The SAT Fall 2020 tests will be in testing centers.
You should know that the College Board, the parent company of the SAT, has decided against using their online SAT option for students this fall. Instead, they’re going to administer the test at their designated testing centers for August, September, October, November, and December.
However, due to the restrictions of social distancing (Covid), the College Board is limiting the number of seats available for testing. First priority goes to those who had signed up for the (since-cancelled) May and June tests. Next priority goes to juniors (class of ‘21) who have not yet taken an SAT.
In addition, the College Board has asked colleges to allow those applying for college this year (for a Fall ‘21 matriculation date) to submit test scores later than usual to account for the unusual circumstances.
Fall 2020 SAT Dates:
August 29
September 26
October 3
November 7
December 5
They are also adding a School Day administer a School Day administration of September 23rd and October 14th. Link here.
The College Board added that if there is enough demand, they will add a January SAT date. My guess is that this is likely to happen.
Your Options
If you’re a junior (class of 2021) considering taking the SAT for college admissions, please check the dates and availability of test centers near you (link).
As the situation for college admissions is in flux (UC system making the SAT optional for admissions [for most students]; many schools going test-optional for the next year or so due to Covid; most schools declaring all classes will be online at least for the fall of 2020), you want to check into your options.
Many students have overlooked attending a Junior College. Most have thought of it as Plan B or worse, giving up. Please don’t think that way.
One of my most ambitious students was burned out by the end of her senior year at HBHS. Instead of taking the SAT, she opted to go the JC route. As she worked hard, she maintained an excellent GPA and then transferred to UC Berkeley.
Basically, if she can do it, you can, too.
The JC Option
Please keep in mind that the UC System has seats reserved for California JC graduates. So long as you maintain a strong GPA, you can transfer to the UC campus of your choice. Realize that it is competitive to transfer to the top UC schools, but not impossible.
While there is a lot of talk about the bottlenecks in terms of getting the classes you need and often the professors you want, there are options you can pursue to expedite your journey through a JC in order to earn your AA. I can walk you through what steps you can take in order to make your JC experience a good one.
If you do opt to attend a JC in order to transfer to a UC or Cal State school, take it seriously from your first class. For the most start, you will be pressing a one-time reset button on your academic record. You can start anew at a JC and then transfer.
Thanks for your time and contact me if you have specific questions about the topics covered in this or other posts.
Good luck in all of your academic endeavors!
