You may have heard that colleges recently made the switch to test-optional and no longer require college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT. These tests have traditionally played an important role in college admissions and despite what you have heard, we are here to tell you that they still matter. While it may be tempting to avoid these tests, the SAT and ACT still play a large role in college admission and scholarship decisions.

In our latest video, Class 101 college planning expert, Randy Stegemoller, explains why preparing for and taking college entrance exams is still in a student’s best interest.

Why students should take the SAT and ACT

While test-optional colleges may not require a test score for general admission, admission committees may use them for more selective programs or scholarships. Some additional opportunities that may be tied to test scores include:

● Community scholarships or academic scholarships at universities
● Admission to Honors College programs
● Selective academic programs that require minimum test scores for admission
● Exclusive universities or colleges

Still unsure? Here are a few tips when deciding to test.

● Research your list of colleges to understand if they are test-optional.
● Test optional may be different for in-state and out-of-state residents. Be sure to check
each college’s requirements.
● Test blind is different from test-optional. Test blind means that the college will not
look at your score if shared. Most colleges are not test blind and will take test scores
into consideration.
● A strong test score can give students a competitive advantage when compared with
students who choose not to submit a test score.

With opportunities like scholarships on the line, we encourage all students to prepare for and take the SAT and ACT tests.

Our Class 101’s experts in Brandon are currently helping students prepare to get their best test score through Test Prep Courses and Free Community Practice Testing. Contact us today to learn more!