It is all the more important for universities in the US to attract as well as retain students from overseas, with the country’s government acknowledging the role played by international students in contributing academically, culturally, socially and economically.
Out of the 9,14,095 international students in US universities in 2020-2021, many of them appeared for the Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT to secure a place in their dream college.
Though many colleges and universities have gone test optional with respect to the SAT, it is interesting to know that there is a correlation between one’s SAT scores and performance in college. The test was conducted on May 7 and the SAT results were released on May 20 and will help universities get to learn more about the potential of students.
There is news that will be of use to many aspirants who will be sending the SAT scores to further process their college applications. New research from the College Board, which conducts the SAT, has shown that the test is a crucial tool that helps admissions and enrollment officers with key insights about the potential of students globally, their preparation for college and how well they are likely to perform once they join.
Quick Facts
- About 3 million students take the SAT in an academic year at about 7 thousand test centres in over 170 nations.
- SAT scores are accepted by more than 4000 universities globally, including 45 leading institutes in India.
- SAT exam will be conducted in an online mode in India from March 2023 in more than 50 cities at various testing centres across the country.
The research found that use of the SAT together with high school grade point average (HSGPA) is the “most powerful way to predict future academic performance of international students.”
The new study, as part of an ongoing series of SAT validity research, assessed the link between the higher education outcomes of international students at US colleges and their SAT performance.
The relationship between SAT scores of international students and first-year college grade point average (FYGPA) remains positive, meaning students with higher SAT scores are more likely to have higher grades in college.
“SAT scores add, on average, 44% more predictive power above HSGPA alone, contributing to a better understanding of how an international student will perform in their first year at a university,” says the study.
If the HSGPA is held constant, FYGPAs increase in concert with SAT scores. For example, someone with a SAT score of 1000 and HSGPA of 3.00 has just a 37% chance of earning a 3.0 college GPA. On the other hand, a student with the same HSGPA, and a SAT score of 1400 has a good 73% chance of getting a similar grade in university, it shows.
With the world still coping with the after-impact of the pandemic, these co-relations between the SAT scores and the HSGPA and FYGPA provide an evidence-based understanding of the role of the SAT in international admissions. Therefore, students who plan their preparation for the SAT well for a good SAT score and execute it on the test day, are likely to benefit most.
