SAT cancelled their first test for the 2019-2020 school year on March 14th due to the pandemic. Every test to follow had been cancelled, up until August 29th.

Many students have already dedicated parts of their sophomore, junior, and/or senior years to preparing for this test. It’s about being able to see the product of their hard work, and have reassurance that colleges will see what kind of student they are. 

“I took it in the beginning of junior year but I wasn’t satisfied with my score so I registered to take it again in March but it got cancelled and then I tried multiple times again for the SAT and ACT but each time they got cancelled so I was forced to report the first score I got even though I didn’t want to,” said Simarpal Singh (‘21). 

This is the nightmare that some in the class of 2021 are living. Even more unfortunate is all of the time, effort, and money put into studying for this test. 

“I put a lot of time and money into courses for the ACT, and buying books to help study but it all became useless because I wasn’t able to take the test,” said Singh. 

However, seniors at California High, Dougherty Valley, Monte Vista, and San Ramon Valley were in luck when, on September 24th, SRVUSD announced great news. According to their website, “Grade 12 students enrolled in the schools of San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD) can register…for the SAT® School Day Exam” that took place on October 27th. 

“I haven’t taken the SAT yet, my test got cancelled. I have studied some, and I am glad to be able to take the SAT through SRVUSD. For this test, I know we all need to wear masks, but I’m not too worried about COVID,” said Cal High Senior Jake Hubbard (‘21). 

To many students, this test means an opportunity they otherwise would not have had. Some would even say that San Ramon seniors have an advantage over seniors in other districts, such as our own PUSD.

“I would be glad if PUSD did something like this but I think it’s too late for it to be useful now as most colleges want the scores by mid December. I think it’s a smart decision that gives students more opportunities to prove their academic worth,” said Singh.

The question that comes to mind is, if students in San Ramon, just one town over, are able to test, why can’t students in Pleasanton?

“PUSD did consider offering an SAT School Day in October, but due to Alameda County’s advisory at the time, we were unable to be in the clear before SAT’s ordering deadline and test date. We have asked College Board if they will be offering an SAT school day later this fall (November or December) in the event we are safely able to offer the test to seniors; they have not yet decided,” said District Career Readiness Specialist & SSD/TAA Coordinator Winter Jones.

Some Amador, Foothill, and Village seniors would leap at the opportunity to finally be able to test, or retest in some cases; other seniors have moved away from these tests and the complications that SAT and ACT have recently presented. 

“I would not be interested. I don’t want to begin studying for the SAT again, I have a lot more important things to worry about and if PUSD were to organize something I would worry students applying early action would not take it before Nov 1st deadlines, it may get cancelled, and it would give an unfair advantage to students in PUSD compared to other districts,” said Natalie Teeter (‘21).

These tests ultimately give students the opportunity to showcase their academic strengths and to see their hard work pay off, but under today’s circumstances, they also present dangers. 

“It would be quite devastating if a school district held a non-essential test for hundreds of seniors and an illness or death occurred to a student or a proctor. With that being said, San Ramon may be taking an unnecessary risk in bringing students together, and I hope no one is hurt for a standardized test score,” said Jones.

All things considered, this has produced a particularly stressful situation for seniors applying to colleges this fall and winter. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, most colleges are going test-blind or -optional this year.

“I [have] gathered college data and interviewed college admissions officers on the necessity of this test for seniors in light of the Covid-19,” said Jones.

To help seniors, Ms. Jones has provided information about college admissions during the COVID-19 era as well as ongoing lists of schools’ test policies, one regarding colleges PUSD students commonly apply to, and one per students’ requests.

Traditionally, college admissions have relied on standardized test scores to accept students, though COVID-19, of course, has challenged this concept. So, while not everything may be certain for this application cycle, there is hope that colleges will start to see their applicants as people rather than numbers.