Spring dates for college admissions tests are being rescheduled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The groups that give both the ACT and SAT exams announced they are putting off their next nationwide examinations. The SAT exam scheduled for May 2 has been canceled, and makeups for the March 14 exam, scheduled for March 28, have also been canceled. The College Board, which administers the Sat exam, said the June test date has not been affected, but the organization "will continue to assess its status, with the health and safety of students and educators" as a priority. No alternative test dates for the May exam have been provided yet.
The College Board also administers Advanced Placement exams, which give high school students college credits. Exams scheduled in May will still take place in schools that remain open, according to the College Board. The organization says it is working on "providing flexible and streamlined testing opportunities and partnering with colleges and universities to ensure that students can still receive the college credit they have been striving to earn all year long."
In a tweet, the College Board said it was working on options that would allow students to take the exam at home.
Meanwhile, the April 4 ACT test has been rescheduled to June 13.
"The safety of students and test center staff is ACT’s top priority. ACT has rescheduled its April 4 national test date to June 13 across the U.S. in response to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19)" the organization said in a statement.
All students registered for the April 4 test date will receive an email from the ACT with information on how to reschedule to June 13 for free. Students will also have the option to reschedule for a different national test date.
The majority of people who have the new coronavirus, which causes the disease known as COVID-19, will get better without any long-term effects, according to an Oregon doctor.
About 80% of cases tend to be mild. In these cases, symptoms diminish over five to seven days, although people are still capable of transmitting the disease. But there are many people with a higher risk of having a more severe disease if they are diagnosed with coronavirus, including those with heart disease, diabetes, asthma and other vascular disease problems. Also, most children who get it have mild symptoms.
The Associated Press Contributed to this report.