Applying For Testing Accommodations: ACT and SAT

Applying for accommodations on the ACT and SAT exams is a crucial part of many families’ test prep journeys. These accommodations, such as extended time, are major factors in determining how well a student is able to perform on the exam.

Since these accommodations are typically already integrated into a student’s daily educational routine at school, parents often mistakenly assume that their accommodations will carry over automatically to test day. For others, their conversations with us are the first time they are introduced to the possibility of accommodations.

Whether you are learning about them for the first time, or need to make sure yours are applied for the exams, the process is the same. College admissions exams like the ACT and SAT have standardized and strict processes for applying. Yet despite the standardized process, it is often overwhelming to get started and know what you will need.

Our Program Advisors have a lot of experience guiding our families on how to start the process of applying for accommodations and what to expect during the process, so we wanted to share it with you!

For a shorter, summary explanation straight from our Vice President of Operations see the video below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztZaglo2l9o

Start Early!

The first thing to know about applying for accommodations on the ACT or SAT, is to start as early as possible. The SAT can take up to 7 weeks to approve accommodations and the ACT can take up to 2 weeks. Despite the quicker turn-around, the ACT application process is just as rigorous.

Ideally, a student will begin their test prep journey as early as the summer before their Junior Year, when they are considered Rising Juniors. However, applying for testing accommodations requires that you work with part of your school’s administration -unless your student is homeschooled.

This means that you will likely not be able to start the application process until the Fall of Junior year, if you have not already. So if you plan to start taking ACT or SAT exams as a Rising Junior, you will want to begin your accommodation applications in the Spring of your Sophomore year while school is still in session.

In addition to missing out on accommodations for official exams during the summer, the school staff responsible for helping students attain accommodations can get very busy during the Fall, possibly extending the timeline of the overall process.

You may also need to acquire official documents from licensed medical professionals, or get testing done before sending an application for accommodations, which can add even more time to the process.

The earlier you learn what you will need to receive accommodations the better!

How To Start

Every school has at least one SSD (Services for Students with Disabilities) Coordinator, or TAC (Test Accommodations Coordinator). They may have a different title, varying from school to school, but their job is to coordinate any accommodations for students with various kinds of divergent educational needs.   

This includes accommodations for any school-run programs on campus - educational or otherwise - and accommodations for the ACT and SAT. While they are not the ones who will be directly approving or denying accommodation applications for the exams, they are the main liaisons connecting families and the testing organizations.

To begin applying for accommodations on the ACT or SAT you should get in contact with your schools SSD Coordinator or TAC. They are equipped to walk you through the application process and will be the ones actually submitting any official documentation required by the ACT or SAT.

Documentation

Students are not required to have prior or current accommodations in school in order to be approved for accommodations on the exams. However, based on the SAT and ACT’s criteria for accommodation approval, having a well-documented IEP (Individual Education Plan) or 504 plan will help a student’s case for approval.

Other official documentation is beneficial to have on hand as well, such as recent – within the last 5 years - official diagnoses from licensed professionals.

The ACT and SAT’s goal is to ensure that any accommodations that are granted will be reasonable and won’t create an unfair advantage for any student over the other.

In trying to maintain a “level playing field” both the SAT and ACT have set out strict criteria for documentation of disabilities and accommodations on their respective websites. We will link these pages for you below so you can read for yourself, but here is a summarized list of each exam’s statements:

SAT Accommodations Criteria

• Any diagnosis must be stated clearly

• All information must be current - usually within the last 5 years

• Relevant medical, developmental or educational history should be presented

• Any diagnosis must be supported

• Any functional limitation must be described

• Requested/recommended accommodations must be reasonable

• The student’s evaluator must have professional and established credentials

ACT Accommodations Criteria

• Any documentation submitted for approval of accommodations must provide evidence that the person’s impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities that are relevant when taking the ACT test

• A current IEP or 504 plan will be sufficient evidence to support receiving the same accommodations on the exam

• If you do not have an IEP or 504 plan, then you need a professionally diagnosed disability and you have to fill out an Exceptions Statement Form with a detailed explanation of why you need accommodations.

Common Qualifiers for Accommodations

Without a current IEP or 504 plan, the need to apply for accommodations may not be immediately apparent. Our Tutors and Program Advisors often see students who would benefit greatly from testing accommodations but have not thought about applying.

Here are some common qualifiers to consider:

• ADHD

• Autism Spectrum disorders

• Dyslexia

• Dyscalculia

• Head injuries

• Hearing impairments

• Learning disorders

• Tick disorders

• Tourette Syndrome

• Testing Anxiety

There are no negative repercussions for students who apply for accommodations, even if they are denied. Exams taken with and without accommodations are not graded differently either.

If you or your student believe they may qualify for reasonable testing accommodations, you should get in contact with your current school and apply.

Please let us know if you have a question we didn't answer here by leaving a comment below, or giving us a call at 305-521-9421!