College applications are something that worries me all the time. As a sophomore in high school, I took every AP course my school offered, earned straight A’s, and maintained a high GPA to ensure my work paid off on day of the university’s decision.
But even if I do everything I can, I feel that my fate is still uncertain and stressful. Do I have enough clubs? Am I as impressive as some of my other high-achieving peers? Recently, a new concern has taken over my academic apprehensions: the SATs.
In 2020, many major colleges made standardized testing optional for the college admissions process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in January, Yale and Dartmouth reinstated standardized tests — like the SAT and ACT — as a requirement for college applications.
This change has me increasingly worried about my chances at some of my dream schools, especially as a low-income minority student.
I can’t afford SAT prep
As a low-income student, it is not easy to score well on the SAT due to the structure of the exam. To me, it seems like the exam measures your ability to pass the test rather than your knowledge of the material.
To pass the exam, you need to prepare the structure of the test rather than the content. This means studying SAT strategies and having a plan of action ready for test day. From thousands of preparation books to specialist tutors, many resources exist to help students achieve this. The only problem is that these resources are completely out of my price range.
My low-income family cannot afford expensive prep materials and private tutors, especially not for extended periods of time as SAT prep requires. I cannot ask my immigrant family for help due to their unfamiliarity with the wording and structure of the exam. Additionally, my high school does not have the money to pay for exam preparation or afford high-caliber resources.
It is the culmination of these factors that really makes me realize how students from minority communities are held back in achieving their academic goals.
I feel like it is always out of reach to get an impressive score in the exam, no matter how hard I study. It is difficult to accept the fact that my application will be profoundly affected by something I cannot control.
The SAT does not provide a level playing field
This doesn’t sound like a level playing field. Unlike me, students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds can afford the SATs because they have the resources to pass the exam. I worry that my inability to afford to prepare will make my college applications inferior to those of my higher-income counterparts. My goal is to have an application that matches other high-caliber students, but I don’t know how to accomplish that with lower test scores.
However, I am not someone who gives up easily, especially when it comes to lifelong dreams. Over the past few months, I’ve started working harder in my classes, extracurricular activities, and SAT studies – thanks to whatever resources I can find and afford.
Ultimately, it seems like college admissions will always come down to money. For low-income immigrant students like me, it seems like we always find ourselves getting the short end of the stick when it comes to our education and, more importantly, our future.
But when my journey becomes daunting or admissions seems to be taking over my life, I remind myself that it’s not important that I attend a top university. The only thing that matters is why, and that’s fighting for better opportunities for people like me.
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