As college applications open, seniors are rushing to complete their SATs in time. After the school-administered SAT was canceled last March, the district informed seniors on September 4 that they will be taking their SAT next Wednesday. The in-school SAT is also required to take for seniors to graduate. 

Despite the offer, students worry that the administration did not give students enough notice on this date. It was released only two weeks without previous information on whether or not the test would still be given, to begin with. 

“It was a little bit of a short notice,” senior Sara Jordan said. “I’m having to study for it in a much shorter amount of time than I would like. Even though schools are test-optional, I want to have a good score to boost my application.” 

The amount of class time missed in March has made it more difficult for students to fully grasp the idea of taking an SAT without the support of their English classes as juniors. “I’m worried about taking the SAT late,” senior Madison Bedja said. “Last year we were taking classes that would help us, and we [would be] preparing for it in school. I feel like taking it right now is going to negatively impact our scores.” 

Some seniors decided to take the SAT on their own time, believing that it would not be offered in school. 

“Since the school-administered SAT was canceled, and because I felt like I needed good test scores. I decided to take it in August,” senior Rayne Stokes said. “Most people are applying for colleges on their own, so everyone is working in their own way.” 

 On top of the frustration, students are feeling out of the loop and left behind when it comes to information about applying for colleges. Guidance counselors released a four-part video about college applications. Yet, a good portion of seniors still have no idea where to start. 

“I feel like we got ripped off in a sense,” Jordan said. “I don’t have that many opportunities to talk to counselors so I feel like I’m scrambling to get [recommendations and test scores] out.”

The delay of information coming from the school is leaving a lot of students confused and worried. 

“I feel like information isn’t being distributed to students well,” Bedja said. “It’s all going to our parents and not to us. It’s really creating a disconnect. I think communication needs to be improved for [students].”