As the juniors prepare to take the SAT/ACT this spring, it’s good to remember that your test scores are never the most important part of college admissions.
According to the National Association for College Admissions Counseling “2011 State of College Admissions,” the top factors in the admission decision were (in order): grades in college-preparatory courses, strength of curriculum, standardized admission test scores.
Test scores aren’t unimportant. But they’re never more important than your classes and grades. Allot your time accordingly. Give your test preparation the attention it deserves, but never so much that you sacrifice time spent on school (or at the expense of your sanity).
And don’t forget that there are 850 colleges that are SAT/ACT optional, including American, Bard, Bates, Providence, Bowdoin, Bryn Mawr, Colby, Colorado College, Denison, Franklin and Marshall, George Mason, Gettysburg, Hamilton, Julliard, Lewis and Clark, Mt. Holyoke, NYU and Wake Forest.
You’re going to college with or without good test scores.