Do College Admissions Look at My Regents Grades?

Hi folks! I'm currently a junior in New York and took a good number of Regents exams. Does anyone know if colleges care about Regents grades when considering admission apps? How significant are they, really?

The Regents exams, while crucial for the completion of a New York State high school diploma, do not play a significant role in college admissions decisions, especially at colleges outside New York. Most colleges will place the greatest emphasis on your transcript, meaning your overall GPA, the rigor of your course load, and improvements in academic performance over time.

That said, your Regents exams can play a supporting role in demonstrating your academic performance. Strong scores on your Regents exams can corroborate the grades on your transcript and show that you've mastered the material in your classes. However, unlike your SAT or ACT scores, Regents scores are not typically used as a standard measure of aptitude by admissions officers.

In summary, while Regents exams are an important part of your academic record, they are not a heavily weighted factor in the admissions process. Focus on maintaining a strong GPA and tackling challenging classes, as these are the factors that colleges value most. If you've done well on your Regents exams, that's great—but know that a lower score won't significantly hinder your college admissions prospects.