el Don /SANTA ANA COLLEGE • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2014/eldonnews.org
NEWS
ERASING OLD TESTING STANDARDS
CSUs, UCs differ in
evaluating admissions
el Don /SANTA ANA COLLEGE • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2014/eldonnews.org
BY IZABELLA SANTANA / el Don
4
Getting up at 6 a.m. to take a 4-to
5-hour test is not how some students
want to spend a Saturday. But starting
in high school, if they want to get into
a top university, that is a sacrifice they
will have to make.
About 850 colleges are test-optional,
but some of them, and mostly those
with competitive admissions, still
care about test results, says Stephanie
Meade, owner of the higher education
planning service The Collegiate Edge.
But no matter which college a
student is applying to, the SAT can
be crucial in a student’s application.
“Colleges should focus on extracurricular activities and school work
rather than standardized tests,” said
Middle College High School senior
Jonathan Ayala, who is planning to
apply to both the University of Cali-
fornia and California State University
campuses, including UC Irvine and
CSU Fullerton.
Before applying for colleges, students
are strongly encouraged to take the
SAT. The pressure to do well on standardized tests reflects the importance
given to what experts say is a small,
biased measure of intelligence.
Standardized evaluations represent
only a small portion of a student’s
skills, says Robert J. Sternberg in
his book College Admissions for the
21st Century.
Because college deans are realizing
this, the Ivy Leagues such as Harvard,
Yale and Stanford are beginning to
make the SAT optional or are abolishing the requirement.
In California, each school weighs
the tests differently. Haydee Gonzales, SAC Transfer Center Specialist,
explained the difference in admission
requirements between the CSU
and UC systems.
“For Cal States, generally, it’s the
GPA they’re looking for and a lot has
TEST / Fewer colleges require SATs for incoming students. / Liz Monroy / el Don
to do with your major,” Gonzales said. volunteer work.
However, the UCs are looking for
When applying to a Cal State, for
example, a minimum 3.0 GPA is part
more diversity, including extracurricular activities and leadership roles.
of the student’s eligibility index.
This calculation includes the stu“UCs look not only at GPA but also
at personal statements, any interndent’s GPA times 800 plus their SAT
ships, or any experience outside of acscore. Depending on the eligibility
ademic that shows either leadership or
index, students are categorized by
shows they’re taking initiative towards
academic record rather than by
their major,” Gonzales said.
contributions to their school and
Career Education
YOUR NEWS. YOUR VOICE. YOUR WAY
WHY WAIT 2-4 YEARS
TO FINISH SCHOOL?
Get Training For A Career
In As Little As 8 Months
CALL TODAY!
866-566-9289
goueicollege.com
ANAHEIM • EL MONTE • ENCINO • GARDENA
HUNTINGTON PARK • ONTARIO • RIVERSIDE
Not all programs available in all campuses
Financial Aid available for those who qualify • Job Placement Assistance
For more information on our graduation rates, median student debts, etc.,
please visit www.goueicollege.com
eldonnews.org