How will the SAT I and SAT II scores be used in the proposed new process?
Berkeley’s view of the applicant’s full record of achievement in high school includes the number and difficulty of courses, grades earned, and pattern of courses and grades over time. Our academic selection criteria have become so broad and comprehensive that the SAT tests, though still used, are significantly less important than they were five years ago. There is significant research that indicates that the SAT II score is actually a better predictor of college academic performance than the SAT I and that all standardized tests may be highly correlated to parental education and other factors besides college readiness. In light of this, we try to look at these scores in relation to other academic information — that is, to see if they confirm what a student has been doing in the classroom. If there is a real discrepancy between the academic record and the tests, we make note of this, but a low test score doesn’t necessarily “condemn” the applicant. We tend to put more emphasis on the S
