March 14th, 2026 is a terrifying date in the minds of many juniors at Xavier. This date marks the first time that the SAT will be administered in 2026, and, for the plurality of the Junior class, the first time they are taking it.
The SAT can bring students much closer to their dream college if they receive a good score, but it can also prevent students from attending certain, test-required colleges if their score is not within the range.
Most colleges and universities around the United States are test-optional, however, many top schools have begun to reinstate (or in Georgetown’s case, never remove) test-required policies.
Along with elite institutions, there are some states that mandate standardized testing for admission to public universities. Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida all have test-required policies for admissions to state colleges and universities.
The current system has created less stress for students planning to apply to colleges test-optional, but it creates greater competition for high SAT scores among the students that take the test / submit their score.
Some students at Xavier will never take an SAT. The students that do choose to take the SAT will take between one and three, and some will take as many as they can (e.g. Co-Editor-In-Chief Brady Metzger ‘26 took the test five different times).
The March SAT may give Xavier Students the best chance to succeed, considering that is the only SAT date that Xavier administers.
Tony Francone ‘27, feels “decently confident” about taking the SAT, though he said that he has a lot more studying to do.
Similarly, Gavin Scalere ‘27 also believes he should take more time to study, as he stressed that his studying has been picking up intensity over the past couple of weeks. Scalere shared that the pacing of the test, along with the complicated phrasing, is what makes the SAT difficult for him, rather than the actual content.
Francone and Scalere both plan on taking four SAT tests before they are finished. Both Francone and Scalere are excited by the prospect of college applications and their futures.
Scalere said that the SAT process is a great opportunity for him to “show all of [his] hard work.”
Francone did not express any substantial concern about the SAT, however, he did mention that he feels “slightly overwhelmed” by the prospect of writing lots of college essays. Both Francone and Scalere hope to find colleges that they can feel excited about going to.
Francone is not taking the SAT at Xavier on March 14th, however, Scalere is. He placed substantial value on the opportunity to take the SAT at Xavier, stating that “being somewhere familiar will ameliorate the testing experience,” and that “one of the hardest things about the SAT is the environment.”
Another Xavier student, Raymond Raimondi ‘27 shared that, for him, the SAT “causes a decent amount of stress.” Raimondi has been studying for the longest time out of all three students, with an impressive seven months logged.
Raimondi plans to take the SAT three times. Raimondi expressed that he feels “unprepared for college admissions.” He has found the process to be stressful, proclaiming that he “[has] no idea what he is looking for in a college.” He is nervous about taking the SAT (even though he already took it once in October), but acknowledges the comfortability and convenience of taking it at Xavier.
These students are all within the foremost academic echelon of the Junior class, consistently receive first or second honors, and take very challenging courses. Nevertheless, these students still find the overall process daunting, with hints of nervous excitement sprinkled in.
These students reflect the fact that many students have to take multiple SATs in order to get a satisfactory score for themselves. The theme across each of the students interviewed is that the SAT is stressful.
As the March SAT approaches, Xavier juniors are balancing their stress with optimism about the future. They are aware that the exam is an important milestone, but not a definitive measure of their potential.
While taking the SAT on campus may offer a sense of familiarity during an otherwise high-pressure experience, the shared anxiety surrounding the test reflects the high expectations these students have placed on themselves.
Ultimately, the discipline and perseverance developed through preparation will matter far beyond studying for the SAT. The testing strategies and discipline that these students have learned will shape them for the rest of their academic and professional lives.
