I’m a senior in high school and I’ve decided not to take the SAT. I won't be taking the ACT either. The vast majority of high school students take one of these tests before they graduate - many students would agree that we’re pressured into them. But after a little research, I’ve found that I won't need these tests, and maybe you won't either.

I looked at FairTest.org and found that over 880 colleges and universities across the US (15 of them in Oregon) don't require the SAT or ACT from incoming freshmen. At least 26 of these schools are ranked top of their class on a national scale. Now, that’s almost 900 schools out of about 3,000 or almost ⅓ of all colleges in the United States. You can find a full list of those schools on fairtest.org. Now, I don't want to ruin your college plans or keep you from achieving your dreams just because you didn't take a certain test in high school, but If you’re planning on taking the same route as I am, know that it’s more than possible to attend a great college and pursue the career you want, just make sure to do a little research first.

I did delve a little further into the academic world and I found that schools overseas vary greatly in admission requirements. It might interest you to know, though, that while it is recommended, Cambridge University does not require US students to take the SAT or the ACT. So if you’re planning on studying abroad right out of high school, you’ll probably be able to get out of the test.

So what is the SAT/ACT for exactly? Well, I’ve found it’s mainly used by colleges as an indicator of your academic capability and readiness for collegiate level courses. It’s also helpful when applying for scholarships. I think you’ll find there’s plenty of websites out there propagating these things. But for me, personally, I won't be needing these kinds of scholarships or a college-qualifier. This is because I have a two year, full ride scholarship at my local community college (and all I needed to get it was a 3.5 GPA) and as I will be transferring to a four-year school after completing my two years there, I will no longer need a college-readiness qualifier. I made sure of this by researching well-known colleges on CollegeBoard.org to see what transfer students needed when applying to alternate schools and it turns out that I really won't need the SAT or ACT. In fact, all I’m going to need is a college transcript, and possibly a high school transcript, essay, letter of recommendation, and/or an interview with the administration.

So, yes, I will be attending the college of my choice. And yes, I will pursue the career of my dreams without compromising. But no, I will not take the SAT or the ACT.