My son for the past seven years studied in an International Baccalaureate school with English as the instruction language. For his final report in the first year of DP he achieved 7/7 for English A Lang/Lit SL.
For SAT he received 1520 (Math 780, English 740) and SAT essay 6/5/6.
His SAT test scores:
• Reading – 36/40
• Writing and Language – 38/40
• Math – 39/40
Does that enough as proof of his English proficiency for application in UC? Or they will require additional English language tests from him?
And one more question. From site I got that UC encourage to send “Scores from three or more SAT Subject Tests in different subject areas (with at least one in Mathematics or Science and at least one in English, History, Social Sciences, Arts, or World Languages and Cultures)”. He have only two Subjects SAT: Math Level 2 – 800 and Physics – 790. Will that hurt his application to UC? He want to study Computer Science.
If still unclear, contact them directly. My interpretation is that he would need TOEFL since the official language of the UAE is Arabic. They may cut some slack since English is a de facto language there and based on the IB curriculum, but they, not us, are the ones to ask.
This suggestion is as an alternative to the SAT. Since he has the SAT, he does not need 3 Subject Tests.
I will tell you that there is no standard among US colleges regarding TOEFL requirements. Regardless of what Chicago says, some college on his list will likely require it.
While not exactly analogous, when I was applying for US boarding schools, some required TOEFL despite the fact that my entire education was in an American school (overseas, but still American) and I am from a country where English is ubiquitous despite not being an official language. So your son’s options are to eliminate colleges that require TOEFL or just take the test and not worry about it.
@skieurope Yes, I already found that. But up to the moment except UC all another universities from our list and in USA, and in another countries, accepting his English on base of the above listed proofs without IELTS/TOEFL.
I’m rather in agreement. Your son is applying, not you. He should be the one making inquiries. You should limit yourself to any FA issues, if applicable.
And from the FAQ found in ski’s link:
“Everyone who is an international student, has not studied for at least one academic year within the last five years in a school in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or an English-medium university in Canada or South Africa, must take the TOEFL or IELTS.”
So, yes, he needs it, and no, something else doesn’t replace, in his case.
But while at this, take time to look at other expectations, how they perceive things like intellectual curiosity, the right activation/accomplishments, and more. In any fiercely competitive pool, adcoms can lean toward those who offer all that the college wants. Not just that one aspect is so strong that they forget the rest. Holistic.
I agree that your son should be engaged in this. Not just the parent. After all, he needs to understand what makes a solid self-presentation.
@lookingforward@skieurope I think you got wrong picture due to my activity here. All what related to applications my son doing himself, I even didn’t seen most of his essays. I just trying to support him by some preparatory job and investigation of additional options. Keeping in mind that except that I can help him very little. Unfortunately my personal experience absolutely not applicable here.
BTW he not requesting to UC because he hasn’t interest to it. It’s totally my initiative to investigate it as some alternative.
Thank you for support with clarification of UC language requirements. Also I already found that though UC common rating very high for CS its position far from top. Due to that and necessity to make TOEFL specially for that application look like UC not good choice for us.
That’s mean I managed to save some time of my boy for something more important. Generally that what I’m trying to do. Take to myself some dirty secondary job and save his time for something more important.
As the result I got at once two responses from two UC admissions counselors. They both told the same:
Though as a rule UC require an English proficiency test for international students, for applicants who for two or more years have attended a high school or college where the primary language of instruction is English they making an exception.
Three SAT subject test scores require only instead of SAT or ACT, not together with them.
I hope that information is useful not only to me but to all another international applicants.
That changed the matter. May be UC position for CS is not so far from top as it seemed to me in bad mood :). I need to look one more time.