College admission tests stress out almost every high school student, but the pressure on students with dyslexia or other learning disabilities is even greater. Such tests rely heavily on reading and writing, have rigid rules about what a student can do during the test, and enforce a strict time limit — all things that make school such a struggle for our students. For someone with a learning disability, it’s a three-hour perfect storm of intimidation.
Yet, we know that students with dyslexia, with the proper instruction and accommodations, are capable of getting into college, succeeding while they are there, and thriving after graduation. We encourage all our students to pursue their dreams, including those that require a college diploma. That road can be more difficult for those with dyslexia, but we know they have the ability to navigate it successfully.
A major step down that road is taking the SAT or ACT test, and usually, the PSAT before that. Intimidating – yes. But with planning and preparation, dyslexic students can succeed on a college admissions test.
How much does it matter?
Standardized test scores are less important than a decade ago. Many schools dropped the test requirement during the COVID epidemic, when the tests were rarely offered. Other schools dropped the requirement for test scores because of questions about their effectiveness in predicting college success and whether they are biased against students with less advantaged backgrounds.
Now, for fall 2025 admissions, more than 2,100 of the nation’s 2,330 accredited institutions were test-optional or test-free, according to FairTest, an organization generally opposed to the use of test scores in college admissions. No Michigan public college and only a couple of private schools require them. Nationwide, a handful of schools that had been test-optional are going back to requiring them, but they are mostly elite private schools.
Lawrence Kloth, co-founder of Reading Success Plus, went through the college admissions process.
“Back when I was in high school, there was no choice,” he said. “If you wanted to go to college, you had to take a test. That isn’t the case anymore. So check with the school you’re interested in to see if it’s required, and, if so, whether the school wants the SAT or ACT.”
Even at test-optional schools, submitting test scores can be to your advantage. Certain scholarships or grants require test results. Some athletic programs require test scores. Plus, if your test scores are in the upper range for your target school, they can work in your favor. The website Scholarships360 goes into greater detail on the “send or not send” question.
If a student doesn’t want to go to college, there’s likely no reason to take these exams. Most trade schools don’t require them, though you should always check with the institution to make sure. Also, the job path you choose can make a difference. If you want to be a police officer, for example, you might instead take a specialized test to get into a police academy. But if you choose to go to college and study law enforcement (which may lead to better chances of advancement), admissions tests could be useful.
Always check the educational requirements for the specific field you’re interested in.
Prepare for the test
Lawrence draws on his experience as a person with dyslexia who struggled through much of high school but still aspired to attend college. (He eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and leadership from Hope College.) His first recommendation is to get help with test preparation.
“If you can afford it, I would highly recommend a tutor. Tutors know the test, and they can help you figure out how to take it.
“For dyslexics, it’s really tough to take these tests because there’s certain verbiage and wording. If you aren’t familiar with that, you may not understand how a question is structured or how they want you to infer something. How do you expect a dyslexic who has trouble reading the question to understand all that without help?”
Such help can be expensive. If paying for a tutor is out of the question, look for lower-cost classes or seminars.
Accommodations
Just as students with disabilities can receive accommodations in the classroom to “even the playing field,” they can get additional help in test taking. As in the classroom, this isn’t giving them an advantage; it’s simply giving them the opportunity to show what they can do.
The website Understood highlights some of the accommodations available. SAT accommodations include extended time; extra and extended breaks; reading accommodations such as a reader or pre-recorded audio; use of a calculator for math; and multiple-day testing.
ACT accommodations include additional breaks; alternate formats such as pre-recorded audio or screen reader software; using a computer for the essay; extended time; and reading accommodations such as assistive technology and readers.
To get these accommodations, a student must prove they have a disability. Getting this proof often starts with your school. A guidance counselor or someone from the special education department can help submit the necessary documentation. If a student has an IEP or a 504 plan, that is proof enough for the ACT. The SAT may require further evidence of disability, such as a formal diagnosis as well as academic and diagnostic test scores.
Gather your evidence
In general, students can expect the same kind of accommodations they get in school – if you’re allowed extra time on assignments and tests, for example, you likely will get it for your admissions exam. But don’t assume anything.
“You need to have your ducks in a row and your paperwork in order, and you need to work with the school,” Lawrence says. “They will have more experience and knowledge about the process. It’s good to have an ally working for you.”
Homeschool students can get the same accommodations, but it’s their responsibility to gather the documentation. Without an IEP or 504 plan, students will have to show a diagnosis that includes recommended accommodations.
For more specifics about accommodations and the entire testing process, check out the websites for the SAT and ACT.
Finally, be sure to get the process going early. The effort may require some back-and-forth negotiating, and you don’t need that pressure close to test day.
“Kids are stressed enough as it is,” Lawrence says. “Eliminate that worry as soon as you can and put your energy into test prep.”
Try again
If you don’t get the score you hoped for the first time you take the test, you always have the option of retaking it. You don’t have to report every score to the school – send in your best effort.
If you took the test and later realized that you could have gotten accommodations, definitely try again, taking full advantage of any help available.
“One of my former students didn’t do well on the ACT,” Lawrence recalls. “His score was in the lower 20s. But when he took it again, he was given extra time. He ended up with a 31.”
Taking the test again may be worthwhile even without additional accommodations. The experience of having taken it once may ease some of the stress and help you get a higher score.
Do it right
If college matters to you, take the entire process of admissions testing seriously.
“These tests can be very important,” Lawrence stresses. “Start lining up your accommodations as soon as possible. Get a tutor if you can or try to find some other help if you can’t afford one-on-one tutoring. I’m just saying, be prepared for it. Don’t just wing it.”
Finally, Lawrence says, “just try your best, but in the end, live with the score you get. Maybe you will end up at a college that wasn’t your first choice. Who knows, maybe it will be a better fit. Things just happen that you’d never expect.”