SAT Tests Scheduled for Saturday Morning After Friday Nightâ€™s Big Games

For some students, the big game falls the night before college entrance exams.<br>Saturday morning is a national testing date for the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The News on Six looked at what affect the

Wednesday, December 1st 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

For some students, the big game falls the night before college entrance exams.
Saturday morning is a national testing date for the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The News on Six looked at what affect the testing might have on players and fans.

There's enormous pressure and excitement surrounding a high school championship football game and four northeastern Oklahoma teams are feeling the pressure already. Jenks and Union meet again in their classic 6A rivalry and Bristow and Tulsa's Cascia Hall compete for the 3A title.

But a few players and fans face another test bright and early the next morning, the S-A-T college entrance exam. "Usually when a student takes a test, regardless of what they've done prior to it, they're going to make what they're capable of making,â€ said Union college counselor Brad Burnham. He says seniors have seven other opportunities to take the test during the year, most of them during busy times. â€œWith almost every testing time, there's something that interferes,â€ explained Burnham. â€œThere's either a prom or a dance or a football game. The kids just seem to adjust.â€

Oklahoma colleges require the ACT college exam, so most state students don't take the S-A-T. We found only one Union senior taking the test after Friday night's game and he's not worried. "I'll probably go straight home and go to sleep," said student Medei Quazilbash.

A few parents asked why big games and big tests fall on the same weekend. S-A-T's are scheduled two years in advance. The stateâ€™s Secondary School Activities Association sets championship dates one year ahead. The exact times, whether they are going to be Friday night or Saturday afternoon or Saturday night, and where they will be played were determined Sunday.

20 Cascia Hall students will test on Saturday, including five football players whose only concern is lack of sleep. "They usually say to get good rest before, and that probably won't happen,â€ said student Kevin McNamara. â€œBut other than that, I'm not too worried."

School officials say it's up to the students to be ready for the exam. "We stress that we have student athletes and the student comes first before the athlete," explained Cascia football coach Joe Medina.