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As a part of the application process, most American colleges
and universities require scores from one of the U.S. standardized
admissions tests. However, some colleges and universities
do not require international applicants to take admissions
tests, and some schools do not ask for admissions test scores
from any applicant. To find specific admissions test requirements,
use U.S.-university directories such as the International
Student Handbook of U.S. Colleges (The College Board, New
York, NY) and Applying to Colleges and Universities in the
United States: A Handbook for International Students (Peterson's,
Princeton, N.J.). Also note that community colleges do not
usually require applicants to take standardized admissions
tests.
U.S. standardized admissions tests are primarily multiple-choice
aptitude tests that are intended to measure the skills necessary
for undergraduate study. American colleges and universities
use admissions tests as a means of assessing all applicants
(from the United States and other countries) against the same
standard. Keep in mind that secondary school diplomas and
examinations are not an equivalent to admissions tests, and
that tests are only one part of the application — good test
scores alone do not guarantee admission to the schools of
your choice.
There are three main undergraduate admissions tests:
Some universities may have their own in-house examinations
or additional tests that applicants are required to take.
For further information, make a list of the colleges you want
to apply to, and then use general college directories or the
colleges' own catalogs and websites to find out each institution's
specific test requirements.
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SAT
The SAT is given several times throughout
the year at locations worldwide. Preregistration is required,
and deadlines are usually six weeks prior to the exam. More
specific information about dates, test centers, fees, and
registration procedures is available in the SAT registration
bulletin or on the SAT website at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about.html.
You can get copies of the registration bulletin from the College
Board in the United States or from your nearest EducationUSA advising center. You may be asked to pay postage
costs for these bulletins. U.S. centers also usually have
sample questions and other test preparation materials for
the SAT tests available for reference use, loan, or purchase.
Content: The SAT is a measure of the critical thinking skills you'll
need for academic success in college. The SAT assesses how well you analyze and
solve problems—skills you learned in school that you'll need in college. The SAT is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors. It is administered seven times a year in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Territories, and six times a year overseas.
SAT Subject Tests are also primarily
multiple choice, but are only one hour long. They measure
knowledge in specific subject areas. The subjects currently
offered are:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Chinese with Listening
- French
- French with Listening
- German
- German with Listening
- Italian
- Japanese with Listening
- Korean with Listening
- Latin
- Literature
- Mathematics Level 1
- Mathematics Level 2
- Modern Hebrew
- Physics
- Spanish
- Spanish with Listening
- United States History
- World History
Many U.S. colleges and universities, especially those that
have more competitive admissions criteria, either require
or recommend one or more SAT Subject Test scores for admission
and/or placement purposes. Be sure to check each institution's
requirements before registering for an SAT Subject Test. While
some colleges specify which subject tests you must take, others
leave the option up to you. In this case, it is advisable
to take exams in your strongest areas of study.
Scores: Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200-800, and the writing section will contain two subscores. Therefore, the
highest possible combined score on the SAT would be 2,400.
Scores are reported separately to colleges for the mathematical
and verbal sections. Most college directories and catalogs
quote average scaled scores for each institution to give some
guidance on relative selectivity. SAT Subject Tests
are also scored on a 200 to 800 scale.
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The ACT University-Entrance Exam (The ACT)
Administered by ACT, Inc., the ACT is used by every 4-year college and university in the United States. Unlike the SAT, the ACT is curriculum-based, meaning it directly tests students on the subjects they are learning in school. Because of this, some students tend to feel more comfortable with its format.
The ACT is given up to five times annually, and ACT Test Centers are located in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. To see the specific dates and locations that the ACT is being offered in your country or territory, go to www.actstudent.org/regist/outside.html and select your country from the drop-down list under "Look up a test center". To locate Test Centers in the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, and Puerto Rico, use www.actstudent.org/regist/centers.html instead.
International students register for the ACT online at www.actstudent.org/. Registration deadlines are around five weeks prior to the exam. More specific information about dates, test centers, and free test preparation materials is available at www.actstudent.org/.
Content: The ACT is a curriculum-based multiple-choice exam that measures student achievement in English, math, reading, and science reasoning. It also contains an optional writing component. Students can go to www.actstudent.org to see whether the college or university to which they are applying requires the writing component.
Scores: For each of the four subject areas, you receive
a raw score, which is the total number of correct responses.
The score is then converted into a scaled score from 1 to
36. A composite score is then calculated by adding together
the scaled scores and dividing the sum by four. The highest
possible composite score is 36, and the lowest is 1. Scores
take several weeks to reach universities.
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