Hi! I am currently a sophomore and I have just been accepted by Rotary Youth Exchange to study abroad my junior year. One of my main concerns is how this could impact my SAT score between not having the same schooling as I would have in the U.S. and having to be creative with my testing dates. I was wondering if anyone had any words of wisdom… They would be greatly appreciated!
Studying abroad your junior year is an outstanding opportunity. Your selection speaks volumes about your perceived intellectual abilities, interpersonal skills and openness to the possibility of life-changing adventure. There is probably no better recommendation you could get for the purposes of college admissions. I wouldn’t worry for even 5 minutes about ‘not having the same schooling.’ You can self-study for the SAT - most people do. You can fill any academic gap later if you find you need to do it - knowing that you will have gained other life skills that put you far ahead of your peers. Congrats and bon voyage!
Actually, one thing you might want to give some thought to is getting letters of recommendation before you go. Your teachers in your international school will probably not be familiar with the application process here in the US or know how to write a really good letter. There are strong cultural norms surrounding rec letters in most countries that may not translate well here. If you have teachers this year who will write letters for you, you might want to make that ask now. You can also ask teachers in 12th grade, but if you haven’t had them before, they will not know you very well by the time your applications are due. This isn’t to say that no teacher abroad can write a letter of rec for you - but you might need to provide them with guidance. MIT provides unusually strong guidance, in part because they have many international applicants: http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs
Make sure you register NOW to take the PSAT at your overseas location. The test is in mid-Oct. It’s already on the late side to register, but it’s still probably doable.
Go to the College Board’s website and register.