Source: Flickr user stevendepolo.
If you request testing accommodations through College Board, and they approve it, the accommodations apply to the SAT, PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT, and all AP exams.
You should submit the application at the beginning of your high school career. At the latest, you can submit the application fall of your sophomore year if you’re planning on taking the PSAT 10. The approval for accommodations is good for a whole year after your high school graduation date. You don’t have to worry about it expiring between the PSAT 10 and your last AP exam of senior year.
What you should not do is wait until the last minute to decide you’d like to have extra time on the test. According to College Board’s website, the approval process for accommodations can take up to 7 weeks.
Here are some of the guidelines on how to register for the SAT:
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for testing accommodations for the SAT, a request must be approved by SSD (Services for Students with Disabilities).
Those who have requests approved typically have a documented disability that would have an impact on the student’s ability to participate in a College Board exam. In addition, students, in most cases, will already be receiving these accommodations on school tests. The accommodation must be something that corresponds to the student’s disability.
For example, if you are a student who has an IEP for a learning disability and you receive extra time on tests at school, chances are pretty good that, with proper documentation, you can have extra time on the SAT as well.
On the other hand, if you are a student with a 504 plan because you have ADHD and you don’t have extra time written in as an accommodation on your 504, you probably won’t get approved for extra time on the SAT.
Again, these are just examples, if you believe you are in need of accommodations, submit a request.
Submitting Your Request
The simplest way to submit an application for accommodations is to work with your school. Chances are your high school has their own SSD Coordinator, if not, your school counselor is also a handy resource. They might even be the same person. You need documentation of your disability to receive accommodations. Records of this nature are usually kept in a student’s file with a student’s IEP or 504 plan. Your cumulative file holds most other materials, making your school office a one-stop-shop.
Schedule a meeting with your school counselor to discuss your options. They are able to submit everything online through a streamlined process, which makes everything easier for you. For more information see College Board’s Top Five Reasons to Work with Your School.
Note: This might also be something to discuss at your yearly IEP/504 meeting if you foresee yourself needing accommodations in the future.
Forms
The request-initiation forms (i.e., parent consent, teacher survey, and requests for temporary conditions) can be obtained here.
Forms for requests to change accommodations can also be found via the link above.
If you need any assistance, contact information for the College Board SSD Program can be found at the bottom of that same page.
