想申請UC的學生千萬不要以為不需要考SAT喔！
Yesterday, the board of UC announced that they will be making changes to their testing requirements regarding admissions.
Unfortunately, there has been some mis-reporting of the facts. Let me clarify what has been decided and what is still undecided.
Most importantly, California residents and non-residents will be assessed differently. Residents will (probably) NOT need the SAT/ACT beginning in 2025. The UC system is going to attempt to write their own test as a replacement, so in a few years, the new test may become a substitute for the SAT at the UC universities.
Unless your student is a California resident who is studying in California, though, that will not matter.
Here is a brief overview of the changes for INTERNATIONAL students:
1. First, the good news. The SAT/ACT essay is no longer required. Therefore, if you are currently preparing for the SAT/ACT essay only for a UC school, you no longer need to worry about it. (Most other universities do not consider the essay in their applications process.)
2. If your student is currently (May 2020) in G10 or G11, the SAT is optional. However, do not get excited yet! Let me explain what “test optional” means. Test optional means that if you choose not to submit a test (SAT or ACT) score, then you will need something to act as a replacement to show your academic achievement. Unfortunately, your GPA will not be sufficient: grade inflation, which is common at most high schools, is a serious problem for admissions officers. They are unable to judge a student’s eligibility purely based on his or her GPA, so they need some other evidence to back up the GPA. The admissions process is all about selling yourself to the admissions officers. The sad reality for most international students is that they do not have anything apart from their GPA and SAT score to make them attractive. Therefore, in order to be competitive, students still need to submit SAT scores.
3. If your student is currently (May 2020) in G8 or G9 (and a California resident), the SAT will be unnecessary for admission. However, it will still be used for scholarships and placements, so there could be advantages for taking the SAT for those reasons. For non-residents, the UC board is still undecided. Again, this means that without the SAT, a student would need something else to highlight their academic achievements. Most students do not have any other way to sell themselves, so the SAT is still strongly recommended to remain competitive.
4. If the UC can invent a new test, that test will be required for California residents (and possibly all US residents). International students may or may not be required to take the California test. As a UC test would be specific to the California curriculum, though, it is highly unlikely that the UC would require international students to take that test because it would put international students at a severe disadvantage. Therefore, the UC would most likely still accept the SAT of international students.
Here is the link to the UC website:
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/university-california-board-regents-approves-changes-standardized-testing-requirement
Should you have any questions about the SAT or this new policy, feel free to leave a message or contact us.
