Those currently in high school and applying to college are familiar with the SAT. The SAT is imperative for college admissions, and testing is a stage that enables students to showcase their knowledge. But as of January 19, 2021, the SAT subject tests and the optional SAT Essay has been officially discontinued by the College Board. This update is a game-changer for the class of 2022 and 2023, and flips the script for what their plan might be when it comes to college admissions. The big question that arises in the minds of students and parents is “why”; what motivated the College Board to make such a decision and how will students adapt to this moving forward?
Was this an act for the best interests of students? Or was this a utilitarian decision to cut one’s losses? It is a mix of both. In 2000, 768,000 students took subject tests while 1,272,317 students took an AP exam. In 2020, 442,913 students utilized the subject tests, while 4,751,957 took an AP exam. This trend has been continuous for two decades, portraying the decreasing interest in SAT subject tests. The College Board has stated that they decided to discontinue the subject tests in response to students’ demands and interests. In fact, the COVID-19 Pandemic was the final blow that allowed the standardized tests and essays to be discontinued. They wish to push students towards the AP Program since the statistics point in that direction. In another perspective, Compass Education Group voices its own belief that the subject tests have been canceled to reduce costs and encourage students into the AP Program. While there are varying viewpoints, the common denominator is the AP Program.
With the cancellation of the subject tests, resources of the College Board can be allocated into investments of the AP Program. We can predict that the use of AP classes and exams will weigh heavier into admissions than ever before; the issue is that the availability of AP programs around the nation is erratic and dependent on the type of curriculum the school wishes to embark on. Many schools are not financially capable of having AP classes/exams available, while others have an abundance of resources for the AP Program.
This major decision comes with various pros and cons. Which students benefit from this decision and which do not? The students who were stressing out for the subject tests and the essay now have one more burden off their shoulders. On the other hand, students who saw the tests and essay as a way to display their knowledge have lost that opportunity. Many students have a limited curriculum without APs and are at a disadvantage whereas some students have a variety of APs at their disposal.
Ms. Karen Mason, Director of College Counseling, gives an outlook of her perspective. “The elimination of both exams eases access to college for all students and reduces stress. I’m thrilled that these exams are no longer being offered.” She indicates that the test and essay were stressors for students, and the essay was not proven to properly measure knowledge of a particular subject. Preet Dudhat ’22 believes that, as time goes on, the popularity of standardized tests will decrease, and colleges will look at new ways to test student knowledge. Both Preet and Ms. Mason were not surprised with the demise of subject tests and the optional essay due to decreasing popularity.
The future of standardized testing is still unclear, but we know for certain that colleges and universities around the U.S are making significant reforms and revolutionizing the way of college admissions. Maybe the SAT is next to go.
Sources:
https://blog.collegeboard.org/January-2021-sat-subject-test-and-essay-faq?excmpid=SM48-ED-CB-tw