Free SAT plan will help RI students

By Brianna Messa
Posted 5/5/16

My parents never had the opportunity to go to college. But ever since I was little, my mom made sure that I would have the chance. I’ve talked to a lot of high school students who come from …

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Free SAT plan will help RI students

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My parents never had the opportunity to go to college. But ever since I was little, my mom made sure that I would have the chance. I’ve talked to a lot of high school students who come from similar backgrounds. A lot of families just can’t afford to send their kids to any kind of post-secondary program.

College is an endless tab of expenses, and in the end has one big price tag. There are transcript fees, application fees, fees to take standardized tests and long lists of books to buy – and that’s before you even get your first tuition bill.

That’s why I think that the plan to provide free, in-school SAT testing in Governor Raimondo’s 2017 budget is so important. Taking the SAT is a critical part of the college application process, and making it free will be one less college cost to pay. Offering the test during the regular school day also gives an incentive and even motivation for more students to take it. We should be encouraging students to go to college, not scaring them away with the dollar sign.

When I graduate from college, I want to have the skills I need to get a good-paying job. In today’s economy, it’s not a question of getting a degree, but what kind of a degree to get. The free SAT plan will make it easier for Rhode Island students to go to college and build the skills they need for good jobs that pay.

Brianna Messa is a senior at Johnston Senior High School. She is a member of the Rhode Island Department of Education’s Student Advisory Council, and is in the process of deciding where to attend college in the fall. She is a member of the College Visions program.

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