During the COVID-19 pandemic, a flood of colleges and four-year universities declared that they were no longer requiring applicants to submit their SAT scores. Several Ivy League schools, the University of Washington, Boston University, and even the entirety of the University of California system phased out the SAT as an admissions requirement. However, in recent years some of these schools have brought back the SAT as an admissions requirement, including highly selective schools such as Harvard and Stanford University. According to the New York Times, these schools reasoned that, “Test scores help predict students’ college grades, and their chances of graduation and post-college success,” meaning that it becomes easier to distinguish which students are more likely to thrive in college when college admissions can compare their SAT scores to those of other students. In many ways, this is true. In the U.S., where grading systems and educational practices differ between individual schools, districts, and states, the SAT is unifying in that its standards and structure are the same across the country—no matter what school you go to. But the back-and-forth decisions by colleges on whether or not to require the SAT for applicants has caused many students to question whether or not it is worth taking in the first place.
On Oct. 23, 10th and 11th graders at Issaquah High School took the online PSAT, otherwise known as the practice SAT. “It was pretty easy I think,” said sophomore Ashvin Misro. Misro estimates that his PSAT score will be in the high 1300s, though his goal was 1520, the highest score possible on the PSAT. When asked whether he would take the SAT in the future, Misro shared that he would, “to make sure [he] knows everything [he] needs to for college,” as well as the ACT—another standardized test many colleges accept. “I wanna take both of them so I can use the better score for college apps,” he explained. Misro’s plan is very similar to other high-achieving students. Playing into the idea that a good testing score will boost your chances of getting into the college of your choice, many students in IHS take the SAT or ACT multiple times, even attending prep classes to get the highest score possible. But not every student takes standardized testing so seriously. “I think it’s just a test score that causes people a lot of stress,” shared junior Tasha Gilmour. “Two years after high school, it will have no meaning whatsoever. All that stress for no benefit, besides maybe a college that’s ranked slightly higher.” Indeed, standardized test scores are only relevant if you are seeking an education beyond high school, and even then, SAT scores are only a small part of applications that schools consider when accepting students. Things like your transcript, essays, and extracurriculars often tell a college more about you than how well you did on the SAT. Despite this, Gilmour also took the PSAT on Oct. 23—just to see if she might qualify for national merits and scholarships.
So, is it worth taking the SAT? The simple answer (for those planning on attending college), is yes. With schools beginning to bring back test scores as a requirement to apply, it is a good idea to take the SAT at least once, so you have a score to submit when needed. But unless you think your score will be the deciding factor in being admitted into a school, paying hundreds of dollars to attend SAT prep classes is not the best idea—after all, your SAT score can only help your application, regardless of how low or high it is. While a higher test score might boost your calculated acceptance rate into an Ivy League school, it is much more rewarding to explore your passions and focus on schoolwork than burdening yourself studying for a four-hour test with minimal influence on where you go to school.