Test Optional...Anyone?

[Arch at Home]

Is anyone's DC applying test optional this year?

Last night DS applied for the October SAT. This is the 4th place he has had during the pandemic. The first 3 - March and 2 for August - were cancelled as were May and June prior to him even applying. He does have an okay ACT score from November but he feels like he would do better on the SAT plus he has that much more math and maturity since then. All of his colleges have now gone test optional with the exception of one which would like to see test scores for homeschoolers but doesn't require them and one automatic merit scholarship which is a combination of test score and GPA. 

There is much frustration to keep applying and preping but not actually take the test. I commend DS for wanting continue to try because I would have quit applying by now.

[Lanny]

I hope that your DS can not only take the SAT, but that he considers taking the ACT a 2nd time. For the SAT he should study on the Khan Academy web site, which has a tie-in with the College Board. It is Free.   https://www.khanacademy.org/sat

[easypeasy]

I wanted DS to apply test optional, but a couple of his schools have score requirements for homeschoolers. (I'm salty about this... so... it's okay for homeschooled kids to "risk their lives" to go in to take these tests... but not the public schooled kids? Whaaa?)

He registered the other day, but I can't remember which dates he signed up for. He's going to take the ACT, though, and he signed up for two dates in 2020.

[Arch at Home]

9 hours ago, easypeasy said:

I wanted DS to apply test optional, but a couple of his schools have score requirements for homeschoolers. (I'm salty about this... so... it's okay for homeschooled kids to "risk their lives" to go in to take these tests... but not the public schooled kids? Whaaa?)

He registered the other day, but I can't remember which dates he signed up for. He's going to take the ACT, though, and he signed up for two dates in 2020.

I totally get being salty about the homeschool test requirement. Though better than it was in the past, there is definitely a bias against homeschoolers.

We live in a large metropolitan area and there are a number of places which offer the SAT. It turns out that the only sites locally to cancel testing today were the two the DS applied to. Needless to say he did not apply to take the October test at one of those sites.

[JanetC]

If you can't get an SAT due to COVID and have no "outside" scores/grades at all, you might consider adding an at-home standardized test (from somewhere like Seton Testing) to try to show some sort of standardized test score even if it's not the SAT.

[Arch at Home]

3 hours ago, JanetC said:

If you can't get an SAT due to COVID and have no "outside" scores/grades at all, you might consider adding an at-home standardized test (from somewhere like Seton Testing) to try to show some sort of standardized test score even if it's not the SAT.

Thanks for the tip. DS should be covered with regards to outside scores/grades. He is dual enrolled and will have an Associates of Arts degree by the time he graduates from high school.

[Rebecca]

This is my biggest stress right now. Every SAT test date my senior son has signed up for has cancelled so far. The ACT is a total mess for us. In desperation, we had him take the CLT on August 22. We are awaiting those scores.

I would really like to know if anyone else is applying test optional. We literally have not been able to test. He has no score.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2020 by Rebecca

[easypeasy]

9 hours ago, Arch at Home said:

Thanks for the tip. DS should be covered with regards to outside scores/grades. He is dual enrolled and will have an Associates of Arts degree by the time he graduates from high school.

 

This is what gets me too about their homeschool requirements. DS will have been dual enrolled for two years at two different colleges. His extracurricular involvement is stellar and involved. And yet - no matter. They still demand the darn test. Blah. whatever. Boo. lol

[easypeasy]

Just now, easypeasy said:

 

This is what gets me too about their homeschool requirements. DS will have been dual enrolled for two years at two different colleges. His extracurricular involvement is stellar and involved. And yet - no matter. They still demand the darn test. Blah. whatever. Boo. lol

 

Actually - after typing this out, I think I'm going to be a bit of a squeaky wheel and call a couple admissions offices on Monday. Since DS has dual enrollment experience, then he HAS those coveted "outside grades" instead of all "mommy" grades. I'm going to ask if he's still required to take the SAT/ACT since he isn't a full-time "traditional homeschooled student."

I'm actually curious what they will say.

[Arch at Home]

10 hours ago, Rebecca said:

I would really like to know if anyone else is applying test optional. We literally have not been able to test. He has no score.

We are in the same position. Other than an almost year old ACT, DS has not been able to test. That ACT score does not match his dual enrollment record. Consequently, unless he actually gets to test and does well, he will be applying test optional at least to his reach/lottery schools.

6 hours ago, easypeasy said:

 

Actually - after typing this out, I think I'm going to be a bit of a squeaky wheel and call a couple admissions offices on Monday. Since DS has dual enrollment experience, then he HAS those coveted "outside grades" instead of all "mommy" grades. I'm going to ask if he's still required to take the SAT/ACT since he isn't a full-time "traditional homeschooled student."

I'm actually curious what they will say.

DS only has one school that recommends test scores. Earlier this week, we began to draft an email to this school pleading his case and seeing if testing was necessary. During that session, DS finally came out that he wants to continue to try to take the SAT which ended the email drafting session.

Ultimately if the lack of access to testing continues and there aren't that many more options for this group of applicants, schools are going to see a lot of test optional homeschoolers.

[Arch at Home]

11 hours ago, Rebecca said:

This is my biggest stress right now. Every SAT test date my senior son has signed up for has cancelled so far. The ACT is a total mess for us. In desperation, we had him take the CLT on August 22. We are awaiting those scores.

