Do not submit SAT - a new option when studying in the US

 Do not submit SAT - a new option when studying in the US

When American universities no longer required the SAT to be on file, many students, either with insufficient preparation time or without satisfactory scores, abandoned the certificate.

At the online study abroad seminar "Difference to success", organized by Summit Education, a US-Canada study abroad consulting unit, on the afternoon of December 26, students who have just been admitted to American universities and students from other universities in the world. The consultant shared his view on the trend of this year's early enrollment season.

Tran Xuan Duy, admitted to Fordham University, said that compared to friends who spent many years preparing documents to study in the US, I only had a few months. Therefore, to optimize the application process, I decided not to take the SAT. Duy explained, because he didn't have much time left, he was forced to focus on other important factors.

The same choice as Duy, Nguyen Hang Giang, admitted to Franklin & Marshall University (top 42 liberal arts universities in the US) decided not to take the SAT to spend time on the main essay. Interested in issues of the LGBT community, Giang mentioned the rights of these disadvantaged people in the essay. I think this is a complicated issue that requires careful study and investigation, so I spent all of my time studying for the SAT.

Application documents to American universities usually include SAT/ACT scores, English language certificates, letters of recommendation, financial statements, CV or Portfolio summarizing social projects, personal essays. In which SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) is a test of natural, social and logical thinking knowledge, which is used by many universities and colleges in the US as an admission criterion. In Vietnam, the SAT is held 4-5 times per year.

Since last year, when Covid-19 broke out globally, a series of standardization competitions were cancelled. Therefore, American universities have taken the SAT, once an indispensable criterion, out of the mandatory list in the study abroad application.

Speakers participate in the Webinar Differentiation for success: Profile analysis and US application season trends 2021-2022. Screenshots

Speakers participate in the Webinar Differentiation for success: Profile analysis and US application season trends 2021-2022. Screenshots

Ms. Tran Phuong Hoa, founder and director of Summit Educational Organization, a member of the International Study Abroad Counseling Association, said that the change in SAT requirements is attracting a lot of attention from students, especially those who are studying abroad. I have little time to prepare documents.

She said that when the SAT is no longer a mandatory criterion, schools will pay more attention to the candidate's English ability through IELTS and TOEFL scores. In fact, many students, after being admitted, struggle to follow the curriculum, because the foreign language is not good. "Therefore, when the SAT is no longer a basis, the school will look at English certificates more. This is also an indispensable factor in the application," Ms. Hoa said.

For students who do not have time to take IELTS or TOEFL, she thinks Duolingo is not a bad choice. This is a new exam, but is accepted at most US universities. Students can take the Duolingo test at home, at a flexible time.

In case other elements of the application are not strong, students still want to have SAT scores, Ms. Hoa advises them not to wait until the application deadline is near to take the test. If the epidemic is complicated and the exam is canceled, the candidate is very passive. Instead, according to her, should take the test about a year earlier than the time of application, or consider taking the ACT (American College Testing - another type of metabolic exam that helps the admissions department of American universities and colleges assess and candidate comparison) instead. "Even if students have registered for the SAT, students should also take the ACT to prepare for option B," said the 15-year-experienced expert.

Compared to previous years, Ms. Hoa said that the early enrollment season 2021-2022 does not have many mutant factors. Acceptance rates of schools keep at a stable level, of which MIT is the lowest - only 5%, Harvard 8%, Georgetown 10%, Yale and Dartmouth about 20%, other schools fluctuate 24-30%.

Candidates taking the SAT. Photo: CNN

Candidates taking the SAT. Photo: CNN

In addition to the SAT, the epidemic also affects a number of other factors of study abroad applications. A series of projects and contests have been canceled or moved online, making it difficult for candidates to complete their applications. Myo Min, Academic Director at Summit, said that students must change their strategies to adapt to the pandemic context.

In the past, students often completed their standardized certification before they started thinking about extracurricular activities. However, Mr. Myo believes that this view needs to change. "They need to work in parallel, taking advantage of the stable epidemic time to complete their activities. When they have more time, they can also participate more. This helps the profile to be diversified and complete. ", he shared. Along with that, he believes that students need to take advantage of their resources and relationships to develop ideas about extracurricular activities.

"Besides memorizing the requirements of a study abroad application, students should learn about trends and fluctuations between enrollment seasons to make the right choice, 'scoring' in the eyes of the society. co-enrolment," said Ms. Hoa.