SAT cancelation in Egypt causes frustration among high school students

CAIRO - SAT centers are to be ghost towns as the College Board decides to cancel the exam, causing frustration among high school students who rely on this test for their university admission.

The College Board sent out an official email on Sept. 2, 2020, to all of the SAT test-takers in Egypt stating that the exam will be canceled in the country for the 2020-21 academic year, "highlighting security issues" as their main concerns.

"Due to test security issues, we can't continue administering the SAT in Egypt at this time," The College Board said in an email to their test takers.

Securing the SAT exams in Egypt has been an ongoing problem for the past five years or more. The College Board has been forced to postpone, hold scores, and even cancel several exam trials in Egypt due to exam leakage and cheating incidents in the country.

The College Board has canceled SAT trials in other countries such as China, Thailand, Lebanon, and Morocco for cheating incidents in the past. What makes Egypt's case so special is that even after several warnings and cancellations, they are still facing test security issues.

"We know this is frustrating and disappointing for students who worked hard to prepare for the test fairly. It is very unfortunate that repeated efforts to provide some students with an unfair advantage have negatively affected the honest test-takers in Egypt," Said Zachary Goldberg, the media relations and external communications executive director at the College Board.

Many students have been taking classes with tutors to prepare for the SAT. While doing so, they have put effort, time, and a lot of money into these classes. Some students have skipped several exam trials to get ready and get a good grade on their first trial. Little did they know that their only trial will be canceled.

Lana Wael, a high school student studying at Integrated Thebes American College in Cairo, spoke about her frustration and worries with this sudden change of plans.

"We've been studying for a couple of years to ace the SAT exam, just to find it canceled and take another exam that we know nothing about," said Wael.

After the SAT's cancellation, the ministry of education in Egypt decided that students who were taking the exam should switch to ACT instead. This decision has frustrated so many students as barely anyone was familiar with the ACT.

"The SAT exam is a requirement for my university application, and now I have to travel to take this exam. I hope I get it right on my first trial as I cannot afford a second one," said Wael.

While Wael was thinking of traveling to take the exam because her university of choice considers SAT a requirement, universities in Egypt have decided that SAT will not be accepted in admissions. Students who plan to continue their education in Egypt are forced to take either ACT or the newly introduced EST exam by the education ministry.

"The minister of education is not making this situation any easier on us with his decisions," said Zeina Hafez, a high school student, when asked about her opinion on the current situation.

Hafez only took one SAT trial and was not completely satisfied with her score, and she saw that other trials would've potentially raised her grades. However, after the confusion surrounding which tests to take and what universities require, she has decided to settle for the grade she got in her first trial. "I'm considered lucky to have a score, even if it were for one trial; some students have zero scores," she said.

Many students are facing the same issues as Wael and Hafez. The college board's current changes and the ministry of education have caused uncertainty for all American schools' students in Egypt. These sudden decisions have ruined the dreams of many students who worked hard to pursue their undergraduate studies.

"At this point, the mental health of most high school students is going downhill," said Hafez.