Students with documented disabilities are eligible for testing accommodations on any test administered by the College Board, including the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and AP Exams. Though the College Board grants accommodations for visual, physical, and mental impairments, most commonly students seek time accommodations (extended time) to help compensate for a documented learning disorder.

Students must have documentation of their disability, such as a current psychoeducational evaluation or a report from a doctor. Required documentation will vary depending on a student’s disability and the requested accommodations. In some cases, the College Board will require students to submit additional documentation after initial information is presented.

In order to be eligible for testing accommodations, a student’s disability must result in a “relevant functional limitation” that impacts their ability to take an exam. Students whose disabilities result in functional limitations in the following categories may need accommodations:

• Reading
• Writing
• Sitting for extended periods of time

In addition to the requirement that a disability result in a functional limitation, students must demonstrate the need for the specific accommodation requested. For instance, students seeking extended time need to provide documentation demonstrating that they have difficulty performing timed tasks, such as taking tests under timed conditions.

With rather rare exception, students who request time accommodations on College Board exams receive similar accommodations on tests that they take in school. Students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan at school do not automatically qualify for those same accommodations on a College Board exam. These students must still be approved by the College Board’s Services for Students with Disabilities and in some cases present additional documentation. That said, students with a history of receiving accommodations at school are more likely to be approved for accommodations by the College Board.

Students may request College Board accommodations either though using a paper Student Eligibility Form or through their school. It is a much better course of action to work with your school, as school counselors have experience working with the College Board on accommodations requests and can streamline the process. Authorized counselors at your school, known as SSD Coordinators, can use a platformc alled SSD Online to request accommodations. SSD Online walks SSD coordinators through the process of requesting accommodations and submitting required documentation. Any documentation that has to be submitted will be done so online through an SSD Coordinator.

The approval process can take up to seven weeks to process if documentation review is required. Therefore, students are advised to begin the approval process as soon as possible.

If you are seeking testing accommodations for a College Board exam, start by reaching out to your school counselor: He or she can usually guide you through the process from there. If you have any questions regarding College Board testing accommodations, please contact Maki Gorchynsky at (303) 396-3676 or via email at maki@mosereducational.com.