What does it mean for international students?
The SAT/ACT test has been decisive for American university applications for about 100 years- a part of every student who aspires to continue their studies in a higher educational institution. However, this changed During the pandemic, just like every other aspect of everyday life as we knew it.
Schools became aware of the inaccessibility of sitting for the SAT and the health nightmare it could result in by encouraging students to be exposed to the virus. That is why most colleges offered the test as an option in 2020.
Fast forward five years from then, and we are no longer in the “years of the pandemic.” The universities and colleges are returning to their old way of admitting students, and this is why:
- SAT/ACT scores demonstrate student’s ability to excel with their university grades
Dartmouth, Brown, Yale, and recently, the University of Texas at Austin have posed their opinions on data collected regarding students admitted without sending in their SAT/ACT scores and those who have. The universities all agreed upon one thing: students who had submitted the SAT scores had a higher GPA average during their first semester.
- SAT/ACT can help students stand out.
Critics have previously voiced concerns about SAT/ACT being more accessible to more resourceful students. Yet, universities have answered these complaints by explaining how a good SAT/ACT score can help students from unknown schools, as GPA inflation would blur their uniqueness in a test-optional framework.
Students, especially international students, are called to think strategically about their future.
Why should you, as an international student, start preparing for the SAT/ACT:
- The SAT can elevate your academic admissions marking, as GPA and SAT/ACT scores count for 50% of the decision.
- With a good test score you prove to American Universities that you are dedicated, motivated, and capable of adapting to their educational system, in fact, thriving in a global educational setting.
- As the SAT consists of both math and verbal, it can be an indicator of your English proficiency, proving that you can speak, read, and critically assess coursework and lectures in English.
- Another very important and often dismissed factor is that the SAT/ACT can increase your scholarship chances. Colleges use the test scores as a criterion for granting international students a scholarship.
Here is an indicative list of schools that have already reinstated the SAT/ACT scores as a decisive factor for admission:
Even if you are not aiming for an IVY League, is SAT/ACT a chance you want to take?
Universities like U Miami have decided, now, in January, that they will reinstate the SAT. Students who were planning on applying for next year have a limited amount of time to prepare. That is why, strategically, you ought to have started your SAT prep sooner.
At CLC, our team of experienced and dedicated teachers, along with our expert Academic Consultants, is fully committed to supporting each student academically and personally. We work collaboratively to ensure every student not only reaches their full potential but also stands out in their applications, guiding them to success.
