What about regents?

I've been hearing a lot about 'regents' within my school and I'm not too sure what they mean. Can somebody clarify what regents are? Also, how significant are they in terms of applying to colleges?

The term "Regents" commonly refers to standardized high school exams that students take in New York State for various subjects, such as English, math, science, and social studies, among others. Regents Exams are conducted by the New York State Education Department to evaluate the proficiency level of students in key academic subjects. It's part of the educational requirement in New York for students to graduate high school.

Regarding your question about college applications, the role of Regents Exams varies. Most out-of-state colleges, and even some in-state colleges, do not thoroughly consider Regents scores when evaluating your application. They're more focused on others scores like your GPA, SAT or ACT, or AP course grades, as well as extracurricular activities and essays. However, good Regents scores could potentially attest to your competency in specific subjects, which could be beneficial if those subjects are relevant to your intended major.

On the other hand, performing well on Regents Exams is crucial for graduation requirements in New York State. So, in that sense, they indirectly aid your college application because graduating high school is a necessary condition for entering college.

Remember, it's important to balance your focus. While it's great to aim for strong Regents scores, don't let studying for these exams detract from your ability to maintain a solid GPA and participate in meaningful extracurricular activities. These components of your academic profile will typically hold more weight in the college admissions process.