SAT's cancelled but congressional noms still requiring them

My DW has been a proctor for the ACT for many years and I know the test that was administered in July in her room she had students from 5 different states. There were students from the school in which she is the counselor that were unable to get in, but others from out of state made it happen. I know it is a difficult time, however if you are struggling with this definitely stay in touch with your MOC and keep looking for other ways. Regardless if you can find a SAT opening take it and same with ACT. The SA's will continue with or without you......everyone has seen the #'s that apply and are qualified. They will fill the class of 2025, the question is will you be part of it?
 
88Beast said:
My DW has been a proctor for the ACT for many years and I know the test that was administered in July in her room she had students from 5 different states. There were students from the school in which she is the counselor that were unable to get in, but others from out of state made it happen. I know it is a difficult time, however if you are struggling with this definitely stay in touch with your MOC and keep looking for other ways. Regardless if you can find a SAT opening take it and same with ACT. The SA's will continue with or without you......everyone has seen the #'s that apply and are qualified. They will fill the class of 2025, the question is will you be part of it?
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Very true. I view this as an opportunity to become more competitive.
 
"TEST EARLY! TEST OFTEN!" I am honestly surprised there some who waited until late junior year and into senior year to take it. My DS followed that advice and took it spring of sophomore year then again in December of junior year to allow time for retaking if needed. We had a large storm that canceled our area's early February test so even outside of COVID there can be cancellations.

Advice to any juniors out there: Start testing now!
 
Would you rather walk to school or bring your lunch? A false choice, but the answer is YES. As in, YES, high-school performance and standardized-test score mean more.

As @Devil Doc says: GPA tends to reflect work ethic and preparation as much as it does aptitude (not to mention a school’s grading philosophy). SAT/ACT tend to reflect aptitude (I hesitate to use the word “intelligence”). The former indicates past success at one level. The latter indicates potential success at the next level. To get a true measure of ability to succeed at an SA and in AD, you need both.

DD (a 2/C at USNA) was a straight-A student at a small, private school known for its academic rigor and time demands. Yet for all her high-school success, she found she still had to work harder and manage time better than she ever did — and no, grade inflation isn’t a thing at SAs. DD also got a near-perfect score on the SAT. Yet once at USNA, she found the content and exams strained her intellect in a way that high school never did. Hard to imagine how she’d be faring if she’d been strong on one aspect but not on the other.

So regardless of testing availability, I say YES, both high-school record and standardized-test performance are critical to assessing a candidate. Until things straighten out, will be interesting to see how the SAs decide to replace the matter.
 
Agree 100% in the camp of Where There is a Will, There is a Way.

Why not encourage your candidate to help round up test proctors? 3 minute google search, a high school was sending out SOS for proctors at their high school, just can't be your own parent. Why not have your candidate reach out to local parents club, explain dire need, if any of the local parents will volunteer to proctor nearby locations if necessary to ensure at least the body count? Document your service hours. Contact the location first, do your due diligence. And don't forget to self promote and get in your local newspaper.

This still may not ensure the test proceeds, but as a candidate, you've proactively done everything possible.

And added one more essay topic.
 
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Like @justdoit19 said above, we DON’T have a say on the SAT topic. I previously attended a tour hosted by USAFA admissions and they said that the admissions office knows that Covid is an issue! The SAs know that the lack of SAT testing is an issue, we just have to give it time. I’m not saying that it’s going to be a path of peaches and berries while we wait for the decision. Believe me, my anxiety is almost reaching Mars because the thought of not reaching my dream school is terrifying! But, you know what? Everything will play out just fine! Trust the almighty!
 
boymom43 said:
"TEST EARLY! TEST OFTEN!" I am honestly surprised there some who waited until late junior year and into senior year to take it. My DS followed that advice and took it spring of sophomore year then again in December of junior year to allow time for retaking if needed. We had a large storm that canceled our area's early February test so even outside of COVID there can be cancellations.

Advice to any juniors out there: Start testing now!
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my DD took both ACT and SAT at end of sophomore year but had not taken Calc yet. Fall junior ECs hindered every date available. So she has been trying since March to no avail.

Most regular guidance doesn’t even suggest testing til spring of junior year.
 
jaglvr said:
my DD took both ACT and SAT at end of sophomore year but had not taken Calc yet. Fall junior ECs hindered every date available. So she has been trying since March to no avail.

Most regular guidance doesn’t even suggest testing til spring of junior year.
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And yet other applicants worked around this. I had also not taken calc until my junior year. I cannot speak for the SAT, but I know calc isn't in the math section of the ACT:
Pre-Algebra (20-25%) Elementary Algebra (15-20%) Intermediate Algebra (15-20%) Coordinate Geometry (15-20%) Plane Geometry (20-25%) Trigonometry (5-10%)

In the fall I played football, volunteered, lead my debate team to state, was active in a ton of clubs at my school, AND still found time to study, prep, and take the ACT. I scored very well and now I don't have to worry about it. Also, it does not matter what "regular guidance" says. To get into a SA you have to be far more than "regular." I would advise your DD to try her hardest to take any Standardized test that opens. Look at this as an opportunity to distinguish herself from her peers who may give up and not submit a test score.
 
My DS just went through A-Day, here is my perspective.

