SAT Stress
Gabrielle Rabold '22 Staff Writer
Seniors across Howard County are beginning to take the first steps into the college application process, while juniors begin to prepare for tests that determine college eligibility, such as the SAT and the ACT. At first glance, help is everywhere and endless. CollegeBoard seems to make the process easy, but in reality, the College Board is only driven by money and their own interests.
AP tests, the ACT and the SAT appear to be needed for the best resume for college admissions, yet each test costs money, anywhere from $52-$96. Furthermore, after students take these tests, they have to pay more money in order to send their scores to colleges. The College Board charges $12 per college, which adds up quickly.
Not all students are able to take the SAT or ACT as many times as they want in order to get the best score due to how expensive these tests are. In fact, SAT or ACT help such as study groups or workbooks can cost up to $100, furthering the economic divide of student success and family income.
Due to Covid-19, most colleges and universities are making the SAT optional, meaning that many students are deciding not to take it. Briana May, a senior from Howard High School, said, “I took the SAT, but I am not sending in my scores because I do not like mine and I do not want to retake it when all the schools I am applying to are test optional.” Overall, there is no point in taking or retaking the SAT, or any other optional tests, when students can save their money to actually pay for the school they want to attend. Christian Rodgers, a graduate from Howard High School who is now a freshman at the University of Miami, said, “I took the SAT sophomore year and didn’t get a great score, because I was anticipating taking it again my junior year. But because of COVID I wasn’t able to take it junior year. Since most colleges didn’t require it anymore, I didn’t need to take the SAT again or send my scores.” In general, there is no point in taking unreasonably expensive tests that are not required for most colleges.
AP tests, the ACT and the SAT appear to be needed for the best resume for college admissions, yet each test costs money, anywhere from $52-$96. Furthermore, after students take these tests, they have to pay more money in order to send their scores to colleges. The College Board charges $12 per college, which adds up quickly.
Not all students are able to take the SAT or ACT as many times as they want in order to get the best score due to how expensive these tests are. In fact, SAT or ACT help such as study groups or workbooks can cost up to $100, furthering the economic divide of student success and family income.
Due to Covid-19, most colleges and universities are making the SAT optional, meaning that many students are deciding not to take it. Briana May, a senior from Howard High School, said, “I took the SAT, but I am not sending in my scores because I do not like mine and I do not want to retake it when all the schools I am applying to are test optional.” Overall, there is no point in taking or retaking the SAT, or any other optional tests, when students can save their money to actually pay for the school they want to attend. Christian Rodgers, a graduate from Howard High School who is now a freshman at the University of Miami, said, “I took the SAT sophomore year and didn’t get a great score, because I was anticipating taking it again my junior year. But because of COVID I wasn’t able to take it junior year. Since most colleges didn’t require it anymore, I didn’t need to take the SAT again or send my scores.” In general, there is no point in taking unreasonably expensive tests that are not required for most colleges.
ELLICOTT CITY, MD, OCTOBER, 2021- Ashley Furr, a senior at Howard High School is stressed over studying for her upcoming SAT exam. -G. RABOLD/ LIONS TALE
On the other hand, college applications are also very hard on students' mental health. It is hard to manage your time when so many things are being pushed to the forefront of the senior to-do list. Briana May said, “Sometimes I feel very very overwhelmed and then other times I feel like I’m on top of everything.” Overall, it is okay to feel stressed - in fact it's normal! Christian Rodgers stated, “My advice for current seniors is start the college process early, and don’t stress over applications too much.”
Although the College Board does draw an economic line between those who will be successful on their tests and those who won't, the SAT/ACT tests are now optional and most importantly, these test scores do not accurately reflect academic performance or personal value. Don't stress too much about the scores, and enjoy your last year of high school!