Important Changes to the SAT & ACT and How It Will Impact You

As you may have already heard, the SAT is changing once again. Please find a summary of these changes below. If you would like expert help navigating these changes please reach out to speak with one of our private tutors today.

Change #1: The SAT’s optional essay section is no more. Beginning in Autumn 2021, the SAT will no longer offer an essay section at all. This change has been a long time in the making and it likely won’t have too much of an impact on the college admissions process. Many universities had already removed the essay section from their application requirements prior to this announcement. It is important to note that, for the time being, the ACT retains its optional essay section. As a result, if you are confident enough in your writing abilities then the ACT has become the only standardized pre-college exam that allows you to show off this skill. This may impact your decision to take the SAT or ACT.

Change #2: By Autumn 2021, SAT Subject Tests will be eliminated. The SAT Subject Tests were a set of subject-specific exams taken independently of the traditional SAT. These exams had, historically, given students an opportunity to demonstrate to colleges their proficiency in specific subjects like math, world history, or physics. With these exams gone the College Board will likely place more emphasis on AP and IB exam scores. If you need assistance on these exams please reach out to us so we can connect you with one of our AP and IB exam tutors.

At Aegis Advisors, we believe that the best way to tackle these changes is to make sure you are well prepared for them. We encourage families to plan ahead and prepare early. If you are unsure on whether to take the SAT or ACT, we recommend doing a mock test for both to see which you perform better on and feel more comfortable with. We suggest doing so no later than Grade 10. There is no right or wrong test to take but remember, you only need to prepare for one; do not waste time preparing for both!

Lastly, don’t forget to seek help from experts to start preparing a solid testing plan – having everything laid out in advance will make life much easier and will ultimately yield better results.

Good luck!

The original version of this article was published as “Important Changes to the SAT & ACT and How It Will Impact You” on SCMP Education Post.