For student-athletes, COVID-19 (commonly known as Coronavirus) has impacted many aspects of school, sports, and the admissions process. When it comes to standardized testing, CollegeBoard and ACT have started to make changes to test dates. As a result of these changes and the adoption of virtual schooling, some college admissions departments have changed how they are looking at the test. We will dive into the important information that has been communicated thus far. 

Date Changes to the SAT/ACT

Both ACT and SAT have had to rework their calendars for testing. So far both organizations have come out with new testing dates for the SATs and the ACTs. Below we have posted the most up to date information announced.  

Keep in mind as the world continues to change and adjust to keeping the public safe during COVID-19, these dates are subject to change as well. SportsRecruits will continue to make updates to our blog and social channels as new information is communicated. You can also find more information about these changes directly on their websites:

During this time there is also a number of free resources students can take advantage of to practice for the exams: 

Advanced Placement (AP) Test Information

For students taking the Advanced Placement (AP) Test, they will have the opportunity to take the exam online. Students will be able to take the exam on their computer, tablet or smartphone.  Exams will be administered May 11–22 and each subject’s exam will be taken on the same day at the same time, worldwide. There will also be makeup test dates available for each subject June 1–5. 

In order to accommodate as many students as possible, the exam will only include topics and skills that CollegeBoard has determined that most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March.

Another interesting change to the test is that like many college-level exams,the AP Exams will be open book/open note. CollegeBoard has put together some pointers for taking open book/open note exams.

You can refer to the CollegeBoard website for more details. They have a lot of great resources to help students prepare for test day.

College and Universities’ Responses

Every College and University is responding differently to these changes to test dates. The New York Times reported on April 29th, 2020 that there are a number of schools who have historically required test scores who are waiving SAT or ACT requirements for the time being. Students should check the admissions pages for the specific schools they are interested in to understand how their admissions requirements have changed.  

Below are some definitions regarding standardized testing requirements:

Test Optional: Applicants can choose to submit SAT or ACT scores or not. Colleges will put their test requirements and rules on the college website. Every college has a different interpretation of this. Sometimes test-optional schools require SAT/ACT scores if students are out of state or international or are declaring certain majors. If you are applying for a scholarship from the college they may also require scores. Other colleges may use an index calculated from your GPA and SAT or ACT scores to determine if you qualify for test-optional options.

Test Flexible: This means that instead of giving SAT or ACT scores, a student needs to submit scores such as International Baccalaureate exams, Advanced Placement exams or SAT subject tests.

Test Blind: This means students are not required to submit any standardized test scores. Like testing optional schools, there are many different school admissions policies on this. Make sure you check the specific school’s admissions policy.

NCAA Eligibility Center Response

The NCAA has released a number of adjustments to take into account a variety of unique situations due to COVID-19.  There are a number of accommodations to account for e-learning and the changes in learning environments due to schools closing and going virtual.  To learn about the changes to the Eligibility requirements the NCAA has released a few resources to help families navigate their process.

How can I Stay up to Date on Important Announcements?

Below are the COVID-19 sites for each organization:

SportsRecruits also reposts updates and helpful resources on their social channels as well:

About the Author

Alyssa Palomba is the Director of Customer Success at SportsRecruits. Alyssa’s’ experience as a former lacrosse student-athlete at Middlebury College has driven her passion for helping student-athletes, families, club organizations, and high school teams better navigate the college recruiting process.

Want to stay up to date on all things recruiting? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!