by David Kent | staff writer

With the school year beginning to come to a close, juniors and seniors alike are scrambling to sign-up for both the SAT and the ACT. For those students who cannot financially afford to pay for the tests, waivers can be used to substitute for the cost.

“Students may qualify for a fee waiver due to an economic disadvantage as demonstrated through enrollment in the District’s Free and Reduced Lunch program,” AVID teacher Anne Garcia-Dubravec said. “Annual enrollment [can be] accepted online via the district website.”

To request a waiver, a student needs to get in contact with school administration, whether that be one of the assistant principals or a counselor.

“Students who qualify for the District’s Free and Reduced Lunch Program may see their counselor to request an SAT or ACT fee waiver (limit 2 per student),” AVID teacher Annie Garcia-Dubravec said.

These waivers will help to cover almost the entire cost of the SAT, ACT, and the AP tests students are planning to take.

“The SAT fee waivers will cover a registration fee up of SAT costs $47.50 and the SAT with Essay costs $64.50,” Garcia-Dubravec said. “The ACT registration fee without writing is $49.50, and while the fee with the Writing section is $58.50. ACT will also give fee waiver students an online prep course worth $99.”

The counselor’s will meet with students who are at most risk for not being able to pay for the tests.

“These students [will] receive discounted testing fees on AP and TSI registrations, and [they] will see these discounts applied on their check out screen,” Garcia-Dubravec said.

Students who have waived the SAT and the ACT will be able to get a multitude of discounted services at a lower price, or even for free, then the current standing experience.

“They will [also] receive discounted summer school tuition and free busing to and from Johnson to summer school,” Garcia-Dubravec said.

Students who can waive the SAT and the ACT will not be exempt from signing-up on time.

“Students using fee waivers can partake both the SAT and ACT in the late registration period however they will have to pay the late registration fee of $25 as the waiver will not cover late registration penalty fines,” Garcia-Durbarvec said.

Students who are able to waive the SAT will be able have other benefits as well as their educational career progresses.

“Another added benefit for these students is after testing on a free and reduced lunch fee waiver for the SAT their junior year, they will be able to obtain from their college board account up to four college application fee waivers to use their senior year,” Garcia-Dubravec said.