The SAT/ACT has been a widely debated topic recently. Before, it was a requirement for entry and for NCAA or NAIA eligibility, however some colleges are now choosing to remove it from their admissions process and both major college governing bodies (NCAA & NAIA) have also waived the SAT/ACT requirement for the 2021 and 2022 college start years. So why should I still take the SATs? Here are 3 reasons why we still strongly recommend taking it…

1. Some colleges still require it

It’s true that some colleges have now waived the SAT, however some schools will still require it for admission. It will help speed up your recruiting process as you won’t need to wait around for test dates and results. 

2. It will help you qualify for academic scholarships

If you do well in your SATs, you may be offered an academic scholarship which you can combine with your sports scholarship. For example, if you’re offered a 60% golf scholarship and a 40% academic scholarship, you can combine them both to get a full scholarship. 

3. It makes you more attractive to coaches

There are two reasons why the SAT may be important to coaches. If you qualify for an academic scholarship, it comes out of the university budget rather than the coach’s budget. This money saved can then be used elsewhere. The SAT scores can also be used to establish a difference between players of the same calibre. Coaches will usually pick the player with a higher SAT score so that they know they won’t need to worry about their player’s academic results dropping.

If you do choose to sit the SATs, we strongly advise you to prepare yourself and study hard before you sit the test. While some students might not find the test overly difficult, it is definitely not a no-brainer that you should take lightly. So make sure to approach it the same way you would any competition or tournament, by practicing and preparing to the best of your ability!

Unsure about what colleges require the SAT for entry?

Visit the international admissions webpages of the university to see if they require an SAT/ACT from international applicants.

And don’t forget, we’re happy to answer any questions you have on this topic. Just contact us here.