Dear Sophomores, Juniors, and Parents and Guardians,

 

Since last spring, there have been many changes to the standardized testing landscape which impact sophomores and juniors. I'm sharing these changes below; note that all sophomores and juniors are impacted by changes to the PSAT.

 

(To learn more about each of the exams below, watch our testing video or visit the FAQs on our Resources page, accessible from Veracross.)

 

Preliminary SAT (PSAT)

 

The PSAT for juniors and virtual mock PSAT for sophomores, originally October 14, has been rescheduled for January 26. This means October 14 will be a regularly scheduled school day.

 

The College Board is offering this new winter test date to support schools whose campuses are closed this fall (this new date will continue to make juniors eligible to enter the National Merit Scholarship Competition). Even if the Lakeside campus reopens in early October, we don't want to disrupt in-person learning with an entire day of testing so early in the year.

 

On January 26, we will follow the plan I outlined in June: juniors will take the PSAT on-campus (with extensive health and safety precautions in place) while sophomores can participate in an optional mock PSAT from their homes.

ACT & SAT

 

Last spring, almost all ACT and SAT tests in the area were canceled, and most local sites have canceled the August 29 administration as well. Because most high school campuses remain closed, there is a strong possibility the September and October test dates will also be canceled.

 

I know some juniors who are advanced in English and math are hoping to take the ACT or SAT this fall. If tests are canceled, there is no need to panic. There is no disadvantage to testing during second semester or senior year. If cancellations extend into the spring, Lakeside is exploring offering the ACT and/or SAT on-campus during a school day for our students only in spring or fall 2021 (provided health conditions allow us to do so).

 

Finally, most colleges have suspended their testing requirements this year to support students who are unable to test, and I expect they'll do so again for the Class of 2022 if more test dates are canceled. Our office is tracking the testing policies of the most popular 100 colleges among Lakesiders here (and on our Resources Page).

SAT Subject Tests

All U.S. colleges have suspended their recommendations and requirements for SAT Subject Tests (prior to the pandemic, fewer than 15 colleges recommended or required them). While I anticipate some colleges will reinstate their recommendations and requirements after the pandemic, most have indicated that they have permanently eliminated their recommendations and requirements regarding SAT Subject Tests. It's also possible The College Board will permanently discontinue these exams.

 

Therefore, I discourage students from prepping for or taking SAT Subject Tests this fall or winter. Our office will continue to provide updates on the SAT Subject Tests as new information arrives.

 

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

While Lakeside is not an AP school, some courses provide students with the background they need to succeed on the exams (a list of tests offered and courses that prepare students for exams is available in the FAQs on our Resources Page). Lakeside offers exams only in subjects where our courses adequately prepare students.

 

We are scheduled to administer the tests on May 3-14, and registration will open in early October. Currently, the College Board is planning to offer the tests in-person (last school year, they offered the tests virtually since most school campuses were closed). If the College Board alters their in-person plan, I will let you know.

 

Currently, there are no colleges in the U.S. that require AP tests for admission.

 

Our office is committed to providing all families with relevant updates on the college admissions landscape through both communications like this letter and our virtual programming (a calendar of events is available on the Resources Page), and I will continue to be in communication with you over the coming months.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ari B. Worthman
Director of College Counseling