Standardized testing has long been a very stressful part of high school, and this is even more true for students with conditions which make test taking difficult. There are any number of issues which can make these tests even more of a challenge than they already are, and which present a significant barrier to students doing as well on them as they should.
The companies which operate these tests are aware of this issue, and have taken some steps to ameliorate it. In this article, we’re going to explore what accommodations are available for the SAT and ACT, and how you can go about requesting them. We’ll also have a brief note on AP tests. Let’s jump right in!
How Accommodations Work for the SAT
You may request accommodations from College Board for the SAT. They note that it can take up to seven weeks to process requests for accommodations, so you should make these requests well before the test date. We recommend doing so when you sign up for the test.
You may make a request for accommodations either through your school, or by submitting a form directly to College Board. In most cases, submitting a request through your school is significantly easier, due to their documentation requirements. All of the forms needed can be found on College Board’s website.
College Board has a simple system to evaluate a student’s eligibility for accommodations. First the disability must be documented in some way. This is true for both physical conditions, such as blindness, and neurological conditions, such as dyslexia.
Note that temporary medical conditions such as a broken arm are generally not counted as disabilities, but can still qualify students for accommodations. These have a separate form you must fill out.
When documenting conditions, you need more than a school IEP or a note from a doctor to prove that accommodations are needed (though both of those can be helpful to include). What this looks like depends on both the disability in question, and the accommodations you are requesting. College Board provides a list of common conditions, and what documentation you should provide for each.
There are numerous different kinds of accommodations available as well, based on the student’s needs. You can find a full list here. The most common are:
- Extended time. This one is simply giving students extra time to finish the various portions of the test.
- Breaks. This gives students extra breaks during their test taking, though not extra time with each section.
- Visual aids. This includes things like large print or braille versions of the test. Note that while the test is going to be delivered virtually, physical braille copies will still be available.
- Use of a calculator. Some students gain access to a simple four-function calculator for sections of the the test which do not normally allow one.
- Assistive technology. This includes text to speech devices and other technologies which help students access the test.
In general, College Board will provide accommodations if there is demonstrable evidence that a student’s ability to take their test will be compromised without them. If a student receives accommodations for their coursework generally, College Board will usually (though not always) offer similar accommodations.
In some cases, a request will be denied. This generally happens either because not enough paperwork was submitted, or because they believe the paperwork that was submitted does not support the requested accommodations. You may resubmit your request with additional documentation if you think they made an error. They do note that simply resubmitting the same information but requesting different accommodations will not automatically result in a successful request.
How Accommodations Work for the ACT
In general all requests for accommodations for the ACT must be made by a school official. There is a separate process for homeschooled students, or those who are otherwise not enrolled in school currently, but in general they want all requests to come from school officials. These requests need to be submitted by the late registration deadline, otherwise there may not be time to process them before the test is administered.
If you want accommodations, you will need to sign a consent form so the school may share information with the ACT. After this, the school’s test coordinator will submit the request for accommodations to the ACT. This will require documentation; unlike the SAT the ACT accepts established IEPs or 504 plans as documentation of a student’s need for accommodations.
If a student does not have a current valid IEP or 504 plan, then they require documentation from an established professional, pursuant to ADA standards. This documentation must both demonstrate a medical condition, physical or mental, which would interfere with the student’s ability to take the test, and identify what accommodations you are seeking.
Ideally, any request for accommodations should show a past history of students receiving the same kind of accommodations in similar circumstances. This is part of why they accept IEPs and 504 plans, assuming that the student requests the same accommodations for the test as they are already receiving under the established plan.
It takes 5-10 business days for the ACT to process and review requests for accommodations. If the request is approved, a note will be added to your testing file, and the necessary steps will be taken at your school. If additional or alternate testing materials are required, such as a braille version of the test, then they will be mailed to your school at this point.
If your request for accommodations is rejected, you are able to resubmit with additional documentation in order to have it considered again. Note that there is a deadline for this, depending on when your test is. You must be able to file the appeal before the late registration deadline. For this reason, if you are intending to request accommodations from the ACT, we recommend doing so as early as possible, just in case the process is more difficult than expected.
How Accommodations Work for AP Tests
In most circumstances, you must work with your school’s SSD Coordinator to request any needed accommodations. In general, the accommodations they will offer on the test are the same as those you would normally receive while taking other tests in school. It is possible to request accommodations without going through a school, which is most common for homeschooled students. For this, you must download a form, and submit that directly to them.
Unlike the SAT or ACT which are offered periodically throughout the year, the AP tests are always offered in a solid block in the spring. It can take up to seven weeks to process an accommodations request, and there can be an additional appeals process thereafter.
Some accommodations are provided by College Board, such as a braille version of the test, while others must be provided by the test center, such as additional time for test taking. If you submit your request through your school, College Board will coordinate directly with them to ensure you get the needed accommodations. If you are requesting them from College Board directly, you will need to let them know where you are taking the tests, so they can coordinate.
You will need to provide documentation when requesting accommodations. This can include an IEP or 504 plan, but must also include documentation from a medical professional outlining why the student needs accommodations, and which accommodations best suit their needs. Without this, an application may be denied. If it is, you may resubmit your application with additional documentation.
If you received accommodation from College Board for another of their exams, such as the SAT or PSAT, you will not need to submit a new application. You should still coordinate with your school to make sure accommodations are in order, especially because they can function differently between the tests. Receiving extra time on the AP Exams doesn’t grant extra breaks, for example, while it does on the SAT.
Should You Request Accommodations?
This is a personal choice, and should be based on your own needs and circumstances. If you have a need for them however, then you definitely should request any needed accommodations. The goal is to make sure the exams are offered equitably, so that all students are on a level playing field.
It’s clearly unfair to expect a blind student to perform well on a test if it isn’t offered to them in braille, and this holds true for other disabilities as well. There is no shame in taking advantage of these accommodations if you need them; they are intended to make sure all students are on the same footing.
If you have an IEP or 504 plan, then you should definitely request accommodations for these tests as well; these are simply an extension of what is already occurring. Even if you don’t have one of these, accommodations may be necessary, depending on your circumstances.
Finally, make sure to have all of your documentation in order before requesting any accommodations. Speak with the medical professional who provided you with the initial diagnosis for this, and about what accommodations they recommend based on their experience.
Final Thoughts
Standardized tests are never going to be fun or easy, but they should only be hard for the intended reasons, and not weigh heavily on students for reasons outside fo your control. Luckily, these tests have significant infrastructure devoted to helping students in need of accommodations, and making sure that all students are on equal footing when they sit for the exams.
We hope this article has given you everything you need to know about how to request accommodations for these exams, and when they are granted. While these tests are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to admissions, that doesn’t make them any less important. Our test prep service helps students get the best score they can on these exams, and puts them in the best possible place to succeed. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help you. We have a long experience enabling students to succeed, and we’re always happy to hear from you.
