The College Board Eliminates Subject Tests and Optional Essay

In a statement released this morning, the College Board has announced they are doing away with SAT Subject Tests and the optional SAT essay. This development comes after years of dwindling relevance, as Subject Tests have been optional at most universities since the mid aughts.  

The online testing debacle in 2020 likely also played a big role in this decision. A significant number of students encountered issues submitting their answers for AP Exams, and either had to accept the loss or retake the tests a month later. This eventually led to a $500 million lawsuit against the College Board.

Impacts on College Admissions

As we’ve discussed in our blog, SAT subject tests have been useful for students hoping to demonstrate their expertise in particular subjects and add merit to their college applications. Similarly, students would opt to take the SAT Essay in order to show off their writing capabilities. Now, students will have to turn elsewhere, whether that be AP Exams or extra-curricular activities.

This latest move by the College Board may just be another nail in the coffin of standardized testing, which has been a hot topic of debate and was exacerbated by test-optional policies in response to COVID-19.

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