By Sophie Bright
Feature Page Editor/Copy Editor
As we enter the test taking season, there have been a few changes made to the process of taking the SAT.
This year, the class of 2023 and above will not be required to take the SAT, ACT, NMSQT, and the PSAT is optional.
“We encourage our 11 grade students take these exams as they prepare for the college admission process. However, this is an optional exam,” states Assistant Principal Cheryl Savio, in an email sent to teachers on September 1, 2021.
These exams are optional due to varying reasons such as the COVID-19 pandemic, stress, as well as the fact that these tests are just going out of practice.
When asked why the tests are not required, Patricia DeLeon at Millikan’s College and Career Center stated,
“I know that one [of the reasons] is due to the pandemic, a lot of students did not have access to take the SAT, so therefore a lot of schools have made the test optional.”
UCs and Cal States have officially said that they will not be requiring these test scores for college admissions, but the Millikan College and Career Center is recommending that if you are eligible to take the SAT, then it might be a good idea to consider. This is because colleges have stated that they might be using these scores for placement in courses.
“The other part is accessibility…” states Anais Rocha who also works at the Millikan College and Career Center.
“Some kids don’t have the resources available to get SAT prep, some may not have the funds, they can’t buy a book, or it’s not available.”
Although, there are a few reasons why it may not be a good idea to attempt these exams.
“It’s beneficial for [students to opt out] because they can take more time on their college applications and their essays,” says Yvette Aguirre, of the Millikan College and Career Center.
Some students can experience bad test anxiety, so when presented with an exam like the SAT, they could do poorly and those scores don’t always reflect their academic strength.
If a student has any further questions on the new SAT process, they can stop by the newly refurbished College and Career center (room 11207) to follow up with any of the directors there for any question they might have.
