Any advice on gap years?

[Lisafuller]

My daughter will be applying next year (starting classes in the fall of 2024). I’ve found SuperTutorTV on YouTube to be quite insightful.

Here is a video put out just weeks ago on how to play the test optional game.

https://youtu.be/IXOILLLckSQ

Thanks and makes sense. If you have a good score, submit it, as it will likely help (although varies across schools).

Quite frankly, most of the kids here targeting US Universities (especially as you go up the so called rankings) are likely to score very well, and other factors are probably going to matter more.

Good luck!

Most of the kids here do end up scoring very well, considering the fact that the content tested in the test is fairly elementary compared to what they are doing in school. So it does help them when they receive these stellar scores because it helps to offset a little bit of the damage done by having not so perfect grades.

[malcontent]

My daughter will be applying next year (starting classes in the fall of 2024). I’ve found SuperTutorTV on YouTube to be quite insightful.

Here is a video put out just weeks ago on how to play the test optional game.

https://youtu.be/IXOILLLckSQ

Is she planning on going test optional?

She hasn’t shortlisted her schools yet.

UC have confirmed they will remain test blind, but they have also announced they will be giving in-state applicants greater priority, and so it will be next level difficult to get in for non-Californians moving forward.

Only about 8% of all colleges in the US are currently test blind, mostly in California. I think over 60% are still test optional at this point, and the rest either require a test or haven’t said one way or the other.

I’ve already secured a seat for my daughter to take the SAT this Dec. If she does well, why wouldn’t she include it with her application to a desired test optional school? I think UCLA and Berkeley will be her two reach schools, but if her test results are good, she can add some additional reach schools.

[NYY1]

She hasn’t shortlisted her schools yet.

UC have confirmed they will remain test blind, but they have also announced they will be giving in-state applicants greater priority, and so it will be next level difficult to get in for non-Californians moving forward.

Only about 8% of all colleges in the US are currently test blind, mostly in California. I think over 60% are still test optional at this point, and the rest either require a test or haven’t said one way or the other.

I’ve already secured a seat for my daughter to take the SAT this Dec. If she does well, why wouldn’t she include it with her application to a desired test optional school? I think UCLA and Berkeley will be her two reach schools, but if her test results are good, she can add some additional reach schools.

This is on UCLA from a few years ago. Not sure how much they are planning to up the CA resident intake?

https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/freshm ... ofile/2019

[malcontent]

This is on UCLA from a few years ago. Not sure how much they are planning to up the CA resident intake?

https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/freshm ... ofile/2019

Here is what they are saying now…

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/ ... ts-decline

[NYY1]

Personally, I believe that standardized testing helps to up the chances of local students who may not have the most pristine transcripts. It’s a well-known fact that schools here are incredibly harsh with the marking despite the fact that classes are much tougher here than they are elsewhere. Standardized tests help to alleviate any doubt about one’s academic abilities which is why I’ve always been such a huge proponent of them.

I think the standardized tests also help some US domestic kids that come from unknown schools that didn't offer as many AP courses, etc. Similar to above, it validates the student's academic ability even though his/her transcript may not be as strong. At least this is MIT's argument.

For the Singapore local kids, I think the (harsh) reality is that those who are applying for certain US schools are likely to have pretty strong transcripts (and test scores) irrespective of the curriculum and grading differences? So in the end, a student is still competing against all of those most similar to him/her; i.e. other Singaporean students. For better or worse, each uni is only going to take in so many kids from Singapore and this could be as few as single digits per year (some likely low single digits and some other schools in the low double digits).

[malcontent]

Personally, I believe that standardized testing helps to up the chances of local students who may not have the most pristine transcripts. It’s a well-known fact that schools here are incredibly harsh with the marking despite the fact that classes are much tougher here than they are elsewhere. Standardized tests help to alleviate any doubt about one’s academic abilities which is why I’ve always been such a huge proponent of them.

This is actually a really good point, the academic standards here are insanely high, and colleges in the US have no appreciation for what it takes to get an A here. They also wouldn’t appreciate how different schools have different student performance, so things like being in the top 10% of your class is very different at a neighborhood school versus a top school here. I think it is a huge disadvantage.

[NYY1]

I think most all of the international admissions divisions at certain unis know how the system here works (both the curriculum/grading, sorted cohort, and the different JCs); they are reviewing/admitting some kids year after year. It is if you get put in the domestic bucket (US resident even if educated abroad) that the person reviewing your application may have no idea how things work here. Nearly everyone they look at is going to be 3.9+ GPA and/or Top 10% of class.

[NYY1]

Here's another reality check on the Singapore cohort. For IBDP, a score of 42 is pretty much good enough for anywhere in the world? ACS(I) alone had 365 kids that scored 42-45 points last year (2021). ACS(I)'s intake, both at PSLE (via ACS(I) and MGS) and JAE (O Level), is competitive with the other larger JCs. I.e. grades, both here and in the US, are a commodity...

[Lisafuller]

My daughter will be applying next year (starting classes in the fall of 2024). I’ve found SuperTutorTV on YouTube to be quite insightful.

