Starting in our junior year in high school we are all faced with the task of taking the standardized tests called the SAT or ACT. These tests are both very scary because they basically determine our future and what college we will go to. Colleges look at these test scores and determine wether or not you are fit to enroll in their college. But what’s annoying about this, is that most people are not good at standardized tests, and their scores come out low. These people can make amazing grades in their classes too, which makes this whole situation very unfair. Research shows that grades predict better success, probably because they better reflect a student’s motivation and work ethic.

Another way the SAT/ACT is unfair, is how expensive it all is for low-income students. The SAT alone costs $50, and many may want to, or need to, take it several times. These students also need pencils, a calculator, and they may need a tutor or an SAT prep class that they cannot afford.

Thankfully, colleges are starting to look into more than just the SAT/ACT. They look at the school you went to and its rank in your city or state, they look at what classes you took and the grades you made, they look at the GPA you made, etc. When the pandemic left thousands of students with no opportunity to take the exam, many colleges set aside the testing requirement for this year. Harvard announced recently that it is going test optional in admissions for one year, for students looking to enter in the fall of 2021. Most colleges have followed Harvard’s example as well. So, these tests will eventually die out, and it just made its first step because of COVID-19.

Last week, College Board announced that they will no longer offer the SAT subject Tests or SAT with the essay, saying, “We’re making some changes to reduce demands on students.”

I guess this is one thing we can thank COVID-19 for.