For the past eight years, according to the Illinois State Board of Education, students all over Illinois have been familiar with the SAT process. When compared to academic sites across the internet, it’s known to be easier and, if anything, much less stressful. Not anymore. Illinois officially switched back to the ACT, leaving the upcoming juniors completely unprepared.
This isn’t the first time the standardized tests have been changed. Back in 2016, the ISBE made a contract with College Board, making students across the state prepare for and take the unfamiliar SAT instead of the one they’d been prepared for. This year, on June 30, that contract ended.
The student body and a majority of staff was made aware of the change at the end of last school year. Overall, it wasn’t a positive reaction.
“I think it’s unfair, especially without warning, considering I’ve been studying for the SAT for the past two, three years,” said junior Tabitha Shaheen. “I feel worried, because I read up on the ACT versus the SAT and it seems way more difficult.”
The two tests vary greatly with its sections, scoring, and testing time. While the SAT has a math and reading/writing section, the ACT has math, reading, writing, and science along with an optional essay. The scoring for the ACT consists of your averages from each section, and the testing time is lengthier.
“Initially Chicago Public Schools asked for a transition period so they were aware the change was coming, then ISBE made the decision to change the SAT to the ACT this year,” said Taft Principal Ryan Glowacz. The transition to the ACT was known by ISBE but they were required to switch now rather than wait longer in order to give students ample time to prepare.
Because the agreement was only known by the ISBE, it left the student population and even teachers in the dark. So now, juniors are required to prepare for an entirely new exam due to the change.
“When I was a student in high school, we only did the ACT. I’ve never done the SAT,” said Language and Literature teacher Emmett Phillips. The SAT was only a temporary change for the ACT, the ACT was bound to come back eventually it was simply a matter of time before it returned.
Juniors now need to adjust their study tactics to fit the ACT, rather than the SAT. Hopefully, the PreACT will help prepare students for the ACT soon to come in December, as mentioned in a school-wide email. Teachers will also start to get their students used to what the ACT entails.
Going forth with this change has had a major impact on the current juniors and all the juniors soon to be, but only time will tell how this change will affect Chicago Public Schools and the whole of Illinois’ students.