Here is a video put out just weeks ago on how to play the test optional game.

https://youtu.be/IXOILLLckSQ

Is she planning on going test optional?

She hasn’t shortlisted her schools yet.

UC have confirmed they will remain test blind, but they have also announced they will be giving in-state applicants greater priority, and so it will be next level difficult to get in for non-Californians moving forward.

Only about 8% of all colleges in the US are currently test blind, mostly in California. I think over 60% are still test optional at this point, and the rest either require a test or haven’t said one way or the other.

I’ve already secured a seat for my daughter to take the SAT this Dec. If she does well, why wouldn’t she include it with her application to a desired test optional school? I think UCLA and Berkeley will be her two reach schools, but if her test results are good, she can add some additional reach schools.

Those two are reach schools for practically everybody who applies, so she shouldn’t be too bothered by that. If she does well, definitely include it in her application. It will do her nothing but good.

[Lisafuller]

She hasn’t shortlisted her schools yet.

UC have confirmed they will remain test blind, but they have also announced they will be giving in-state applicants greater priority, and so it will be next level difficult to get in for non-Californians moving forward.

Only about 8% of all colleges in the US are currently test blind, mostly in California. I think over 60% are still test optional at this point, and the rest either require a test or haven’t said one way or the other.

I’ve already secured a seat for my daughter to take the SAT this Dec. If she does well, why wouldn’t she include it with her application to a desired test optional school? I think UCLA and Berkeley will be her two reach schools, but if her test results are good, she can add some additional reach schools.

This is on UCLA from a few years ago. Not sure how much they are planning to up the CA resident intake?

https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/freshm ... ofile/2019

I think what is most relevant is the international student population, UCLA tends to have a relatively small international student population relative to other colleges in the US. If they decide to up the number of in-state students they accept, that may or may not make things harder for international students.

[Lisafuller]

This is on UCLA from a few years ago. Not sure how much they are planning to up the CA resident intake?

https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/freshm ... ofile/2019

Here is what they are saying now…

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/ ... ts-decline

To be fair, you can’t blame them. They are and have always been state schools.

[Lisafuller]

Personally, I believe that standardized testing helps to up the chances of local students who may not have the most pristine transcripts. It’s a well-known fact that schools here are incredibly harsh with the marking despite the fact that classes are much tougher here than they are elsewhere. Standardized tests help to alleviate any doubt about one’s academic abilities which is why I’ve always been such a huge proponent of them.

I think the standardized tests also help some US domestic kids that come from unknown schools that didn't offer as many AP courses, etc. Similar to above, it validates the student's academic ability even though his/her transcript may not be as strong. At least this is MIT's argument.

For the Singapore local kids, I think the (harsh) reality is that those who are applying for certain US schools are likely to have pretty strong transcripts (and test scores) irrespective of the curriculum and grading differences? So in the end, a student is still competing against all of those most similar to him/her; i.e. other Singaporean students. For better or worse, each uni is only going to take in so many kids from Singapore and this could be as few as single digits per year (some likely low single digits and some other schools in the low double digits).

Also to help those who have been homeschooled. You may be right, but either way you can’t deny that a good score will always be a positive.

[Lisafuller]

Personally, I believe that standardized testing helps to up the chances of local students who may not have the most pristine transcripts. It’s a well-known fact that schools here are incredibly harsh with the marking despite the fact that classes are much tougher here than they are elsewhere. Standardized tests help to alleviate any doubt about one’s academic abilities which is why I’ve always been such a huge proponent of them.

This is actually a really good point, the academic standards here are insanely high, and colleges in the US have no appreciation for what it takes to get an A here. They also wouldn’t appreciate how different schools have different student performance, so things like being in the top 10% of your class is very different at a neighborhood school versus a top school here. I think it is a huge disadvantage.

Exactly. Standards here are so high that it becomes very difficult to compare performance across schools and streams. The test is a huge leveler for everybody because everyone takes the same test. Whether you’re top student at a local school or the bottom of the barrel at an elite school, any disparities will come to light with the results of the test.

[Lisafuller]

I think most all of the international admissions divisions at certain unis know how the system here works (both the curriculum/grading, sorted cohort, and the different JCs); they are reviewing/admitting some kids year after year. It is if you get put in the domestic bucket (US resident even if educated abroad) that the person reviewing your application may have no idea how things work here. Nearly everyone they look at is going to be 3.9+ GPA and/or Top 10% of class.

Not true. While the more prestigious colleges have some sort of awareness, this is still just an awareness, not a true understanding.

[Lisafuller]

Here's another reality check on the Singapore cohort. For IBDP, a score of 42 is pretty much good enough for anywhere in the world? ACS(I) alone had 365 kids that scored 42-45 points last year (2021). ACS(I)'s intake, both at PSLE (via ACS(I) and MGS) and JAE (O Level), is competitive with the other larger JCs. I.e. grades, both here and in the US, are a commodity...

Exactly. While the IB is, admittedly, rigorous, it’s difficult to compare a 42 on the IB with an AABB or AAAB at a levels. Even though they have arguably performed the same, the IB student will be looked upon more favorably because the score appears better.