ACT exams were canceled with little warning this weekend, and some teens say they weren't notified until they arrived at testing sites

• The ACT canceled exams at 21 testing sites on Saturday, and around 1,400 students were unable to take the exam. 
• Several students and parents told Insider that they didn't know about the cancellations until they arrived at testing sites. 
• Some students drove hours to reach the closest testing sites. 
• ACT is investigating what happened and is looking into offering a makeup date for canceled exams.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

More than 1,000 high school students had their ACT exams canceled over the weekend, and some students say they weren't notified of the cancellations until they arrived at their testing sites.

ACT had previously canceled a number of testing dates amid the coronavirus pandemic, but that standardized exams were set to resume on Saturday. On its website, ACT listed COVID-19 resources and guidelines for all students who planned to take the test.

Tarah DeSousa, a spokesperson for ACT, which is also the name of the organization that administers the exams, told Insider that 88,000 students were able to take tests at more than 1,100 testing sites on Saturday while adhering to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, but around 1,400 students at 21 testing sites had their exams canceled. It's unclear exactly why so many testing sites canceled.

"We know that some sites canceled up until late Friday night, including some we were unaware of, resulting in unprocessed communications to students," she said.

Some students learned of the cancellations when they arrived at testing sites

One 16-year-old high school junior from Wisconsin, who asked Insider to remain anonymous to protect her privacy, said that she and her father drove an hour to the closest ACT testing site on the day of her exam only to find out it was canceled when she got to the front door.

"I was freaking out weeks before because I was studying very hard, and for all the dedication I put into studying be disregarded, [it] made me livid," she told Insider.

Several other parents and students told CNN that they had similar experiences: They drove hours to testing sites only to find notes on the door announcing the exams had been canceled.

"ACT should have contacted you. We are very sorry if you were not notified," one sign read, according to CNN.

Like the teen Insider spoke with, many families interviewed by CNN said they were never notified beforehand, and their testing sites weren't on ACT's list of canceled or rescheduled tests.

ACT is investigating what happened with all of the cancellations

DeSousa told Insider that ACT is currently investigating what happened, and why so many testing sites canceled last-minute.

"We are truly sorry that this happened, and we will do everything we can to provide solutions to students affected by this situation, including offering a makeup test date where we can," she said. "Our top priority is to provide testing opportunities for all who wish to pursue a path to college and career. We know we have work to do to earn back trust and provide a positive experience for all who engage with us. We will follow up directly with students who were impacted by same-day cancellations so they may receive refunds and plan for future opportunities to test."

Dozens of colleges have canceled their SAT and ACT requirements for applicants amid the coronavirus pandemic, though many teens are still trying to take the exam.

The 16-year-old Insider spoke to said this was her second time taking the ACT — she first took it as a freshman to see what the test was like.

"It's been hard for me to bring myself to study for these things," she told Insider. "The cancellation makes it feel that none of my effort going into these test is important, and I know that most of the time it isn't their fault but still. I can't get tutoring during this time, and most of the classes that I used as learning opportunities aren't happening again because of COVID."

She initially had her latest ACT exam scheduled for April, but it was moved to the July date after the first exam was canceled. Now she's hoping to take the exam in September.

"I'm not keeping my hopes up that's it going to happen," she told Insider.

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