S A T. Three little letters that inspire large emotions in high schoolers everywhere. On Saturday, November 2, Fieldston hosted the test that many see as the ultimate challenge in college admissions. For Juniors and Seniors, the test was the culmination of countless hours of studying and months of hard work, all with the goal of reaching the elusive 1600.
Test takers were advised to arrive at 7:45, and they were promptly ushered into the Student Commons to wait for room assignments. The students’ makeup was diverse. Some attended Fieldston or one of the other hill schools, while others came from different schools across New York City. Students migrated towards familiar faces to converse with, easing the stress of the test they would soon take.
Around 8 a.m., Fieldston’s own Ms. Maldonado walked up to the stage and began dismissing students to their rooms (extra-time students first, then regular-time students). Once they reached their testing rooms, students formed a line and waited to be checked in by their proctors. At this point, the tension caused by the impending test was palpable. Looks of concentration or fear replaced the smiles on students’ faces.
Since the SAT is now digital, proctors instructed students to pull out their computers, log into their college board accounts and begin test setup. Once the setup was completed, computers displayed a green screen with a place to put the start code for the test. If any students hadn’t yet come to terms with the gravity of the moment, it was surely sinking in. In just a few moments, they would be taking the most important test of their high school careers.
Before the proctors delivered the test codes, Fieldston’s tech support team led a last-minute sweep of the rooms, making sure that everyone’s computers worked and connected to the Wi-Fi. Once this was completed, the proctors read the final instructions and instructed students to start. Some instantly dove into the test, the anticipation too great. Others sat for a moment, collecting their thoughts before hitting the button that would launch the test.
Once the test began, there wasn’t time to focus on anything else. Students tackled the questions, their minds bursting with the information that they studied. The 10-minute break at the end of English Module Two allowed students a brief respite. For most, it seemed to end too quickly, as they dove back into the fray with Math Module One.
After what seemed like a short period of time to some and an eternity to others, the test ended. Students were greeted by a smiling emoji that announced that they had completed the test, and it was uploaded to the College Board. As students poured into the hallways, the air thrummed with mixed emotions. Some felt relief as their SAT experience was finally over, and others felt confusion and frustration due to the difficulty of the test.
Scores will be released on Friday, November, 15. Based on the results, some students may opt to take the December 7th SAT while others may be thrilled to finally throw out all their SAT practice. I know I speak on behalf of the Fieldston News when I say good luck to all test takers!
