SAT Subject Tests and Essay No More! So What Happens Now?

The rumors are true! The College Board is no longer offering SAT Subject Tests and the SAT Essay section.

SAT Subject Tests

SAT Subject Tests were required or suggested by colleges and universities with competitive admissions. While many schools recommended taking one or two tests, Georgetown University infamously suggested the submission of three Subject Test scores.

Students usually sat these tests during sophomore and junior spring semesters to coincide studying with academic schedules and final and AP Exams. However, even the College Board has been reevaluating the necessity of these tests. What value did they bring to the college admissions process? And, in the case of students who take an AP course and exam in the same subject, why test students twice on the same material?

Not only will the elimination of Subject Tests alleviate some of the demands on high school students (academics, extracurricular activities, college applications, personal life), but it will allow dedication of more time and effort to other commitments, namely AP Exams. In fact, the College Board states that these exams are better “indicators of a student’s ability and interest in a particular subject area” and find it unnecessary to continue administering Subject Tests (The College Board). This decision further emphasizes college admissions’ increasingly holistic focus, which takes into account students’ test scores, grades, course selection and rigor, extracurricular activities, and application essay.

SAT Essay Section

Beginning in June 2021, the College Board will also eliminate the 50-minute Essay section of the SAT. While an important life skill is the ability to produce quality work under pressure, colleges and the College Board have deemed other measures - in addition to their Writing & Language section - more appropriate to gauge students’ writing and self-expression. The college application essay, in fact, is a terrific opportunity for students to share their voice and story in a more unorthodox and less 5-paragraph-essay with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion way.

While Covid-19 has caused pain, loss, and frustration to many areas of life, it has also incited a reflection and adaptation to the times. That the College Board and colleges are reevaluating and modifying their policies is a sign of consistent evolution and growth. In such a competitive world of college admissions where the stakes increase exponentially, it is refreshing to see these changes implemented, ultimately helping students around the world. Now, all eyes are on the ACT to see which changes they will enforce and if they follow suit by eliminating the essay section too.

ALB Tutoring guides and supports students throughout all these changes. Since AP Exam scores, in addition to other areas of students’ portfolios, will be further spotlighted, ALB Tutoring continues to offer support and preparation for AP Exams, SAT, ACT, college applications, and academic subjects.

Contact ALB Tutoring to help your student learn better.