Oct 27, 2015 11:51 AM EDT By J Dionne, UniversityHerald Reporter

High school students in New York City will soon be able to take the SAT exam for free, The Week reported.  

City Schools Chancellor Carmeñ Fariña announced Monday that starting in the spring of 2016 the SAT will be administered free of charge to public high school juniors during the regular school day as part of the "SAT School Day" program. The standardized test is essential for applying to college.

"The new SAT School Day and the expansion of College Application Week demonstrate our commitment to providing every student with the support and resources they need to pursue college," Fariña said, according to The Staten Island Advance.

The program is an essential part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's citywide initiative, College Access for All. The misson of the initiative is to make college more accessible for all students. The SAT initiative was launched to help low-income students apply for college. According to The New York Times, only 56 percent of the high school class of 2015 in New York City took the SAT exam at least once.

"More New York City students now will have a path to college through the SAT School Day program. Previously, only some students, no matter how talented, made it to the SAT on the weekend. Now, all students will take the SAT during the school day, which evidence shows has a deep impact on college access," David Coleman, president of College Board, which administers the test, said according to The Staten Island Advance.

The Associated Press reported that the program is expected to cost the city an estimated $1.8 million yearly. 

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