College Board Introduces New Changes to the SAT and SAT Subject Tests
March 7, 2021
The number of AP test takers has been rising while the number of subject test takers has steadily decreased across the last 20 years (Source: Compass Education Group).
On January 19, 2021, the College Board officially announced that they would permanently discontinue SAT Subject Tests and no longer offer the optional SAT essay (The College Board). These monumental changes come after years of criticism against the College Board for arguably monopolizing the education system and effectively profiting off of millions of students. While the College Board functions as a non-profit organization, critics proclaim that the institution does not help wage equal education opportunities but instead leverages students from affluent backgrounds. The most significant barriers in education include the high cost of exam registration, college entrance exam prep, and application fees that may bar or severely hinder students facing economic challenges (CNBC). It is important to note that the College Board does offer approved exam fee waivers and some colleges also waive application fees for their respective schools (The College Board). However, many students are still excluded from these fee waivers, including middle class families. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the conditions for lower income and minority students, further emphasizing the need to address longstanding challenges for many prospective college students.
According to the College Board, suspending the subject tests and optional SAT essay were part of an effort to “reduce demands on students as students and colleges adapt to new realities and changes to the college admissions process.” The College Board also expressed that the prevalent implementation of their Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum in schools nationwide has caused SAT Subject Tests to become redundant (The College Board).
Junior Mahima Shah (‘22) states, “As applying to colleges becomes a bigger priority this year, I think the changes the College Board are making seem promising and will help decrease the stress many students like myself are facing.”
It is too soon to know if these changes will ultimately be a success, but streamlining standardized testing is a first to tackle some of the many challenges presented in the college application process.
