The average SAT and ACT scores of American students are getting lower, but that won't make Vietnamese international students' chances of getting into college any higher.
The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and ACT (American College Testing) are standardized tests that have been widely used for admission to American colleges and universities for more than half a century. However, the average test scores of American students have been steadily declining in recent years.
This year, the average ACT score was 19.5/36, the lowest in more than thirty years. Last year, for the first time since 1991, the average ACT score of American students fell below 20, reaching 19.8.
With the SAT, test scores have also been declining, with averages in the last three years being 1060, 1050 and 1028 on a perfect 1600 scale, according to the College Board, which administers the test.
Mr. Tran Dac Minh Trung at a study abroad seminar on October 8 in Hanoi. Photo: Binh Minh
Mr. Tran Dac Minh Trung, a master of education at Harvard University, with 10 years of experience in consulting on US university admissions, said that the SAT and ACT exams in the US are gradually becoming less popular and the trend of lower scores is decreasing. However, this trend does not make it easier for Vietnamese students to apply to schools.
The reason for the drop in standardized test scores is that during the Covid-19 pandemic, many schools exempted or made it optional. The Center for Fairness and Integrity in the US counted more than 1,900 universities that do not require applicants to submit standardized test scores for the fall 2024 semester.
"Students may not need to take the SAT or ACT anymore, or if they take the test and their scores are low, they do not need to submit them," explained Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Vien, Study Abroad Consulting Manager, Fourdozen Study Abroad Company, Inc.
Because they are now optional, American students are no longer too interested in taking the SAT and ACT. In 2023, about 1.4 million American students will take the ACT and more than 1.9 million will take the SAT, down from 1.6 million and more than 2 million in 2020. The number of candidates is expected to be difficult to recover to pre-pandemic levels.
Good GPA and extracurricular activities are enough to ensure their admission to college. Moreover, most American students attend public schools in their state, so getting into college is easier.
Ms. Vien gave an example: Students in Nebraska who want to enter a state school only need a GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). In the US, students naturally participate in extracurricular activities in high school, playing sports or participating in community service as part of their education. Meanwhile, Vietnamese students who want to enter this school must have an average score of 8 (on a 10 scale), IELTS 6.5 and extracurricular activities.
Moreover, most international students want to apply to top schools, usually the top 150 of the more than 3,000 schools in the US. The average SAT score of the top 31 schools in the US last year was 1494, this year it is 1504, according to US News .
"The elite group is getting more and more competitive," said Mr. Trung. Therefore, these schools do not decrease, but even raise the SAT score standards every year.
"The downward trend in scores in the US does not affect the preparation of Vietnamese international students," Mr. Trung commented.
The Open Doors report by the Institute of International Education (IIE) on November 13 said that Vietnam currently has 21,900 international students in the US. IIE representatives said that the rate of Vietnamese students taking the SAT increased by 45% in the period 2018-2022.
A survey by the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that American universities do not have a deep understanding of the GPA system in Vietnam. Most Vietnamese students do not have the choice of subjects in high school, do not have AP classes, and teacher recommendations are often not up to standard... Therefore, they still need SAT scores for comparison.
"Compared to before, SAT is no longer a mandatory criterion. But to compete for admission to a top school in the US, having a high SAT score is still a significant advantage," said Mr. Trung.
Some schools in the US still require SAT or ACT submission such as Florida State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Georgia Institute of Technology... Therefore, having a high SAT score above 1400 is a plus when applying.
"This is how American schools look at a student's profile and know that the candidate has good academic ability. Schools also rely on SAT scores as a basis for scholarships," Ms. Vien explained.
A group of students from Vinh Phuc attended the US Education Fair on October 4 in Hanoi. Photo: Binh Minh
Bui Quang Minh, a 12th grader from Lao Cai, scored 1580/1600 on the SAT in August. Minh said that although he knew the SAT was now just an option, he still decided to take the test to test himself and increase his competitiveness in his application to study in the US. In addition to studying abroad, he also took the SAT with the intention of applying to private and international universities in Vietnam.
Tran Hong Linh, a 12th grader in Hai Phong, planned to study for the SAT from grade 10. When she learned about changes in the admissions policies of American universities, Linh was not confused because she determined from the beginning that studying for the SAT would not only improve her profile but also help her understand how to study.
"I didn't give up halfway because I knew the SAT was highly competitive. It took me three tries to get the score of 1490 as I wanted," Linh shared.
Ms. Vien believes that making SAT/ACT optional is to expand opportunities for international students. Thanks to this policy, during the pandemic years, schools have seen a sudden increase in the number of applications.
For students who plan to study abroad early and still have plenty of time, in grades 9, 10 or early 11, Ms. Vien recommends studying for the SAT and trying to get a good score. If they start late, students should take a practice test to see what score they are at. Only those with a score above 1300 should take the test.
It is important to note, however, that the SAT is only one factor in the admissions process. Without the SAT, schools will look more closely at other academic factors.
"It is not necessary to choose SAT to rush into, students can try in other aspects such as maintaining good grades in class, good IELTS scores, extracurricular activities and preparing documents and school lists early," said Ms. Vien.
Dawn
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