Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy High School is sitting out the city’s SAT School Day on Wednesday because the test doesn’t include the optional essay portion, a Success spokeswoman said.
The city’s version of the SAT cuts out the essay to save time and because many colleges don’t require it, Education Department officials said.
But Success Academy took a pass on the shortened exam.
“The SAT exam being administered tomorrow does not include the essay portion of the test, which is required by most selective and highly-selective colleges and universities,” said Success Academy spokeswoman Nicole Sizemore.
“Since all of our juniors have already taken the SAT at least once this school year, it makes no sense to have our scholars take an incomplete version of the exam,” Sizemore said.
Wednesday marks the first time ever that the city is offering the important college entrance exam free to all public high school juniors.
About 520 public schools will offer the test for free on Wednesday, including 37 charter schools, Education Department spokesman Will Mantell said.
Low-income kids who wish to take a version of the SAT that includes the essay portion will be able to so for free at another time of their choosing, using a waiver provided by the College Board, Mantell said.
“SAT School Day is a game-changer — removing obstacles and making the path to college a little easier,” said Mantell. “The Math and Reading and Writing sections offered are the only sections required for admission at most colleges.”
Mantell also noted that the essay portion of the test is not required for admission to the City and State University of New York schools, which are attended by about 75% of the public schools’ college-going graduates.
