March 8, 2025 SAT Glitch: What Students, Counselors, and Colleges Need to Know

Update as of March 13, 2025: According to a CollegeBoard customer service representative, those impacted by the March 8 SAT glitch will get to preview their score by the end of the week. Students will still have until March 20 to decide whether to keep their scores. Retesting options - if any are available - will be sent by March 19.

CollegeBoard update as of 3/13/2025.

Original Blog Post Below

The March 2025 SAT administration was marred by a significant technical issue, with students across multiple test centers experiencing an glitch that resulted in automatic submission of their tests before the allotted time was up. This has led to confusion, frustration, and difficult decisions for affected students. If you or your students were impacted, here’s what you need to know—and why canceling your score may not be the best move.

The Perfect Score Tutor's Rundown of the March 2025 SAT Fiasco

What Happened?

The College Board (CB) has acknowledged that a technical glitch in the Bluebook testing platform caused some students’ exams to be automatically submitted at 11:00 AM local time, regardless of how much time remained. While CB “resolved” the issue for some East Cost schools and most schools outside the Eastern Time Zone, this does little to help students who had their tests involuntarily submitted.

As of Saturday, March 8, impacted students and testing coordinators have received an email from College Board.

CollegeBoard's Response to the March 8, 2025 SAT Debacle (dated March 8, 2025)

CB’s response? A full refund, a free future SAT registration, and the possibility of a March 22 makeup exam—if your test center offers one. But here’s the catch: students who want to keep their scores must actively opt-in by March 20 (www.sat.org/inquiry), and if they keep their score, they are not eligible for the makeup exam. See the full message below:

"We’re reaching out because you were impacted by a technical issue that caused your March 8 SAT exam to be submitted automatically before your testing time was over. While this issue has been resolved for future tests, we know that this was a frustrating and stressful experience for you, and we are sorry. You will receive a full refund of your registration fees for the March 8 test and a voucher for a free SAT registration for a future administration. We’ll also follow up in the coming days with options for a March 22 makeup administration if your test center is able to offer one. As for your March 8 exam, you have two options: 1. If you want your score from this test cancelled, you do not need to take any action. 2. Or, if you had already completed your test when you saw the submission/"Congratulations" screen, you may choose to keep your score. We want to assure you that any questions you had answered before the test auto-submitted were fully captured and will be reflected in your score should you want to keep it. Please note that if you choose to keep your score, you must contact Customer Service by March 20 via the form at www.sat.org/inquiry and select the topic "Scores," or alternatively you can call customer service at the number(s) listed below. Additionally, if you choose to keep your score, you will not be eligible for a March 22 makeup exam. Regardless of which option you choose, you will receive the full refund and voucher for a free future registration. We will be in touch via email next week with information about processing full refunds, providing vouchers and, if applicable, makeup testing."

This forces students into a blind decision—cancel their score without knowing how they did, or keep a potentially compromised score without the opportunity for a retake.

Why Students Should Think Twice Before Canceling

Many students are understandably frustrated and may be tempted to cancel their March 8 score outright. However, in most cases, keeping your score may be the better option.

Here’s why:

1. Most Colleges Superscore: If math was affected but verbal was strong, you can still use your verbal score in superscoring schools.

2. Score Choice Exists: The majority of colleges allow you to choose which scores to send—you don’t have to submit this one if it’s not your best.

3. Self-Reported Scores on Common App: Many schools allow students to self-report their best section scores, meaning a lower math score won’t hurt them if they don’t report it.

4. March 22 Retakes Are Not Guaranteed: Test centers may not offer the March 22 retake, and even if they do, conflicts with spring break or other commitments could make it difficult to attend.

5. Colleges Will Likely Be Flexible: Given the scale of this issue, many colleges will understand and accommodate affected students. They should be encouraged to officially state that students can suppress their March math scores if necessary.

What Counselors and Colleges Can Do

For Counselors:

• Advise students to keep their scores unless they are absolutely certain canceling is the right move. In nearly all cases, keeping the score is the smarter choice.

• Encourage students to document what happened. If they were affected, they should be ready to explain the situation in their applications if necessary.

• Push for colleges to issue clear policies on how they will handle this issue.

For Colleges:

• Publicly state that affected students will not be penalized for a potentially compromised math score.

• Clarify that students can suppress their March SAT math score without consequence.

• Push College Board to allow students to see their scores before deciding whether to cancel.

College Board’s Responsibility

While CB is offering refunds and future test vouchers, their current solution falls short. They should:

• Allow students to see their scores before deciding whether to cancel. This is a reasonable and simple fix.

• Work directly with colleges to ensure that students are not unfairly penalized.

• Ensure all affected students are given a fair and accessible retake option.

Instead, CB is placing the burden on students, counselors, and admissions offices to clean up their mess.

FAQ: What if I feel like I did really well on the Verbal Section?

Students affected by this SAT glitch are understandably frustrated, but canceling their scores may not be the best move. In the case that you feel as though you did well on the Verbal, there is no downside to keeping the score. With colleges superscoring, allowing Score Choice, and understanding the situation, students should hold onto their March SAT scores unless they have a compelling reason to cancel.

FAQ: What if I feel like I want the second chance, because I know I could do better?

If you truly feel that you would like a second chance, it may be in your best interest to go for the retake. However, keep in mind that the March 22, 2025 SAT retake is not guaranteed at every test site, and you may need to wait until a later test date. Make sure to weigh the benefits of keeping your current score versus the uncertainty of a future retake.

Final Takeaway: Don’t Cancel Without Careful Consideration

Counselors and colleges and parents must work together to ensure students are not penalized for a mistake that was entirely out of their control. And College Board? It’s time to step up and provide real solutions—not just damage control.

If you were affected, stay informed, advocate for yourself, and don’t rush into a decision without weighing all your options. You deserve better.

Next Steps for Students who were Impacted by the March 2025 SAT Glitch

1. Decide by March 20 if you want to keep your score (recommended in most cases).

2. Check with your test center to see if a March 22 retake is even an option.

3. Reach out to colleges you’re interested in and ask how they will handle this situation.

4. Document what happened in case you need to explain it in your applications.

5. Encourage your counselor to lean into CollegeBoard. They're the ones who truly should take accountability for the string of poor test administration.

Students shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of this mistake, but by making informed choices, they can minimize its impact on their college admissions journey.