Q: (Initially posted on January 2, 2003) FROM MENTEE SANA A. IN CT
English is not my first language, and I only moved to the US two years ago. Because of this my PSAT scores
were much lower than my math. I was wondering how the
colleges would weigh this factor. Also many colleges
require the SAT II Writing exam, which I probably
would not do good on either. Is there an alternative
exam that I can give?

January 3, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS IN KS
A: Sana, based on your question above, I would say your English
is remarkably strong for someone who has only been in the U.S. two years.
Many colleges look for characteristics in students other than just
standardized test scores, and some colleges, like U. California-Berkeley,
are really beginning to question whether these tests can accurately
measure anything about how well a student will do in college.
Do your best on the exam, and on your college entrance essays,
be sure to talk about how you came to this country. Your essay is another
place to impress the college admissions committee and it would indeed
be impressive to see how well someone has learned to write in English
following such a short time in the country. I have worked with many
people from countries around the world and have usually found that they
are much harder on themselves about their English skills than would be
reasonable, given how well they speak and write. Get someone to review
your application essay and do have them help you correct for grammar,
but don't let them take away all your "voice." That is, don't let them make
it sound just like a native English speaker wrote it. Many times, people
can express things in another language in ways that native speakers would
never think of doing but that are really wonderful.
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A: FROM STEVE PULTZ, DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS AT UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO, CA
Students whose first language is not English should take the TOEFL exam (Test of English as a Foreign Language). It is offered around the world and is usually used by admissions offices as a better gauge of a students english skills. Most schools have minimum scores that they are looking for.

Schools usually look for a minimum score, rather than a percentile. There are two types of exams, a paper one and an electronic one. They are scored on a different scale. Each school will be more or less strict about a minimum or a range, based on how selective they are.