Is the SAT Test Still Important for High School Students in California?
In this blog post, we’re going to talk about the role of the SAT for California high school students given that universities now make standardized testing excluded in a lot of in-state schools’ admission processes.
An insightful article written about how California students couldn’t seem to secure a spot for their exams motivated us to look into this further as it appears demand to take the exam is secretly larger than a lot of people think.
Out of the approximate 2 million high school students that took the SAT in the most recent academic year, a stunning 500,000 of these students were from California (which is supposedly a test-optional state).
Despite the University of California school systems adopting test-optional policies for their admission cycles, a lot of students still choose to take the SAT for the following reasons: strengthen their applications for private universities, out-of-state schools, and scholarships.
Based on our research of high school curriculums in California, we found that they continue to have the following SAT resources for students (see below).
School-Sponsored SAT Programs Many California high schools partner with organizations like the College Board to provide resources, such as free SAT practice tests and workshops. Some schools even host in-school SAT testing days to make the process more accessible.
SAT Fee Waivers: California schools strive to ensure that all students, regardless of background, have access to SAT preparation. Initiatives like subsidized test fees for low-income students and targeted outreach programs help bridge gaps in access.
Integration with High School Curriculum Certain California high schools align their curriculum with SAT content. For example, math and English courses often incorporate SAT-style questions and practice tests to familiarize students with the test format and question types. This is particularly interesting because it suggests that California high schools want to open doors for its students to have the SAT test as a potential application booster if they choose to apply out of state, a situation that makes the test very relevant for California students.
The Future of the SAT in California
Even though on the surface it appears that a lot of students in California are in a state where the SAT/ACT is not required at in-state universities, the truth is that a significant number of students are taking the exam to have the optionality to go out of state for college.
For this reason, we highly recommend that any California student looking to have wider options and more opportunities to prepare well for standardized testing along with boosting their grades to get the best possible application requirements ready when it comes time for competition admissions in senior year.
Talk to my team at Tigerway directly to discuss how our private coaches can help you with your SAT Scores (and Grades) as well as shaping your college profile to best stand out. We do have a waitlist for some of our coaches. Thank you for your patience.
Calvin Cheung, Director (617-749-8421, text today to book a call)
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Website: www.tigerwayprep.com
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