How do I get a seat to take the SAT test in Singapore?
If you attend a school that is a closed test center (you know who you are), then get the secret test center number from your school and register via the College Board website. If you do not, then things get a bit more complicated.
In normal times the bulk of the openly available seats to take the SAT in Singapore were supplied by local MOE schools with large capacity such as ACJC and VJC. There are presently restrictions from these schools administering the test and hence a major mis-match in supply/demand for seats. We anticipate that when we move to "Stage Four" then things will open up and these centers will again open up. When this happens, students who are on the official College Board wait list will be first in line. You get on this list by letting "College Board find me a place" during the registration.
No amount of emails or calls to College Board in New York will be of any use. If you can't test, don't worry about it. (see below)
What if I can't get a seat to take the SAT?
Note that this test availability problem is hardly unique to Singapore and kids all over the world (including large swaths of America) are not able to test. As a result, all American schools are now test optional at the very least and you will not have to submit scores. If you do not submit scores, this will not hurt your application. Chartering a speedboat to try to get a to a test center in Batam or Johor is completely crazy town.
What about the ACT, should I take that in April/June?
As reported earlier, the ACT gave up on international by cancelling international tests until April 2021 and firing all the international staff. Presently there are places notionally available in Singapore for the June test administration but we doubt that these will be fully open. Try to take the SAT instead, the ACT is even more of a mess at present.
What does "Test Optional" mean?
It means that the SAT/ACT test scores are OPTIONAL and you do not have to submit them, especially if you can't take the test! Universities will use other parts of your application in lieu of test scores.
Should I still submit test scores?
If the university is test optional (U. California legally can't even look at scores now!), and your test scores are solid, then go ahead and submit test scores. If your test scores are poor relative to the rest of your application, then no need to send them.
Will it hurt my chances if I do not submit scores?
No, schools are test optional, see above. Universities need students and will be making it easier, not harder.
Will universities be test optional for class of 2022 as well?
Probably. Hard to say for sure and schools are likely not keen to commit to anything that far out but unless things snap back to a new normal very soon, then most universities will be test optional for kids starting in 2022 as well.
What about the SAT Essay and SAT Subject Tests?
Just a few American schools still technically "recommend" these tests and that number goes down every week. We anticipate (and hope) that these tests will die a graceful death with the next admissions cycle. They are still required by some non-American schools so check with the specific university. We can see the tests being quietly fully cancelled and still being required by some universities who didn't get the memo.
Where can I get more specific guidance?
Our webinar in December covers all of this ground, but the best person to help you is your university advisor at your school. NOT a commercial university placement agent. NOT a WhatsApp group. NOT what you heard from your friend's cousin's half-brother whose kid "got into Stanford". There has been a proliferation of fake news on all things of late, and admissions and testing has hardly been spared.
We encourage people to have a look at our blog for our most recent postings as well as our Twitter feed where we post interesting links.
Featured Higher Education Event: Linden US Education Fair
On Saturday, February 28, representatives from top universities in the United States will be at the Pan Pacific in Singapore from 1:00 - 4:00 PM. The representatives will be available to provide information about their respective institutions to qualified students that plan on pursuing their undergraduate or graduate degrees in the United States. The event is hosted by Linden Educational Services and is free and open to the public: Currently, almost 5,000 Singaporean students are studying in the U.S., making it the preferred destination for Singaporeans seeking degrees overseas. The universities exhibiting at the fair range from large public universities to small private colleges and offer a diverse and extensive array of academic programs.
Please visit the Linden Tours website for additional information and to register. You can also connect with Linden via YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Frequent Questions Answered
With help from the United Stated Education Information Center, we have come up with a list of the most frequent questions about American tertiary education and here we aim to address them to help foster understanding of the wealth of educational opportunities that exists in the United States.
Q: Is this University “recognized” in Singapore?
A: The Singapore government does not formally recognize or not recognize any schools outside of Singapore. The broad guidance is that so long as the school is regionally accredited by one of the six regional accreditation bodies in the United States then it is a bone fide institution. For those looking to go into engineering, medicine, dentistry, architecture, or law then you will need to check with the professional bodies in Singapore that keep lists of approved schools.
