According to the New York City Education Department, only 56 percent of the class of 2015 took the SAT at least once. Seems like a pretty low number, right?
In order to increase this percentage and encourage more students to apply to college, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced that NYC will start offering the SAT for free to all juniors in public high school. The New York Times reports that students will be able to take the test during the school day instead of having to come in and take it on Saturday.
This program is a part of the efforts for College Application Week, a national program that encourages students to apply to college.
The average cost of taking the SATs is over $50, and many students may not have the money to take it, or may not realize what a good investment taking the test could be. Offering the test for free during the school day should increase the number of students taking it. The New York Times reports that when the Education Department tried a similar program for the Pre-SAT, the number of students taking the test almost tripled.
“New York City is trying to take away some of the roadblocks that might prevent some students, especially those who come from lower-income families, from taking the test,” New York Magazine reports. Sounds like a good idea to us.
The program will begin in the spring of next school year and is estimated to cost $1.8 million per year.
Do you think the SAT should be offered for free everywhere, collegiettes?