The path to college is a mix of hard work, high hopes, and stressful moments. And in that process, the SAT is a major checkpoint. This is why the test days are marked on the calendar with a mix of nerves and anticipation.
The 2025 March SAT administration was supposed to be no different from other routine SAT tests. But things took an unexpected turn.
A digital disaster left many March SAT exam takers feeling anxious and unsure about their futures. This affected approximately 0.6% of domestic test-takers (1,231 students) and 12.8% of international test-takers (8,855 students).
Here, we’ll break down what went wrong, how the College Board responded, and, most importantly, how you can handle situations like this in the future.
What Went Wrong in the March SAT Test 2025?
On test day, a technical glitch within the College Board’s Bluebook application caused the turmoil. This glitch caused some students’ tests to be automatically submitted before they had completed all sections.
The exams of test takers ended abruptly around 11:00 AM. Since the verbal section comes first, it meant most students were working on the math section when the glitch happened. So, they lost their time there.
It wasn’t just the Math section, however. Some students ran into the same issue during the verbal part.
One student on Reddit said they were told to exit the program and log back in. Since the proctor had to let each student back in one by one, it took a while. When they finally logged back in, only one or two minutes were left to solve the problems. Of course, that was not enough to do anything.
How Did the College Board Respond?
The College Board later confirmed the issues that happened during the March SAT test 2025. It offered a sincere apology and announced a few steps it would take in response.
1. Refund of the Registration Fees
First up, the College Board tackled the financial side. It announced that any student affected by the technical issues on the March 8 test would receive a full refund.
That wasn’t all. The College Board also promised to provide a voucher. Affected students can use it to register for a future SAT administration free of charge. This meant students would get another opportunity to take the test without an additional financial burden.
2. Take a Makeup Exam
A makeup test was also part of the March SAT Test 2025 solution. This makeup exam was scheduled for March 22, 2025.
Test centres were asked to open for this makeup, and students were to be notified by March 19th if the exam was available to them. To be eligible for the makeup exam, students’ scores from the March 8 test would be cancelled. This was a necessary step according to the College Board’s policy for this specific situation.
Of course, this did cause some concern among students. Some test-takers expressed a desire to keep any partial scores they might have earned on March 8 and still be able to take the test. The policy forced a choice that not everyone was comfortable with.
This option was a good step. But for many students, it probably didn’t feel like the ideal solution.
3. Quick Fix on the App
The College Board also provided an update regarding the Bluebook application itself.
It stated that the technical issue causing the premature submissions had been resolved for all future tests. This news is important for students planning to take the SAT later. It suggested they should not encounter the same 11:00 AM submission bug.
The College Board’s statement about the fix was clear. But long-term trust in the digital SAT really depends on the platform working smoothly.
How Students Can Navigate This Chaos?
If you’re affected by a crisis similar to the March one anytime while taking the SAT exam, these tips can help you manage the situation:
1. Don’t Cancel Your Score
After a tough test experience, the first instinct might be to cancel the score. But pause and think.
It is very common for students to feel they performed poorly, even when their actual scores are better than expected. Making a quick decision based on immediate feelings can lead to regret.
That is because a SAT score is permanently gone once it’s cancelled. There is no way to get it back or have it reinstated. So, it’s a significant decision.
Even with a glitch, you might have achieved a strong score in one section of the test. For instance, the Verbal section might have been completed successfully before any issues arose with the Math section. Such a score could still be valuable, especially considering college super-scoring policies.
If you’re offered a makeup test but you decide to keep the score, inform the College Board. If your score had been automatically cancelled because you were initially slated for a makeup, contact Customer Service to have it reinstated. Do this only if you didn’t take the makeup test.
2. Stay Updated from Official Sources
In cases like the 2025 March SAT exam glitch, information can change in the blink of an eye.
Get the latest updates from reliable, official sources. Rumours and misinformation can spread quickly, especially on social media, adding to stress. Relying on official sources helps filter out noise and allows students to base their decisions on facts.
Your primary source for information is the College Board itself. Regularly check the official College Board website, collegeboard.org, for announcements and updates. The College Board also maintains an official X (formerly Twitter) account, @OfficialSAT, which can be a source for quick news.
You must also carefully monitor the email address they used for SAT registration. The College Board used email to communicate directly with students affected by the March 2025 glitch.
3. Use Score Choice & Super-Score
Many students may not realise that they have some level of control over which SAT scores colleges see. Two important policies that offer flexibility are Score Choice and Superscoring.
Score Choice is a policy that allows students to choose which SAT test dates they send to colleges.
If you have a particularly bad test day, Score Choice might allow you to avoid sending that specific set of scores. The main advantage is control over what colleges see.
But note that some colleges require students to send all their SAT scores. Georgetown University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of North Alabama, and Southern Arkansas University are universities that require students to send all SAT scores.
Superscoring is a practice used by many colleges during the application review process.
When a college super scores, it looks at all the SAT scores a student has submitted (from all test dates sent). Then it takes the student’s highest score from each section across all those test dates and combines them. That helps create the highest possible composite score, or superscore.
How do These Help Post Glitches?
These policies are fantastic safety nets.
Your 8th March SAT exam score might not have been perfect, but perhaps you had a strong showing in one section. Superscoring that with another test attempt, either past or future, could still result in an excellent overall score for your applications.
Meanwhile, Score Choice gives you the power, for many colleges, to simply not send a score from a disastrous test day if you feel it doesn’t represent your abilities. They provide resilience against unforeseen problems.
4. Plan for a Retake Just in Case
Sometimes, even with strategies like Score Choice and Superscoring, retaking the SAT is a sensible step.
One particular test day can go unexpectedly wrong, just as it did for some with the March 2025 glitch. Having another attempt already planned or anticipated means that you are not solely reliant on that single, disrupted performance.
Avoid rushing into registering for the next available date, however. Give yourself enough time to think, plan, and prepare. Reflect on your past performance. If previous score reports are available, review them carefully. If not, think about how you felt in each section during the test.
Focus more on specific weaker areas. Simply redoing the same general preparation might not yield better results.
Targeted practice is more effective. That’s where Prep7Edu can help. Our highly experienced mentors can craft strategic study plans so that you can master all concepts and crack the Digital SAT confidently.
The best part? It’s all online, so there are no long commutes, no crowded classes, just solid prep from wherever you are.
A Word to the Wise
The March SAT test 2025 was a tough ride for many students. But remember that one bad test day doesn’t define you. Colleges know that things can go wrong, and the College Board has your back with refunds, makeup exams, and app fixes.
If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, stay calm and focus on what you can control. Don’t be quick to cancel your score. Take a makeup test only if your performance is truly affected.
A retake is an opportunity for smarter preparation, not just more of the same. The more thoroughly you study and the more practice tests you take, the more confident and less anxious you’ll feel.
Experts at Prep7Edu can help you ace the Digital SAT. Our targeted practice, quality mock tests, and speed drills can help you build real confidence. With our expert mentors, you’ll study smart, not just hard. So, whether you’re recovering from March’s chaos or just looking to boost your next score, support is just a click away.
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