College Board Discontinuing SAT Subject Tests and Optional Essay, “Investing” in Digital Testing—What Does This Mean for You?

In their recent update, the College Board announced that they will be discontinuing SAT Subject Tests and the optional SAT Essay, as well as investing in digital testing, in an effort to “reduce and simplify demand on students.” What will these changes mean for you or your child? We’re here to answer your questions!

Why is the College Board eliminating SAT Subject Tests?

Years ago, many highly selective colleges required SAT subject tests. However, in recent years, the majority of those colleges have shifted from requiring subject tests to simply recommending them. Some schools, such as Carnegie Mellon and Yale, have even gone as far to say that they will not look at nor consider subject tests if submitted.

As subject tests declined, the College Board’s AP exams became more popular. Given that subject tests and AP exams both test in-depth understanding of a single subject area, one might conclude that the College Board decided to eliminate the redundant and less successful subject tests to make things simpler for students.

Alternatively, if you’d like to take the cynical view that the College Board is a greedy corporation masquerading as an education non-profit, you might point to the fact that an SAT subject test costs $22 to take, while an AP exam costs $95. And because most AP exams are school day tests, the College Board doesn’t need to pay AP proctors. But again, that’s only if you favor the cynical perspective.

I was planning on taking an SAT Subject Test this spring. What does this mean for me?

It means you don’t need to. Look into taking a corresponding AP exam instead, or just breathe a little easier knowing that there’s less testing in your life.

If you are already registered, you will automatically receive a refund. International students will still be able to take subject tests this spring, after which point the subject test program will be completely closed. 

I’ve already taken an SAT Subject Test. Will colleges consider my score?

Maybe. Colleges that currently require or recommend subject tests will each make their own determination on whether to accept subject tests. It will take time for these colleges to adjust their standardized testing policies, so students in the class of 2022 and later should not be surprised if they find outdated language regarding subject tests on college websites for the next few months. 

Will this change affect SAT testing? 

With subject tests gone, the College Board will have more room for SAT testers, and there is the possibility that they will add more test dates in the fall. This is great news for student access amid the still-raging pandemic, especially given that vaccine rollout is off to a slow start. 

How will AP Exams be affected by this change?

With the elimination of subject tests, AP exams will likely take on increased importance in the college admissions process over time. The class of 2022 might not be affected by this, as colleges take time to adjust their standardized testing policies. 

How will the SAT optional essay being discontinued change things?

It won’t. The optional essay had already been phased out by colleges over the last few years, so this update just makes it official. 

I’m already registered to take the SAT with the optional essay. What should I do?

Students can still take the SAT with the optional essay through June 2021. Students who want to switch from the SAT with essay to the SAT without should contact the College Board to adjust their registration. 

What about the ACT optional essay?

Since the ACT essay is also optional across the country, we expect ACT to eventually follow the College Board’s lead and discontinue their essay section as well. We advise all students against registering for either the SAT or ACT optional essays at this time. 

What does the College Board mean by digital testing? Will I be able to take the SAT at home?

The College Board has stated that they’re investing in “a more flexible SAT—a streamlined, digitally delivered test that meets the evolving needs of students and higher education.” No details or timeline for this digital testing were given, with the College Board opting instead for a vague promise to share more information in the spring. 

Furthermore, it is unclear exactly what the College Board means by “digital testing.” In the spring of 2020, they tried administering in-home digital testing for the AP exams, resulting in widespread technical and security issues. Previous plans to provide an in-home digital SAT test were shut down due to equity concerns. If this announcement is the College Board’s second attempt to provide an in-home digital SAT test, there are so many security and equity concerns that students should not expect it to be available anytime soon. 

There is also another possible interpretation of “digital testing” in this context. ACT has been offering “digital testing” in select locations for years, but these are not in-home tests. Students go to a testing center, much like they would for graduate-level and certification exams like the GRE or the Praxis tests, and take the test on a computer. While there are benefits to this sort of digital testing, avoiding contact during the pandemic is not one of them.

This is all to say, the class of 2022 should not expect in-home digital tests to be an option for them before they apply to colleges in the fall and winter. 

Overall…

The discontinuation of subject tests and the optional essay will make things simpler for the majority of test-takers. Look into AP exams, and keep in mind that you can still register for an exam even if you’re not in the corresponding AP class. Don’t adjust your testing plans based on this digital SAT speculation until we have more conclusive information.