What's the deal with the SAT adversity score?

Hey, I’ve been hearing mixed things about an 'adversity score' being part of the SAT. Can someone explain what it is and how it impacts our college applications? I'm a bit confused about whether it's something I should worry about.

The SAT adversity score, officially known as the 'Environmental Context Dashboard' or 'Landscape,' is a tool that was designed and tested by the College Board to provide colleges with additional context about each student’s background. The idea was to give admissions officers insight into the socio-economic and educational environment from which a student comes, including factors like the student’s high school and neighborhood.

However, it's important to note that this 'adversity score' is not part of your actual SAT score and doesn't change it in any way. It's simply additional information colleges may consider. The tool faced mixed reviews and was discontinued in 2020 in favor of providing admissions officers with more transparent and detailed high school and neighborhood data.

As of now, there is no 'adversity score' attached to your SAT results, and it shouldn't be a concern for your college applications. Colleges may still consider your context but will do so using the detailed information provided directly through your application, essays, recommendations, etc. So, don't worry too much about it and instead focus on showcasing your strengths and achievements in your SAT performance and throughout your application.