Do I Still Have to Take the SAT? A Foreign Applicant’s Guide to Standardized Testing

Once upon a time, standardized testing was a rite of passage for college-bound American teenagers. Cramming from oversized prep books, sharpening those No. 2 pencils—testing rituals were once as key to an American high school experience as homecoming or prom.  These days, however, the picture is much more complicated, as many schools have started to rethink the place of standardized testing in their overall admissions requirements.

But what are “standardized tests”—and do foreign applicants really have to take them? Here’s the best and most current info on testing in American admissions, and how it could affect you as a foreign applicant.

 What is Standardized Testing?

In America, standardized testing basically means two exams: the SAT and the ACT. The SAT, or Standardized Aptitude Test, has two main parts: Math, and Reading & Writing. All questions are entirely multiple choice. Each portion has a possible high score of 800, combined to form an overall maximum score of 1600.

The ACT, by contrast, includes five sections total: English, Math, Reading, Science, plus an optional Writing portion. All sections are multiple choice with the exception of Writing, in which students are asked to produce a short essay. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with all sections averaged together to produce a final score.

So What Changed?

In the U.S. we don’t have big, national qualifying exams like the baccalaureate or GSCE, and educational standards can vary wildly from state to state. The idea behind the SAT and ACT, therefore, was to provide a testing system that was the same for everyone, giving admissions committees a sense of an applicant’s natural scholastic aptitude.

Controversy around these tests began when data began suggesting that they were not, in fact, providing an even playing field. Surveys reported that parental income played a major role in how a student performed, with students from privileged financial backgrounds scoring much higher than their less moneyed counterparts. As a result, some universities began to make these tests optional, believing that this would lead to a more equitable admissions process and thus a more diverse student body.

The major blow to standardized testing, however, was the Covid-19 pandemic. As neither the ACT nor SAT can be taken remotely, schools paused their testing requirements during the 2020 lockdown, with no clear plans to re-instate them once the crisis was over. Counselors and applicants alike began to wonder: could standardized tests become a thing of the past?

Where Do Standardized Tests Stand Today?

For students hoping to skip these exams altogether, I regret to inform you that standardized testing is making a comeback. While some schools (Harvard, The University of Michigan) have stood by their test-optional policies, a handful of others have had news by movingto reinstate testing requirements (M.I.T., Yale and Dartmouth).

The rationale for reinstating these requirements is, paradoxically, similar to the reasons given for getting rid of them. Students from less advantaged schools, some argue, have less access to the kinds of activities and advanced courses that often adorn the applications of their more privileged classmates. Standardized test scores, therefore, give them an opportunity to stand out on the basis of their own natural abilities, and signal to those reading their application that they can handle the challenges of college-level work.

Yes But- Do I Have to Take Them…?

Short answer: yes, as a foreign applicant, it is absolutely in your best interest to take (and score highly on) the SAT or ACT, whatever your target school’s testing policy.

When an admissions officer evaluates your application, their number one question is whether or not you can succeed at their school. As a foreign applicant, you have the added burden of proving that you can succeed in the American university system as a whole—and standardized tests go a long way in helping you demonstrate this. Not only do they serve as an added testament to your English proficiency, they show that you can think like an American student, with all the basic verbal reasoning and mathematical skills we’re asked to master in American high schools. Plus, nothing will help you bond with your freshman roommate like griping about test prep; as they say, misery loves company.

The good news is that these exams are way more doable than they might first appear. With the help of some prep work and a few simple tricks you can absolutely obtain a score that will accurately reflect your natural scholastic abilities. If you want to learn how, contact Elizabeth to set up an exam prep session, or discuss how standardized tests fit into your own personal application plans.