My Child May Go to College out of New York State – Are the Regents Exams Still Important?

Each year in New York, high school students are required to take the Regents, a set of standardized examinations in the core subjects, to graduate. However, many students decide to attend college out of state, so what does that mean for New York-mandated tests? As the Director of Regents Review, a teacher-owned-and-operated Regents prep company, Michael Birnbaum would like to share why the tests are important, regardless of where a student decides to attend college. He recently wrote the following article: My Child May Go to College out of New York State – Are the Regents Exams Still Important? which he shares below:

In New York State, the Regents exams are comprehensive subject exams that students are required to take at the end of each year of high school. One reason for this is to ensure that every school in New York is teaching the same level of material. This is one of the reasons New York schools score so well on national high school rankings and why such a large number of New York high school graduates are college-ready upon graduation.

Colleges within New York State are familiar with Regents exams, but people often wonder whether the scores on Regents exams matter if their children are planning to attend an out-of-state college. Simply, the answer is that scores on the Regents exams still matter for many reasons.

First, although many out-of-state colleges are not as familiar with Regents exams as in-state colleges, many are familiar with them and others have become more familiar with them in recent years. With the amount of New York students who apply to colleges across the country, it is no wonder that many of these universities have done their homework and are now understanding what these exams are all about.

Next, at many high schools throughout New York, the grade on a Regents exam is factored into the student’s final grade in the course. The impact that the score will have on a final grade varies from district to district, and it is best to ask your child’s guidance counselor about the policies in your child’s particular school. 

Finally, the scores received on these exams almost always appear on the child’s high school transcript. Therefore, even if a college is unfamiliar with the exam itself, a low grade on a transcript may send a flag to an admissions counselor at any college. Likewise, a strong score on a transcript will always reflect nicely on the student.

In sum, regardless of where your child is thinking about attending college, his or her score on the Regents exam remains crucial.

If your child is looking for a prep course for upcoming Regents exams, Regents Review has been helping students prepare for New York State Regents examinations for over 40 years. Prep courses are taught both in-person (at Purchase College) and online by New York State licensed teachers. Find out more information at RegentsReview.com or by calling 877-339-5970.

*This content is sponsored by the Regents Review*