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Let's Face it - No student wants to spend his or her time studying for the SAT or ACT.
But your decision to NOT study for the SAT / ACT can profoundly affect your chances of getting into college, and literally alter the course of your entire life. At least if you try, you won't have any regrets later in life.
There are some VERY good reasons why you need to study for the SAT / ACT:
1. You Only Get ONE Chance to Apply
January 5, 2009: The Sacramento Bee http://www.sacbee.com/
USA Today 5/20/2009
"The number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of places available. As a result, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated.” – University of California Admissions
UC Berkeley Fall 2008: 44127 Applicants / 9387 Accepted = 22% acceptance rate http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/freshmen.asp
With literally thousands of applicants, even the difference of 20 - 30 points can mean you won't make the cut. Once you receive the rejection letter, it's over. There is nothing worse than realizing only too late that you could have scored higher on the SAT but didn't do anything about it. Dealing with Rejection Letters
2.Low SAT / ACT Scores mean MORE TESTING REQUIREMENTS Not only will you pay $45 to spend another 5 hours on Saturday morning retaking the SAT ( $44.50 for the ACT + Writing ) to get a better score, but there are also some unpleasant surprises:
If you score lower than 550 on the SAT (23 on ACT), CSU requires you to pay an additional $36 and sit through 3 hours 45 minutes of MORE TESTING - English Placement Test, Entry Level Math Test
If you score lower than 680 on the SAT Writing (30 on ACT English/ Writing), UC requires you to pay an additional $65 and sit through 2 hours of MORE TESTING - Analytical Writing Placement Exam
3. Low SAT / ACT scores directly impact your home's property value. STAR test results and SAT / ACT scores are used to calculate a school's API (Academic Performance Index). API determines how good a school is. How a good a school is determines what your house is worth. ( Don't believe us? http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ gives data on every high school including average SAT / ACT scores )
4. Higher Scores Earn You MONEY ( Merit-Based Grants & Scholarships )
Higher SAT & ACT scores translate into
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
in terms of
college scholarships, grants, and tuition reduction. EVEN 50
points means the difference between receiving a scholarship and
not getting one.
See
NY Times Article See
USA Today Example: St. Mary's College - Moraga, California: $12,000 A YEAR x 4 = $48,000 just for high enough SAT scores! http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid/undergraduate/scholarships.html
"I know it is really hard for the public to understand why 50 points can make a difference," said Dennis Trotter, a vice president and dean of admissions. "But when it comes down to it, we might be looking at 200 students who might qualify for these scholarships, and they go head to head. There are a lot of intangibles. One of the quantifiable things is the SAT score, along with the high school record. A swing of even 80 or 100 points on the SAT could mean the difference between the highest-level scholarship or not receiving one at all, because it is all so competitive."
5. SAT & ACT Scores can be changed QUICKLY The grades you've earned can't be changed, and you won't suddenly become a star athlete. But your SAT / ACT scores can be increased IN WEEKS, making you IMMEDIATELY a better applicant.
6. Companies ask for SAT & ACT scores when hiring college students and recent college graduates Companies who recruit on-campus will ask for SAT or ACT test scores in addition to GPA. What? Why? Since most undergraduates have very little relevant work experience, one way to judge applicant "potential for success for the job" is a student's SAT score. Ouch.
7. You've come this far. Don't let low SAT / ACT scores ruin everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Think of all the years you have invested: waking up so early every day, going to class, studying for tests, staying up to do homework, working on projects and labs, writing essays, and taking part in those extra-curricular activities such as sports, clubs, and volunteer work.
Add to that the amount of time and money you will spend on college applications and essays, college visits, interviews, and getting letters of recommendations from your teachers.
All of this could mean nothing if you don't get into the college you want to go to.
In 2008 - 2009 alone, more than 3.4 million students took the SAT and more than 2.9 million took the ACT. Imagine how many students are competing to get into college next year.
SAT / ACT scores are a critical factor in the admissions decision and can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. University of California SAT scores
8. The SAT & ACT are, as a fact, the SINGLE MOST important tests you will ever take for college. Even a final exam for a class at school does NOT count as much, and is nowhere near 4 hours long. ( Think about this: a final exam is at most 20% of one semester grade in just one class. Even if you didn't study for your final and got an F with only 50% of the questions right, it could at most bring your grade down by 10% in that one class )
University of California Admissions Scoring system, showing the weights of GPA and SAT/ ACT / SAT II scores
For the UC Admissions Point System, GPA is worth 4500 points, and SAT/ACT scores are worth 2400 points. SAT Subject Tests are worth another 1600 points.
Since each high school is different, every class is different, and every teacher grades differently, test scores provide a unified single benchmark to “measure the ability and potential for success” for all students applying to college.
Colleges are becoming more and more competitive as even students with 4.0 GPAs are being turned away. In fact, a 4.0 GPA is commonplace. A 2000+ SAT score is NOT.
In addition, because admissions committees know that college application essays have been edited by different people, the SAT Essay & ACT Essay are available for viewing online so colleges can see first hand how a student's communications skills really are.
click to see what colleges will see
9. The psychological damage of low scores can be even worse Higher scores are more than just a necessity for college admissions- they also mean improved self-worth, self-confidence and approval of peers and parents. Low SAT & ACT test scores can actually lead to teenage depression or even worse. See article
10. College Is Increasingly More Expensive Each Year Considering the high cost of college, this is a small but important investment in your future. Imagine paying for a college you don't even want to go to.
2007 - 2008 Academic Year Tuition Cost Only ( books, supplies, housing, transportation are extra )
California State University $55 application fee each school + $3,456.00 tuition / year University of California $60 application fee each school + $8,384.00 tuition / year Private University $75 application fee + Santa Clara $33,000.00 tuition / year, Stanford $34,800.00/ year
(C) 2009 Solutions
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