups close on September 13th at 11:59 p.m..
“It’s a concern about our students, to take care of our students. Why would we want to make them go somewhere else?” said PUSD board of education trustee Steve Maher.
This was part of the reason why Rebecca Mestel (‘25) championed a mass email campaign to the school to change PUSD’s policy.
When asked what sparked this campaign, Mestel shared that, “[She] got mad at the fact that [she] had to travel so far to take the SAT when the SAT is meant to be a medium for equally allowing access to college and higher education.”
As emails filled admins’ inboxes, PUSD members realized the importance of having the SAT closer to home for their students.
“The emails that came in raised awareness that there was a demand for [the SAT] and a need for it for our students,” said Foothill Principal Sebastian Bull.
A key difference between a school-day SAT and those hosted at regular testing sites is who can participate. The school-day SAT is only available to students within the Pleasanton Unified School District, making it easily accessible by eliminating the need to compete for testing spots.
“The last time PUSD hosted the SAT, it was actually at Las Positas College. It wasn’t during the school day on our campuses,” said Joshua Butterfield, director of secondary education.
Las Positas last hosted the SAT in 2019, but the pandemic removed this accessible option. This year, though, Mestel’s email campaign mobilized the community and led to real change.
“When the requests from the community came through the email, I wasn’t surprised — that was my initial reaction. My second reaction was ‘so how do we bring [the SAT] back?’” said Ed Diolazo, Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services.
Many members of the PUSD community hope that Amador and Foothill will continue offering the SAT in the coming years.
“Ultimately, it’s not for me, it’s not for the class of 2025, it’s for those who come after us. I’m hopeful that the district will continue [the SAT] year after year so that way, the juniors, the sophomores, and all that come after them have the opportunity to take the SAT in a really accessible manner,” shared Mestel.
