Parents scrambling after SAT at MiraCosta College gets abruptly canceled

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — An SAT exam at MiraCosta College's San Elijo campus was canceled a week before the test was scheduled to take place, leaving parents and students frustrated as they scramble to grab another testing spot — many of which are months away.

In an email sent to families on Friday that was obtained by FOX 5/KUSI, no reason for the cancellation was provided by the College Board, the entity that administers the standardized test. A cancellation notice was also posted on MiraCosta College's website.

MiraCosta College marketing and communications director Kristen Gonzales said in a statement to FOX 5/KUSI after publication that the school "had never intended to host the SAT exam" this month, adding that the College Board made an error in listing it as one of their testing sites.

"Our agreement with the College Board was to host an SAT exam at a later date in Fall 2024, as well as an additional date in 2025," Gonzales said. "As soon as we became aware of this error, we immediately contacted the College Board to address the mistake, which unfortunately led to the cancellation of the exam."

The email from the College Board to registered families did note that total refunds for registration and other fees will be provided, while encouraging parents to register their high school student for a future test date.

However, due to a limited number of spaces, the mistake left parents of the roughly 170 students who signed up for the test searching for the next available date in early October.

Only three of the dozen sites offering the test within San Diego County in October still have seats available, according to the College Board website.

One of the sites with space left for October is MiraCosta College's San Elijo campus, which added the testing date after the August one was canceled, Gonzales said.

"MiraCosta College hopes that this added test date will help alleviate some of the stress and provide students with the opportunity to complete their SATs in a timely manner," she continued.

"We fully understand and regret the confusion and impact this situation has had on students and their families," Gonzales added. "Moving forward, we are asking that the College Board ensure clearer communication with the host center and families to avoid similar issues."

FOX 5/KUSI also reached out to the College Board for comment, but did not hear back.

University of California and California State University schools dropped standardized tests from its admission requirements back in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

Ending the use of these exams, which include both the SAT and the ACT, sought to address concerns that they created inequities for low-income students. Critics also argued the tests were not a useful tool to gauge if a student would succeed in a university setting, unlike GPA or grades.

Since then, parents say the number of available spots for SAT and ACT sessions in California have dwindled, leaving those who are looking at non-state schools or those in other parts of the country that still require the exams with fewer options.

Yvette Miller, the parent of a high school senior who was signed up to take the test at the San Elijo campus, told FOX/KUSI that the College Board's website shows her son is still signed up to take the test Saturday. She says she hasn't yet received a refund from the College Board.

Even so, her son is now planning to take his test in Arizona, a decision made in panic to ensure he could submit his college applications in time for their early winter deadlines.

“Everyone just kind of points fingers at each other, but it’s the kids you’re affecting, it's 170 kids that you just canceled their SAT," Miller said.

Zara Barker contributed to this report.