Getting ready for College during the pandemic has presented a lot of challenges and uncertainties for students going through the admission process so today I’m going to jump right in and answer two questions that I’m hearing from a lot of seniors:
One: Does “test optional” really mean optional?
Two: If I don’t submit scores, is my application still competitive?
The short answers are: “Yes” And “Yes.”
Hundreds of schools have declared this application period as test optional. And they do mean it. If all the disruption this year has prevented you from taking the ACT or the SAT, take a breath – it isn’t likely to be a deal breaker for your application.
Now what if you’ve taken the test once and planned to raise your score by taking it again but didn’t get to do that? Many schools have said that they will be “test blind” meaning they won’t review test scores even if they are submitted.
The best thing to do if you have questions or concerns about test scores is to check in with an admissions counselor where you’ve applied or are applying and find out how the school is dealing with test scores this year.
One last thing. Even though you might be breathing a sigh of relief over the ACT or SAT, all of the other metrics in your application are doubly important. Stay focused on your coursework and finish the year with the best results possible because your gpa for this last term still figures prominently in getting into the school you want.
Stay safe. You’re off to great things.
Julie
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