Certified Educational Planner

Test Optional - Test Alternative is closer to what is actually happening in College Admissions

Interesting to consider the future of testing in the college admissions process -- look at 3 recent College Board decisions:

1) the AP Exams - while most AP Exams will be available digitally if need be, the foreign language ones (this year) are not - colleges want to see the entire foreign language exam, not just the speaking section. So if AP Spanish, French and German cannot be administered in person due to Covid-19, College Board will provide another option - CLEP Exams for free later on.

2) National Merit - for students unable to take PSAT this past fall or in Jan 2021, students will have up to June 2021 to take the SAT for submission/consideration to National Merit Scholarship, but students must complete the ALTERNATIVE ENTRY FORM by April 1st -

https://www.nationalmerit.org/.../alternateentry2022.pdf...

3). National Recognition Scholarship Program - expanding to include AP Exams and 10th Grade PSAT - https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/.../recognition...

(Source: CB Counselor Newsletter Feb 25, 2021)

COLLEGEREADINESS.COLLEGEBOARD.ORG


COLLEGE BOARD - Makes big announcement on Jan 19, 2021

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  • discontinue Subject Exams & SAT Essay

  • ensure MAY 2021 AP Exams FULL LENGTH

  • rollout digital SAT fall 2021


  • SAT Subject Tests (will still be offered internationally May & June 2021)

    • U.S. existing registrations will automatically be canceled and student fees will be reimbursed

    • Discontinuing Subject Exams frees up seating capacity for SAT testers, and offers students more time to focus on AP Exams

    • Students with Subject Exam Scores will still be able to submit their scores to colleges through the College Board; however colleges may vary in how they select to use these exams for admission purposes (Subject Exams have been useful in determining course level placement, highlight mastery in a subject, and support student applications from Homeschool, Private and Virtual Schools)


  • SAT Essay (after June 2021, the essay portion will only be available in states that require it for accountability)

    • Most colleges were currently not requiring the SAT Essay (CB stresses that its AP English Language & Comp and AP English Lit & Comp Exams require essays, and that the Reading, Writing & Language portions of the SAT highlight predictive parts of the SAT)


  • CB is investing in a more flexible SAT — a streamlined, digitally-delivered exam that meets the evolving needs of the students and higher education (keeping in step with ACT)


IMPACT ON THE COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS

  • While ‘test optional’ is certainly going to continue with many colleges, college admission exams also will continue, and will morph to accommodate the growing complexities of an ever changing environment—perhaps right into the student’s home.


  • Although rigor of course work and grades remain most important, standardizing testing will still play a part in admissions, and especially STEM / Math related type majors.

  • There continue to be several state / public university grant and scholarship programs that are tied to college entrance exams. Some honors programs consider test scores. In the past, test scores have impacted many admission and scholarship decisions — it will be interesting to examine admission data later in the summer.

  • AP Course Exams will be full length (paper-and-pencil) this May (regardless of COVID-19), and teachers now have more freedom in determining contingency testing in late May and June. Coordinators will have the ability to authorize at-home, full-length digital contingency testing during specific testing windows.



    IMPACT ON HOME SCHOOL, PRIVATE & VIRTUAL SCHOOLS


  • Pivot to alternative testing such as AP Exams - Update for 2020-21: The deadline for exam ordering will be extended to March 12 for homeschooled students, independent study students, virtual school students, or students from other schools who were unable to find a school to order an AP Exam for them by November 13. In early 2021, CB will provide guidance about how to support students who cannot test in schools.


    • CB is providing resources for AP Exam prep - see myap.collegeboard.org • AP Classroom is an online resource that helps students improve their performance all year long. • It’s mobile friendly, so students can access it anytime, anywhere, once they’ve joined the class online. • AP Classroom includes: ▪ AP Daily Videos ▪ Practice Questions ▪ Personal Progress Checks ▪ Progress Dashboard






PATRICIA NEHME, CERTIFIED EDUCATIONAL PLANNER

Sources - College Board announcement January 19, 2021

College Board Counselor Presentation - January 21, 2021