Students applying for college in limbo as COVID stalls the release of ACT scores

The ACT, the standardized test used for college admissions, has a backlog of scores that still have not gone out to students, and it is causing some to miss out on applying to schools and scholarships.

Scripps reporter Dan Grossman has the story.

COLLEGE FRESHMEN.BUT COVID-19 HAS ALSO AFFECTEDSTUDENTS APPLYING TO SCHOOLS.AS SCRIPPS REPORTER DANGROSSMAN REPORTS, SOME HIGHSCHOOL SENIORS ARE STILLWAITING ON THEIR DELAYED A-C-TSCORES.IT TAKES A LOT TO TURN AMBITIONTO APATHY 10:36 HORNER"THERE'S JUST A LOT- THERE'S ALOT OF ANXIETY RIDING ON IT."BUT FOR SARAH HORNER'SDAUGHTER, RILEY, WHO HOPES TOGO TO THE UNIVERSITY OFILLINOIS NEXT YEAR, COVID HASFOUND A WAY 9:12 HORNER "I'VEWATCHED HER GET ALL EXCITED TO"AS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOLSHE'S WAITING ON SCORES FROMHER ACT- A TEST SHE WASSCHEDULED TO TAKE IN APRIL- BUTWASN'T ABLE TO UNTIL JUNE.NATS OF KEYBOARD TYPING TOCONVEY KID APPLYING TO SCHOOLONLINE IT MEANS APPLICATIONS,AND ESPECIALLY SCHOLARSHIPS,THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BECOMPLETE WEEKS AGO- NOW CAN'TBE COMPLETED UNTIL THE RESULTSCOME IN.10:57 HORNER "IT'S BEEN VERYTOUGH WATCHING HER STRUGGLE."BUTT WITH 4:32 "AND IT'S NOTJUST ME.THERE ARE PARENTS ALL OVER THEUNITED STATES THAT ARE JUST ASUPSET ABOUT THIS." 5:27 WALKER"IT'S DEVASTATING.YES, IT IS HONESTLYDEVASTATING." ENTER CECILIAWALKER AND HER SON SETH- WHOWAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE TESTIN MARCH 10:51 WALKER "IT'SPRETTY MUCH UNIVERSAL.ALL OF MY FRIENDS ARE HAVINGTHE SAME ISSUES OF GETTING HUNGUP ON BY THE ACT." SETH ISCONFIDENT HE'LL GET INTO THEUNIVERSITY OF AUBURN- WHAT HEISN'T CONFIDENT ABOUT- IS THE32- THOUSAND DOLLAR SCHOLARSHIPHE'S APPLYING FOR...SINCE HE TOO DOESN'T HAVE HISSCORE AFTER HIS TEST WASRESCHEDULED TO JULY 11:36WALKER "IT'S A BIG BUMP." ONCECOVID HIT- TESTS WERE CANCELLEDAND RESCHEDULED FOR THE SUMMER.AT THE SAME TIME THE ACT HADSCHEDULED TO LAUNCH A NEWWEBSITE FEATURE- OVERLOADINGTHE SYSTEM AND CAUSING IT TOCRASH.FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS WHOTYPICALLY RECEIVE SCORES WITHIN2-3 WEEKS OF THE TEST- IT LEFTTHEM SCRAMBLING TO FIND ARECOURSE 5:51 WALKER "IT'S THEDIFFERENCE BETWEEN A32-THOUSAND DOLLAR A YEARSCHOLARSHIP AND NOTHING.PARENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PLANNINGTHAT- ALL OF THAT HAS BEENPULLED OUT WITHIN A YEAR OFYOUR STUDENT GOING TO COLLEGE."IN AN EMAIL THE ACT SAID "WEKNOW THIS HAS BEEN EXTREMELYFRUSTRATING FOR PARENTS ANDSTUDENTS FOR WEEKS WE'VEBEEN WORKING NON-STOP TOIMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE OFENGAGING WITH ACT, AND WE'LLCONTINUE TO DO SO TO ENSURESTUDENTS HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITYTO ACHIEVE SUCCESS." ADDINGTHEY WILL CONTINUE TO ROLL OUTSCORES THROUGH AUGUST 31ST.13:37 HORNER "SHE'S GOING TOTAKE A FEW CLASSES AT ACOMMUNITY COLLEGE JUST SO WEARE STILL GETTING, I GUESS,COLLEGE CREDITS." A DEADLINETOO LITTLE TOO LATE FOR SOMEFAMILIES WHO HAD HOPED TO HAVEAPPLICATIONS ALREADY OUT THEDOOR.I'M DAN GROSSMAN REPORTING.MOST VALLEY KIDS ARE LEARNING