Due to COVID-19, numerous SAT and ACT dates have been canceled, though they both plan on continuing testing in the fall. Hopefully, we will all be able to get back to our normal lives soon, but there is talk about having to do the online testing at home. Additionally, several colleges have been going test-optional in light of how the virus has affected people’s ability to take these standardized tests. Many colleges have agreed to go test-optional for students applying in the fall of 2020 and transfer students, but some colleges extended it for 1-3 years. 

AP tests have also been changed because of our current situation. In the last couple of weeks, classes have been informed of the changes occurring in the new AP tests, in regards to the formatting, material being covered, and time. Now AP exams are 45 minutes long and open note, when before they were 3 hours long. Though some of these changes in the material being tested make it seem harder to be tested holistically on all your knowledge from the classes, the changes have made the conditions of the test easier for everyone at home. Another change is that students are able to either type or handwrite and upload files. Though the changes to the test help students at home because it is hard to stare at a screen for long increments of time, to stay focused at home, and to find a quiet place to take the exam, these changes only help AP students if they have access to the internet at home. Though everyone at our school is fortunate enough to be able to continue their education online and have the technology to take these tests, millions of people in the U.S don’t have that luxury and millions of students struggle to keep up with their classes.

Websites:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/us/sat-act-test-optional-colleges-coronavirus.html

https://pages.collegeboard.org/sat-covid-19-updates

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/us/sat-act-test-coronavirus.html

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/three-million-us-students-lack-home-internet/4958210.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/us/sat-act-test-coronavirus.html

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/homework-gap-shows-millions-students-lack-home-internet-63600230

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/23/us-students-are-being-asked-to-work-remotely-but-22-of-homes-dont-have-internet

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/coronavirus-schools-attendance-absent.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/10/lacking-internet-millions-teens-cant-do-homework/574402/

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/27/map-digital-divide-leaves-millions-isolated-during-coronavirus-panic.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/13/coronavirus-covid-19-exposes-cracks-us-digital-divide