List of 2 items.

• The College Standardized Testing Landscape

  Over the past decade, and especially accelerating over recent years, many colleges in the U.S. (even some of the “highly rejective” ones) have become test-optional (i.e. applicants decide whether to submit standardized test scores) or even test-free (i.e. all applications are reviewed without test scores). At the moment, many colleges have chosen to remain test-optional or test-free for the short-term future. For more background on this landscape, plus information on what we’ve seen here at LWHS, please refer to our document, The Shifting Standardized Testing Environment in College Admission.

• SAT and ACT

  While many colleges are moving towards becoming test-optional, colleges will accept the SAT or the ACT and do not prefer one over the other. In general, we recommend that juniors take either the ACT in April or June or (not both) the SAT in May or June. Most students should plan to test; we will help them decide whether they should submit their scores. In other words, we encourage our students to think about it as “submission-optional” rather than “test-optional.” The College Board has discontinued the Essay portion of the SAT, as well as the SAT Subject Tests. Again, for more contextual information to help students’ informed decision-making, read The Shifting Standardized Testing Environment in College Admission.

   

   
  LWHS college counselors can help you decide which test may be best suited to you, and whether you should even test. A handful of students take both the ACT and SAT junior year, in order to discover a better fit, though we recommend deciding that before taking official tests, as some colleges will see your entire testing record. LWHS hosts a mock test each year which is an excellent “no stakes” opportunity to try one of the exams.
  
  Regardless of which SAT or ACT date students choose, be sure to register early to have the best selection of testing locations. LWHS is not a test center, so students take the test elsewhere, except for some students who may need certain accommodations (see the Things To Consider box).
  
  Note that there will be several opportunities during senior year to (re)take the ACT (July, September, October, December) and the SAT (August, October, November, December).