You mentioned that your son had prefer status for the August 29th SAT. That reminded me that my son did also. I never thought to follow up on that. I guess that ultimately it would not have made a difference as both sites he registered for out right cancelled.

[daijobu]

13 hours ago, easypeasy said:

 

This is what gets me too about their homeschool requirements. DS will have been dual enrolled for two years at two different colleges. His extracurricular involvement is stellar and involved. And yet - no matter. They still demand the darn test. Blah. whatever. Boo. lol

An alternative is to just apply and see what happens.  Sometimes the people reading the applications aren't aware of the nuances of their own requirements.  

[Sebastian (a lady)]

On 8/30/2020 at 8:37 AM, Arch at Home said:

We are in the same position. Other than an almost year old ACT, DS has not been able to test. That ACT score does not match his dual enrollment record. Consequently, unless he actually gets to test and does well, he will be applying test optional at least to his reach/lottery schools.

DS only has one school that recommends test scores. Earlier this week, we began to draft an email to this school pleading his case and seeing if testing was necessary. During that session, DS finally came out that he wants to continue to try to take the SAT which ended the email drafting session.

Ultimately if the lack of access to testing continues and there aren't that many more options for this group of applicants, schools are going to see a lot of test optional homeschoolers.

 

I would still send the email. I would make it more general though. Not ask if they will waive the requirement in his specific case, but ask if they are waiving the requirement for homeschoolers to provide tests in light of the lack of access to tests.

Colleges aren't done with their decision making yet. There was just a court decision in California that ruled they could not use test scores at all in the current environment, because test optional use discriminated against students who needed accommodations and could not test. https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/01/us/university-of-california-sat-act-trnd/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3K89ct1O0MBBci3BaNKH4dxhlo9BKwCH_zpgqSc7famHe76aYIT6mDg8w

 

[easypeasy]

On 8/30/2020 at 1:46 PM, daijobu said:

An alternative is to just apply and see what happens.  Sometimes the people reading the applications aren't aware of the nuances of their own requirements.  

 

We absolutely would except that it's his #1 school, which is highly selective academically and musically. So, he wants to check all the boxes for this particular school and leave nothing to happenstance. I guess he has a "Control what you can" mindset at this point.

I am still going to call, though, because I am curious. Haven't felt well this week,* so waiting to feel better to compose a coherent email. 😄

*not the Corona 🥴😅

[Arch at Home]

22 hours ago, Sebastian (a lady) said:

 

I would still send the email. I would make it more general though. Not ask if they will waive the requirement in his specific case, but ask if they are waiving the requirement for homeschoolers to provide tests in light of the lack of access to tests.

Colleges aren't done with their decision making yet. There was just a court decision in California that ruled they could not use test scores at all in the current environment, because test optional use discriminated against students who needed accommodations and could not test. https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/01/us/university-of-california-sat-act-trnd/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3K89ct1O0MBBci3BaNKH4dxhlo9BKwCH_zpgqSc7famHe76aYIT6mDg8w

Viewing this requirement from an accessibility stand point is very interesting and something I have thought about. I agree that even considering test scores is discrimatory in this Pandemic. There is not equal access to testing across the US due to the way with which COVID-19 has hit locations and not others. I can only imagine the frustration for the disabled with even fewer opportunities. There is some concern in the back of my mind as to whether preferential treatment will be given to those with test scores but at this point going in with no scores is better than going in with scores for my son.

@Sebastian (a Lady), do you think that it would be ok for me to write the email particularly as it is from a general standpoint. Getting such an  email out of my DS would not be worth it but I would like to enlighten this school with regards to the lack of access.

Thank you for you sharing.

[8filltheheart]

I would consider inquiring about general application requirements as falling under the guidance counselor role.  In the past I have made phone calls asking about subject test requirements or about homeschool specific application questions that I could not find addressed on their website.  FWIW, I would phrase the question such that is a counselor question.  "I have a student who is considering applying to _______. " and then ask the question about how ________ is handled in terms of homeschool applicants.  Another FWIW, I would ask to speak to the admissions counselor in charge of non-traditional applicants if they have one.

Edited September 3, 2020 by 8FillTheHeart

[Guest]

DD is applying with her scores from 8th grade, which are decent enough for the schools that require them. They're in her common app and high school transcript from her cover school , so even the schools that are test optional will, I assume, see them anyway. She may do one more run in the Spring for scholarship purposes if she chooses a school where it will help, but at this point, it is not worth the risk in her taking them again, especially since her anxiety about being in an enclosed place with that many people would make it hard for her to do the test. 

[BusyMom5]

On a few college websites I've been watching,  test optional means for early admittance- several say they want scores by May 2021, but will monitorthe situation.  They want kids to apply now, but still send in scores for merit aid.  I'm on the fence- DD has a 31 and several schools want a 32 for the highest merit aid packages.  One that is a contender- the closest one to us- she can't apply for the top scholarship bc of the 31- it must be 32 composite.   They are allowing Super Scores for the lower merit aid, though.  I'm not sure if I try to track down a testing center, find an SAT testing location (she thinks she would do better on SAT), or just call the current test good enough and move on bc we have a lot of applications to do in the next 3-4 months.