The actual SAT exam is one that students have to pay to take. These fees can start out at $43 but increase if you want various features added to them. It can cost about $80 for all of the information to be accessed and processed to the schools of your choice. This is quite expensive but the amount of weight that colleges place on the SAT is just too high to pass over the process. In fact, many colleges won’t even consider applications if the student hasn’t completed the SAT exam.

There are some types of waivers though that can be offered to high school students. Various criteria have to be met in order to be eligible for a waiver. Those that are approved are able to take the SAT exam for free. In most instances, these are students that otherwise wouldn’t be able to take it due to an economic hardship. It is believed that a waiver is justified in such cases or it could otherwise prevent the student from being accepted to a college.

There is an income guideline that is applied to students that may be fitting of a free SAT exam. Even so, income isn’t the only barrier that can prevent a student from being able to pay for the testing. Most school counselors are more aware of the personal circumstances of some students than others. This means that they have information about what is going on at the home of that student. This information may be enough to warrant the student taking the free SAT exam.

In many instances, these students can also get their application fee for up to three colleges waived. This can make the difference between them even being able to take the SAT and getting accepted to a college or not. This is a great opportunity for educational facilities to step in and give them a chance. In many instances, it can prevent someone from falling into the cycle of generational poverty that has plagued their family for a very long time.

If you need to benefit from a free SAT exam you should approach your school counselor. If you don’t feel comfortable doing so ask your parents to come in with you. Chances are the counselor is going to need them to provide proof of income and some other materials to base the decision on. No one should pass up taking the SAT exam due to an inability to pay.