College Board prepares digital SATs in case schools remain closed
At-home versions of the ACT will be available as well.
The College Board announced today that it is developing at-home versions of the SAT college admission tests in case school shutdowns continue in the fall. The organization said it was working on digital versions of the tests, and that they could be administered similarly to the at-home versions of the Advanced Placement (AP) tests that it’s planning to run in May. According to the New York Times, the AP tests will now be 45 minutes instead of three hours and will be open-book.
In a statement, the organization said: “In the unlikely event that schools do not reopen this fall, College Board will provide a digital SAT for home use, like how we’re delivering digital exams to 3 million AP students this spring.” The New York Times reports that the ACT is developing an at-home version of its own test as well. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the College Board had already suspended the SAT college admission tests for this coming June.
The College Board also said that the at-home SAT testing would be “simple, secure and fair, accessible to all, and valid for use in college admissions,” but did not specify how it would be done, especially for those who lack resources like reliable broadband internet.
If schools do open again, the College Board said it would provide weekend SAT administrations every month beginning in August. It also plans to “significantly expand” capacity for testing once schools reopen.
However, even this might not be necessary. In light of the situation, many colleges have waived the requirements for standardized testing for 2021 applicants.
