SABIS^® Network schools have sought to prepare students for successful admission to college or university since the first school in the network was established in 1886.  In fact, the firm belief in the accessibility of college for almost all students, not just a select few, forms the core of the SABIS^® philosophy. Through the implementation of the SABIS^® Educational System, network schools actively provide students with the knowledge and skills they will need to gain admission to and succeed in pursuing university studies.

Keeping up with the academic standards required in colleges and universities is a full-time job and the responsibility of the SABIS^® Academic Development Division.  The department follows the latest changes and updates the SABIS^® curriculum actively to ensure that students in SABIS^® Network schools have the academic foundation necessary to gain access to the college/university of their choice.  The impending changes to The College Board’s Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), commonly required for college admission in the U.S., are among the most recent developments requiring the department’s attention.

In March 2014, The College Board announced that it would be implementing significant changes to the SAT in order to create a test that could more accurately assess the knowledge and skills students would need for college-level work.  The changes, which will go into effect in spring of 2016, include, among other things, a revision of the types of vocabulary words assessed – words more common in college courses would be included in place of more rarefied vocabulary – and a greater focus of math questions on linear equations, functions, and proportional thinking.  Additionally, the essay portion of the test, which was introduced in 2005, will be made optional for students and will be based on source documents rather than on topics related to a student’s opinions or experiences.

The SABIS^® Academic Development Division has been preparing for the new SAT by integrating skills required for the SAT into the curriculum. New content has been added at all levels including primary, middle, and high school to ensure that students are ready on exam day.  Steps have also been taken to reinforce specific skills and content to help student retention.   

“We have been watching the development of the new SAT carefully and integrating the revised content into our curriculum,” commented Mr. Ghassan Kansou, Vice President of SABIS^® Academic Development.  “When the new SAT starts being administered, students in SABIS^® Network schools will be ready for it.” 

In addition to acquiring knowledge and skills required for the SAT actively through the SABIS^® curriculum, students in many SABIS^® Network schools can take dedicated SAT preparation classes.  These classes, often organized through the SABIS Student Life Organization^®, give students the opportunity to take mock exams and target their preparation based on their own strengths and weaknesses.

SABIS^® Network schools are committed to preparing students for successful admission to college or university.  Through a rigorous and dynamic curriculum, students in SABIS^® Network schools acquire knowledge and skills needed to achieve success in college and beyond.

For more information about the SABIS^® Educational System, visit sabis.net. To keep up-to-date with SABIS^® news, follow us on Twitter.