ACT® and SAT® Test Dates Are Back on Schedule for 2021 and 2022
Needless to say, 2020 was a mess of a year for both the ACT® and SAT®. A limited number of seats meant that students had to get lucky in order to register.
Even if a student landed a seat on test day, they had to prepare for their test with the looming anxiety of a potential cancellation. Test cancellations and test center closures were frequent and sporadic throughout most of the year, oftentimes last-minute, which created frustration for students and tutors alike. After a long year of unpredictability, everything changed in the fall of 2020. A rush of available test dates finally brought about a light at the end of the tunnel.
Then came 2021. Vaccines and school reopenings meant test dates became more reliable and test centers became more available. Now, as we reach the midpoint of 2021, there are signs that college admissions testing has already begun to return to normal, including a full slate of available test dates for both the ACT® and SAT®. Now, students can finally get back to work preparing for their tests and their futures.
ACT® Test Dates for 2021-2022
ACT® test dates are now available for the US, US territories, and Puerto Rico. As of now, the only month without a test date is May.
*Note that the July date will not be available in New York.
SAT® Test Dates for 2021-2022
SAT® test dates are now available in the US. Below are all of the anticipated SAT® administration dates as they stand today. As dates become finalized, deadlines for registration and registration changes will be available on the College Board’s SAT® Dates page.
Test Registration Tips to Share with Your Clients
With the steady release of test dates for both the ACT® and SAT®, your clients now, more than ever before, could benefit from a few test registration tips and reminders.
1. Choose the Ideal Testing Location
The most common location for taking the ACT® or SAT® is at a local high school. In many cases, it’s close to home, convenient to get to, and it’s already a comfortable atmosphere. However, it may not be possible for students to make it on the day that their high school administers the test.
On the other hand, there is a chance that a student doesn’t live conveniently close to their school, or they would rather not run into their classmates on test day. In these cases, it may be worth exploring what other testing center options are within reach.
2. Register Early
The fastest way to register for a test is online. Students registering for the ACT® can do so through their ACT® Web Account, while students registering for the SAT® can do so through their College Board account. For those students who prefer not to register online, all high school guidance offices provide paper registration packets.
In either case, remind your students to register as soon as possible. Registering early will avoid any costly late fees or the anxiety of being placed on a waitlist.
The ACT® provides the registration deadlines for each test, as well as the late registration deadlines of which late fees apply. The SAT® registration deadlines are typically one month prior to the test date and about ten days prior with late fees.
That said, remind your students to keep an eye on their test date, register early, and block out that date on all of their calendars - they don’t want to miss their ideal test date!
3. Apply for Fee Waivers
Let’s be honest - the SAT® and ACT® tests are pricey. In the event of unavoidable circumstances and economic hardship, both the ACT® and SAT® offer fee waivers. For students who qualify, this could make a huge impact on their future education.
College Board guarantees eligibility of an SAT® fee waiver for students enrolled in (or qualify to participate in) the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program (FRPL). If they are not in FRPL, there are other criteria that may still make it possible for them to qualify for a fee waiver. This is based on:
annual family income (according to the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service)
enrollment in federal, state, or local programs that help students from low-income families
if their family receives public assistance
living in federally subsidized public housing
students in foster care
homeless students
students who are orphans or wards of the state
An ACT® fee waiver requires that qualifying students must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
Be currently enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th grade.
Be testing in the United States, US territories, or Puerto Rico.
Meet one or more of the following:
enrollment in (or qualify to participate in) the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program (FRPL)
enrollment in federal, state, or local programs that help students from low-income families
annual family income (according to the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service)
if their family receives public assistance
living in federally subsidized public housing
students in foster care
homeless students
students who are orphans or wards of the state
To get a waiver for either test, students should consult their school counselor. For home-schooled students, a nearby high school counselor would be able to offer their assistance.
4. Remember: Surveys Are Not Required
Registering for the ACT® and SAT® is time-consuming. College Board recommends allotting 30-40 minutes to complete the SAT® registration. However, not all of the information requested is necessary for students to provide.
When registering for the ACT® or SAT®, the process includes a survey that asks students about their grades, GPA/rank, course work, interests and activities, demographics, college plans, and to create a student profile - these are not important! Let your students know that they are only required to provide accurate personal information (marked by an asterisk) so that their test can be directly associated with them. Tell them to save their time by skipping these unnecessary questions.
5. Sign Up for Test Information Release
Signing up for Test Information release (ACT®) or Question and Answer Service (SAT®) can help students improve their scores upon retaking the exam. In exchange for a nominal small fee (i.e., $25 for ACT’s® TIR or $18 for SAT’s® QAS), students receive copies of their tests and answers around 6-8 weeks after taking the test. This information not only helps students see where they went wrong on the questions they missed but also helps tutors identify the broad areas that students need work on before retaking the test.
6. Plan & Prep!
Once registered, it’s time to create a plan of attack. It’s important to diagnose your students’ skills so that they can build on their strengths and bolster their weaknesses. Create an achievable test-prep plan that takes into account the amount of time they can realistically dedicate to studying.
It’s also important to allow time to retake the test before applications are due. When meeting with clients - particularly in your initial sessions - be sure to include time for test retaking as part of the test-prep plan. Most college-bound high schoolers will take their test of choice two or more times.
As part of this initial planning and test-date scheduling, be sure to mention that since both the ACT® and SAT® provide a “superscore” option (and more colleges are willing to accept one), retakes are even more valuable than ever. For the ACT®, this is an automatically-generated average of a student's best score in each section across all of their test dates. For the SAT®, College Board provides “Score Choice®,” which allows students to choose the combination of section scores to send to college. By planning time for retakes, students have the absolute best chance of putting their best foot forward.
Remember, registration is only the beginning - now the real work begins! Success on the ACT® or SAT® hinges on preparation - schedule a demo of our comprehensive test-prep platform and help unlock your students’ optimal performances today!
