Again!!! More changes from the College Board?
As you may be aware, the College Board announced on January 19th, it will immediately eliminate the subject tests and discontinue the SAT’s optional essay after June testing sessions.
“As students and colleges adapt to new realities and changes to the college admissions process, College Board is making sure our programs adapt with them,” the organization said in a statement, adding that it wanted to reduce the demands on students.
So, what does this change mean for your student when it comes to the admission process? More on this in a minute.
Even though we believe this is wonderful news for students – they have one less standardized test and one less section within the SAT to be concerned about – let us be real.
The College Board didn’t discontinue the subject tests because they sought to decrease students’ test-taking stress loads. They could have done this years ago. The fact is that the demand to take these tests has steadily decreased over the years.
Of all the available standardized tests, the subject tests were the least known among both parents and students.
For years, ambitious students in the know prepared, registered for these tests, and submitted high subject test scores which admission officers used as additional data points to compare the academic strengths of each candidate. Some highly competitive students took as many as 4 subject tests. This is what TheCollegePrepPro students have been doing for years.
I believe there were two key reasons why the demand for the subject tests decreased. While selective colleges (top-tiered and Ivy colleges) would still consider these additional points, an increasing number of colleges made the subject tests optional. Also, as the pandemic caused the cancellation of test centers, the demand to take the subject tests was adversely affected.
So, what does this mean for your teen?
Plain and simply, admission officers will place even more emphasis on your teen’s
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Grades
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SAT or ACT scores
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A strong and competitive transcript
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AP scores
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Strong extra-curricular activities that demonstrate commitment, passion and dedication
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The stand out factor (more on this in future emails)
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The personal statement and supplementary essays
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Letters of recommendations.
If SAT and ACT scores are going to be even more important, what about the colleges that are test-optional?
2nd tiered colleges whose admission policies are test-optional will place less emphasis on test scores. Top tiered and Ivy colleges will still factor strong test scores in their admission equation.
Notice the verbiage that Yale uses:
“Yale is providing applicants the option to have their applications reviewed with or without ACT or SAT scores. Do you wish to have ACT or SAT scores considered with your application? Selecting no will not negatively affect your chances of being admitted.*
Even with such language, no qualified and competitive applicant will ever dream to apply to colleges of the caliber like Duke or Yale with low SAT or ACT scores.
So, more than ever, it is critical that your student strategically selects which test – the SAT or ACT – to prep for.
Why? Selecting and prepping for the right test will give your student the best chance to submit a competitive score – 1450-1500 on the SAT, 34 on the ACT – to selective colleges.
What about taking the SAT or ACT in the midst of a pandemic?
Tune in to the next email and I will some viable options. You will also get to watch a video interview during which a Ucan student reveals what she did to achieve her dream SAT score in fall of 2021.
Stay tuned.
For now, download this pdf report showing you steps to help you decide whether to take the SAT or ACT. If you want more help with this, call Melody at 626-786-5662 and she will schedule a free SAT and/or ACT test for your teen.
To your teen’s test prep and admission success.
Jonathan
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