Q: Is this university “good”?
A: With over 3,400 universities in the United States and numerous competing rankings publications this is a complex question. The short answer is that some universities are better than others and all universities have specific strengths and weaknesses. When choosing which schools to apply to, the strengths of specific programs at the school must be taken into account as well as the general “name brand”. For example, a student looking to study media and communications would be better going to a school like Syracuse that has an exceptional program even though it is isn’t in anyone’s general top 10 list. Generally speaking, so long as it is a regionally accredited four-year college then the education will be sound, otherwise it will loose its accreditation status!
Q: Do I need to take the TOEFL/SAT?
A: Yes. The SAT Reasoning Test is required for nearly every university and the SAT Subject Tests are required for some of the elite schools. Taking the TOEFL is always a good idea as many Americans do not realize that Singapore is indeed not a province of China and English is the medium of instruction.
Q: Can I get “exemptions” for my A’ Levels or Poly Diploma?
A: Generally speaking, yes. However, the amount of credits or exemptions awarded will vary widely from school to school with the universities setting their own policies that change often. The better the school is, the fewer exemptions will be awarded. If you are in doubt regarding a specific school, then check with the admissions office on what the present policy is.
Q: Can I start at one university and then transfer to a “better” school?
A: In theory, yes; in practice, no. The best schools normally only accept as many transfer students as they loose to attrition and drop outs. Thus, a school like Columbia University will only accept a handful of transfer students each year from hundreds of applications. Large state-funded schools have a mandate to accept transfer students from the community college system but local residents will be given preference over foreign students.
Q: Can I go to university with just my O’ Levels?
A: Yes. Students with strong O’ Levels and good SAT scores can gain admission into many excellent schools. However, the Ivy League schools and those in the University of California system require A’ Levels or a poly diploma for students in the local system.
Q: Are private universities better than public universities?
A: No. Some public schools are among the best in the world and some private schools are horrible.
Do I need to take the SAT: Reasoning Test, SAT: Subject Test and TOEFL?
The SAT: Reasoning Test is required for admission into nearly every school in the United States as well as some of the universities in Singapore. If a school says that they do not require the SAT: Reasoning Test then you should investigate further – does the school not require the test because of valid reservations about its efficacy or because they will accept just anyone?
The SAT: Reasoning Test should be taken a couple times at the least and the universities receive a report with all of your scores, with most taking the highest Math and highest Verbal scores, even if these were achieved on different test dates. It is not irregular for American students to take the SAT: Reasoning Test three or four times. Singaporean students should take the test at least twice by the time they sit their ‘A’ levels. Obviously, it is best to avoid taking the SAT when you are burdened with a major load of other academic commitments.
The SAT: Subject Tests are one-hour long tests on individual subjects. While the SAT: Reasoning Test is broad-based, the SAT: Subject Test are specialized. Most of the top schools in the United States require students to have up to three SAT: Subject test results in addition to the SAT: Reasoning Test. These tests can be taken on the same dates as the SAT: Reasoning Test and up to three subject tests can be taken on one sitting. However, you cannot take both on the same test date so be sure to plan accordingly.
Top schools ask applicants to take the Math 1C or 2C and one to two of any of the other tests – which normally would include at least one of the sciences (Biology, Chemistry or Physics). The science tests are easier than ‘O’ levels, so fear not.
Some students are tempted to take both the Math 1C and Math 2C tests. The Math 2C test is harder than the Math 1C and you should just take one or the other depending on your strength in Math.
Others are tempted to take the Mandarin SAT Subject test as they have studied it as a mother tongue. Don’t do this! It will have the undesired effect of making you look lazy.
Testtakers Singapore runs preparation programs for the SAT: Reasoning Test and conducts individual tutoring for the English Literature and Math tests.
The TOEFL shouldn’t be required for Singaporean students as English is the medium of instruction. However, it isn’t a bad idea to take it just to get it out of the way (some schools are ignorant of the Singaporean education system). The TOEFL is intended for non-native English speakers and should be a simple test for most people. The TOEFL can be taken year-around as it is a computer-based test.
