The ACT, a popular standardized test for high school students, is usually a key component of the admissions process for colleges. However, with COVID-19 forcing ACT Tests this past spring to be cancelled, the majority of colleges are opting to allow seniors not to report standardized testing scores. 

BSM seniors were significantly affected by the ACT Test cancellations in the spring. Of the class, 58% of seniors said they had an ACT cancelled due to the pandemic. Senior Peter Cronin was one of the students who had a rough time attempting to take the test, and was forced to reschedule his test multiple times. “It was super annoying because I had prepared hard to take the test thinking it was going to be in June, but in June and July it was cancelled for me and I had to wait till September and take the test three months later,” Cronin said.   

With the widespread ACT test cancellations, colleges needed to accommodate high school students who were unable to take or get an ideal score on their standardized tests. Universities are now making the adjustment to let the class of 2021 be test optional, and only submit scores if they want to. Senior Jonah Gordon was relieved to hear colleges are making this change after he himself had a test cancelled this spring and won’t be able to take the ACT until December. “At this point I don’t have a score I want to submit, and I don’t think I will get one probably,” Gordon said. 

At BSM, even with the option to not submit their ACT, many seniors are still electing to send in their ACT scores to colleges with 70% of seniors saying they still plan on submitting scores to schools that are test optional. However, for the 30% of students who plan on not submitting any scores, many are still open to including the ACT on their application if they get a score back that appeals to them. “I’d always be open to submitting [my score], but not having the stress of the ACT is a big relief,” Cronin said. 

The entire situation involving the cancellation of tests can be a pain to students, many of whom spend years preparing for the ACT test. Numerous students at BSM received ACT tutoring, took ACT Prep courses, and did ACT practice tests. Without submitting your ACT scores, a lot of this work can feel for some students like it was put towards nothing. “I did get tutoring for the ACT and the fact that I didn’t need it makes me feel like I wasted a lot of time on nothing,” Gordon said.