Changes in College Board Testing Policies Affect Irvington Students

Recently, the College Board has introduced changes nationwide in the administration of their tests, which have impacted students at Irvington High School. The PSAT, a preparatory examination for the SAT, which was previously offered to 10th and 11th grade students, was only available to 11th graders this year on October 2nd and 3rd. Mrs. Howell, who oversees PSAT and SAT administration at Irvington, stated, “It’s all a district decision,” indicating that the changes were consistent across the district’s high schools.

The SAT has also seen changes as it will be available to both juniors and seniors, whereas it was traditionally offered only to seniors. Nationally, the College Board has shifted to digital exams, with the SAT going fully digital in March 2024. The upcoming AP testing cycle for 2025 will also transition to a digital format, which the College Board believes will reduce cheating and promote fairness among students.

Mr. Aucoin, the AP coordinator at Irvington, elaborated on the school’s response to the digital transition: “We’re just registering now for the exams. I have spoken to some of our IT people,” suggesting upgrades to the school’s internet infrastructure may be necessary. Additionally, only two self-study AP tests—AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics—are available to 9th and 10th graders, while 11th and 12th graders have priority for self-study AP registration.

Mr. Aucoin also addressed concerns about the limitations on AP exams for underclassmen potentially leading to a heavier academic load in later years. “Students feel like they need to take more AP exams than what their universities may actually require,” he noted, highlighting the tension between educational policies and student ambitions.

Moreover, the Fremont Unified School District maintains consistent exam policies across various high school sites. “It’s really a district policy,” Mr. Aucoin mentioned, explaining that policies, exam costs, and registration windows are standardized across schools, pointing to a district-wide approach to College Board examination administration.

Despite the procedural changes, students are expected to follow the same registration process as in previous years for all College Board tests.