Hey! I know you guys were talking about this two months ago, I am an Spanish transfer applicant to UC Berkeley and I also received this email! I sent them an email asking if it’s necessary, as I too have good TOEFL scores, have been living in the US for two years, and find the price too high… and they answered me what they say on the e-mail: They said that it won’t affect the outcome if I don’t take it, but while doing some research I found that in many articles they recommend it. So I decided to take it 
did you guys take it? where you accepted? I will know in a month as I am a transfer…
Thanks!