What if the July 18th ACT is Cancelled? 5 Steps

Many parents and students are looking for answers about the upcoming ACT test. Rumors are circulating about some test centers cancelling already, but not much info has been released officially.

So, what should you do if your test center cancels the upcoming test? The last several tests have been cancelled, and many students are itching to sit for the exam. Here are 5 ways to make the most of your opportunity to take the July 18th test:

1. If you think your center will cancel, research other locations. You can use the link here for nearby test centers. This is especially important if you’re near a state border (Memphis, TN for instance), because different states may be in different phases of reopening and may allow testing that is cancelled just a few miles away.

2. You can check to see if your test location is testing at a reduced capacity. Just like most businesses, many ACT testing centers are allowing testing at a reduced capacity and are prioritizing the oldest students first (12th then 11th graders), then students that signed up soonest. Check where you fall in regards to this to see if you may still be able to test.

3. Monitor the test day reschedule page closely. Updates aren’t live yet for the upcoming test, but should be coming through soon so be sure to check daily leading up to July 18th.

4. Reschedule your test date for a later date. If you don’t feel comfortable with sitting through a test in the current climate, just reschedule. It’s far better to reschedule your test (fees for rescheduling are being waived due to Covid) than to sit for the test under less than optimal conditions. We write about the impacts of stress on testing performance often, and it’s clearly not worth sitting through the test if you’re bogged down with anxiety due to the Corona virus.

5. Check the potential for online or at-home testing in the fall. The ACT has announced that they’re planning to open up both online and at-home online testing options as early as September. If the above reasons prevent you from finding an optimal time to test, this is an ideal option for you.

If you’re adhering to all of the above practices but you’re still not quite ready to take the real thing, connect with our team for a free diagnostic test to find out where you need to improve. There’s still time. Also, we’re still accepting students for our ACT/SAT boot camp, which begins 7/13.

-Mark Wilson, Director of Curriculum Development and Design