CITY’S TE$T BREAK

Free SATs, but...

The city Department of Education is picking up the $2.5 million bill so 70,000 high-school students can take the three-hour SAT college-entrance exam for free on Wednesday.

But education officials are not offering the writing-essay portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, which many educators consider an important component in determining whether students are college-ready.

As a result, some kids who want to take the essay part that some colleges still require have to retake the entire test and pay the $54.50 fee themselves.

“It’s a mistake to omit the writing essay. The writing essay helps determine whether a student is college-ready,” said Eric Nadelstern, who served as deputy schools chancellor during the Bloomberg administration.

Josh Stephens, an independent college counselor from California, praised the city for offering the exam during the school day and expanding access to more students.

“But excluding the writing essay does seem silly and counterproductive,” Stephens said, “If they do this, they should go all in.”

DOE officials defended the exclusion.

“SAT School Day is a game-changer — removing obstacles and making the path to college a little easier for students and families across New York City,” said DOE spokesman Will Mantell.

“The math and reading and writing sections offered are the only sections required for admission at most colleges, and many New York City students may also receive two fee waivers to take the test two more times if needed,” he said, referring to those from low-income families.

The optional essay section also requires an additional 50 minutes of testing time, officials noted.

In the past, students have had to register on their own and take the SAT on a Saturday.

The city is receiving a discount from The College Board, the owner of the SAT, paying $36 per student rather than the listed fee of $45.