First, Test Scores are just one part of the calculus. A high GPA isn't the end-all, be-all because schools vary greatly, teachers vary greatly, and classes and class options vary greatly. None of these data points in and of themselves provide the sliver bullet. They use all of these data to triangulate and come up with the most accurate view of the candidate as possible. All of these data allow them to construct a mosaic that tells them who the candidate is. It is not perfect. It does make mistakes, and the ambiguity of it all can be frustrating for those of us that navigate through it, particularly when our DS is try to optimize for it. So the test scores do matter.

As far as them being required, I am glad I do not have to deal with it this year like some of you do. I will say this, we had been told several things about BCT and the transition to AY that ended up changing. Some parents got their noses bent out of shape over it, but the fact is, USAFA is trying to figure this out too. There is no playbook for it and they are trying to do their best. One example, Their colleges sports Division (Mountain West), last week said they would postpone the season two weeks. 3 to 4 days later, they cancel for the entire season (or actually they technically postponed I think). What changed in those 3 to 4 days? Seems kind of silly to make a big announcement and then go back on it within 4 days - but that is the nature of this thing. Doolie Day Out, Parent's Weekend, Days in Jacks Valley and other dates - all subject to change.

So, you have to go with what you have been told, but be ready for that to change. I think the USNA forum is fond of the term Semper Gumby...I think that fits this time well. If whole states are shutting down testing, I don't know how USAFA can realistically require it. What I have seen of USAFA is they stay the course until they absolutely have to make a decision. We don't expect a decision on whether Thanksgiving break will even happen until October. So, I think they are staying the course until they are forced to do otherwise - maybe testing will open up again in late fall, maybe they push back decisions for testing in Jan - who knows how COVID plays out. I know this sucks for parents and applicants.

There is enough uncertainty for those in the process as it is without introducing another level to it. So I feel for those going through it. Try to keep your heads on straight, control what you can and adapt to what happens next. Semper Gumby.
 
Regarding those who are saying “Candidates should have taken the test sooner...”
I respectfully say that hindsight is always 20/20.
No one would ever reasonably expect that a person would not be able to take the SAT/ACT for an entire year’s testing cycle.

Even for those candidates who did take the test(s) in their Sophomore year, their scores may not be competitive. I’m not claiming any particular person said this, but the notion that “I managed to do it so there’s no excuse for you not to have done it” isn’t really a just and equitable approach to this. This is why the service academies look at the “whole person.” There has to be some compassion to this as well. Yes, as service academy applicants, we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard, but we’re still human beings who need leeway when dealing with this unprecedented circumstance.

As others have said, we have no control over this. We just need to do our best and continue to move forward, it will all work out. This will be fun to look back on next year.
 
USAFA_86 said:
And yet other applicants worked around this. I had also not taken calc until my junior year. I cannot speak for the SAT, but I know calc isn't in the math section of the ACT:
Pre-Algebra (20-25%) Elementary Algebra (15-20%) Intermediate Algebra (15-20%) Coordinate Geometry (15-20%) Plane Geometry (20-25%) Trigonometry (5-10%)

In the fall I played football, volunteered, lead my debate team to state, was active in a ton of clubs at my school, AND still found time to study, prep, and take the ACT. I scored very well and now I don't have to worry about it. Also, it does not matter what "regular guidance" says. To get into a SA you have to be far more than "regular." I would advise your DD to try her hardest to take any Standardized test that opens. Look at this as an opportunity to distinguish herself from her peers who may give up and not submit a test score.
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@USAFA_86 Yes, there are people like you who are one step ahead by taking the SAT/ACT earlier, however, your comments are coming off as pretty insensitive. Just because someone can't submit test scores doesn't mean they "gave up". You have to realize that not everyone is capable of driving hundreds of miles to another state and pay for a hotel the night before, to take a test. Not everyone is SAFE to take a test, especially when there are applicants with family members who have health conditions/are at an age where they are at a critical risk of suffering from death or other severe complications from catching COVID. We are facing unprecedented times, and even though COVID19 may not pose a significant risk to many families, there are still MANY families that are at a high risk/don't have the same opportunities you do.
 
I would guess that they are already looking at how their algorithm should be weighted so it would have identified the same historically successful applicants with standardized test data. It would be irresponsible not to plan for it.
 
aviator7 said:
You have to realize that not everyone is capable of driving hundreds of miles to another state and pay for a hotel the night before, to take a test.
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+10 to @aviator7.

Despite the SAs’ great efforts — due to both formal requirements and informal actions — to create student bodies that reflect society, I’ve come to believe that cadets and mids are predominantly an upper-middle-class lot. And now having seen USNA up close, as the father of a mid, and having been an SAF regular for a few years, I’m increasingly convinced that this characteristic is hardening.

To be sure, the SAs have done a good job of achieving ethnic/racial diversity. (Less so for gender diversity, but that seems more a function of the nature of the profession and the applicant pool.) But when it comes to socio-economic metrics, the SAs seem well above average.

Seeing so many anecdotes of candidates taking the SAT/ACT beyond their “home field” only adds further evidence that applying to SAs — and that includes academic, athletic and extracurricular preparation over the years — does not favor the less-than-well-off. The sports analogy that comes to mind is youth baseball: once driven by homespun Little League, now dominated by fee-heavy traveling club teams. It’s a shame.
 
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