Colleges Change SAT Subject Test Requirements
Hurricane Sandy's impact on the college admissions process continues to unfold. Colleges first reacted to the storm by extending early application deadlines. However, extending deadlines did not solve the problem for early applicants intending to take the SAT or an SAT Subject Test on November 3. When the College Board postponed this test till November 17 or December 15 due to test center closings, it made it impossible for schools to receive the results in time. Following a flood of inquiries, colleges are beginning to post their revised policies on this issue on their websites.
Boston College whose early deadline was extended to November 13, has stated that they will review early applications following the receipt of subject test scores from applicants taking the test on November 17. Columbia University is waiving SAT subject test requirements for students registered for the November 17 test. Columbia also notes that students who had planned to take the SAT for the first time on Novemeber 3 should apply regular decision. To view more details, see this article posted by The New York Times Choice Blog.
SAT Rescheduled for November 17, 2012
For those students who were expecting to take the SAT last weekend, it has been rescheduled for November 17, 2012, giving students affected by Hurricane Sandy some needed recovery time. According to the College Board website, students for whom the SAT was canceled will be receiving an email with the makeup date, and they also have the option to switch their registration to another national administration at no charge. Waitlisted students will not have the option for makeup testing:
"If you had a Waitlist Ticket for a center that canceled testing on November 3 or 4, your original Waitlist request was canceled, and you are not eligible for makeup testing. Please register for the next available date as soon as possible."
Please call the College Board at (866) 756-7346 or check their site for the latest information.
SAT Postponed Due to Hurricane Sandy
Seniors signed up to take the SAT this weekend can be relatively sure that it will be cancelled if they are in a region affected by Hurricane Sandy. The following note is posted on the College Board's website:
"In the event that we are unable to contact a test center, students and parents should assume that if the school is closed on Friday, November 2 for reasons related to Hurricane Sandy, it will not be administering the SAT this weekend. Students can also contact SAT customer service at 866-756-7346 to check on the status of their test center."
Students for whom the SAT is postponed will be emailed a makeup date free of charge as soon as possible. Please check the College Board website for further details and a list of school closings.
Complete List of Colleges with Extended Deadlines
A great resource for up-to-date news in the college admissions world
Colleges continue to be flexible with their early and priority deadlines, and a few sites are keeping track of these schools. Please see this list from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) for a complete compilation of schools to date, including a link to each school's site and contact information.
Continue to check in with any colleges not on the list that you may be applying to in order to be sure that deadlines haven't changed, and do your best to meet earlier deadlines so you will have a few extra days in case of any unexpected events.
More Colleges Extending Early Application Deadlines
If you're in Hurricane Sandy's projected path, stay safe.
As we prepare for Hurricane Sandy to cross our path, more colleges are extending their early application deadlines in an attempt to soften the storm's impact. Here is a list of schools that have either formally changed their early deadlines or stated that they will be flexible with their existing deadlines:
Boston University
Columbia University
Duke University
George Mason University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tufts University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Virginia
University of Vermont
Villanova University
Yale University
Columbia University Extends Early Decision Deadlines
Students interested in applying to Columbia College or Columbia's School of Engineering may have received an email notifying them of extended Early Decision deadlines:
"If you are interested in applying Early Decision to Columbia College or Columbia Engineering, please note that we are extending that deadline to Monday, November 5th given the inclement weather expected this week. We hope this helps to relieve some of the stress and anxiety you might be feeling as the storm approaches your region."
Be sure to keep an eye out for other colleges who may have extended deadlines due to the storm, or reach out to schools if you feel that the storm will affect your ability to complete your application. And for those students safely holed up inside with a day off from school, try using the extra time to your advantage to polish off those essays and double-check your applications.