What Test Do You Take To Get Into College

What Are Placement Tests Like

Colleges use several common placement tests. The tests usually measure skills in these subjects:

• Math
• Reading
• Writing

Some colleges also offer placement tests in foreign languages and areas of science. Some placement tests are given on computers, and some give you your scores as soon as you finish. Several states and individual colleges have developed their own placement tests.

Youre Planning On Going To Trade School

Just like community colleges, trade schools usually dont require the SAT. Theyre also considered open enrollment, and they usually dont require a high school diploma or GED. Because trade school programs dont usually allow you to transfer into a college, you may not have to take the SAT at any point!

Even if the SAT is optional for you, you might take the SAT anyway. Read on to learn why.

How Important Are Test Scores

Some colleges require a minimum ACT or SAT score that applicants must have earned from an entrance exam in order to be admissible. Other schools look at the applicant holistically and utilize test scores as just one piece of the whole picture in making the admissions decision.

Many schools will publish the average SAT and ACT scores of incoming freshmen of the previous year. Knowing the average college entrance exam score for a university can help determine if you are a good candidate for admission at that school.

Colleges can also use test scores in other ways. In addition to qualifying a student for admission, a high test score can also qualify the student for merit-based scholarships. Math and English sections of college entrance exams are often used to place students in the appropriate first math and English classes at the university.

Don’t Miss: How To Make Good Money In College

Why Take The Sat

If you have strong math skills, you may want to take the SAT. The math section covers a wide range of math subjects, including:

• Algebra

If youâre interested in taking the ACT, many high schools offer onsite testing, so check with your guidance counselor to find out if your school is a testing location.

Home Schooler Home Educated Or Alternatively Educated Student

Many forms of education in Canada do not lead to a provincially-accredited high school diploma. In the past, this has been problematic for alternatively-educated students wanting to apply to university. Universities now recognize homeschoolers as a separate category of student seeking admission. According to Canadian universities, homeschoolers represent a broad category of students encompassing any applicant without a government-issued high school diploma. This categorization refers to students whose families have chosen not to make use of the provincial school system and have assumed the primary responsibility for their childrens education at home, no matter what form that education may take. These families will usually choose their own curriculum materials and design their own learning experiences, with varying degrees of structure and formality. This may even be done with other students from a homeschool network, and/or in conjunction with the involvement of outside tutors, instructors, mentors and extra-curricular organizations. This category also includes students who earn non-accredited diplomas from alternative, commercial, foreign, distance or religious organizations.

Read Also: Where Is Chamberlain College Of Nursing Located

Applying To A Medical Course

Biomedical Admissions Test Graduate Medical School Admissions Test University Clinical Aptitude Test Bmat

• Applying to a medical course? You’ll have to take the Bmat.

• Applying to a law course? You’ll have to take theLnat.

• Applying to a mathematics course? You’ll have to take theMat .

• Applying to a classics course? You’ll have to take theClassics Admissions Test .

• Applying to an English course? You’ll have to take theEnglish Literature Admissions Test .

• Applying to a modern languages course? You’ll have to take the Modern Languages Admissions Test .

• Applying to an engineering, materials science or physics course? You’ll have to take the Physics Admissions Test .

• Depending on the course you’re applying to, you may have to take the Thinking Skills Assessment Oxford.

• Applying to a mathematics course? You’ll have to take the Step.

• Applying to a medical course? You’ll have to take the Bmat.

• Applying to a law course? You’ll have to take the Cambridge Law Test.

• Regardless of course, you may have to take the Thinking Skills Assessment Cambridge as well as a subject-specific test.

How Do I Compare My Act Score And Sat Score

The maximum score on the ACT is 36, while the maximum SAT score is 1600. Comparatively, each point on the ACT represents 40-50 points on the total score of the SAT. For example, an ACT score of 35 is generally equivalent to an SAT score of 1540-1590.

The average ACT composite score in the U.S. during the 2017-2018 calendar year was 20.8 points. The average total SAT score in 2018 was 1068 points.

Also Check: How To Get Into Jones College Prep

Week : Optional Essay / Additional Practice

Whether you are taking the SAT or the ACT, the essay is optional. Check the admissions requirements of your colleges of choice to see if the essay is required. If you know for certain that you are not taking the essay, you can use this week to continue practice questions or skill-building for the other test sections.

The SAT Essay requires analysis of a text. The ACT Essay tests the ability to write clear, organized essays regarding issues and different viewpoints. The SAT Essay is 50 minutes while the ACT Essay should take 40 minutes.

Day 1: Diagnostic Practice Essay/Pre-Assessment: Take the Official SAT Sample Essay 1 or Official ACT Sample Essay 1. Then look at the scored Sample Student Essays/Scoring Guide to give yourself a Pre-Assessment score.

Day 2: Essay Analysis: Make a T-Chart of your strengths and challenges on the essay section.

Day 3: Essay Information: Read about the SAT Essay and How the Essay is Scored. Jot down notes for anything that will help you on this section.

Day 4: Essay Tips and Strategies: Read SAT Essay Tips: 15 Ways to Improve Your Score or ACT Writing Tips: 15 Strategies to Raise Your Essay Score, both by PrepScholar. Take notes on what you want to remember.

Day 5: Summative Practice Essay/Post-Assessment: Take the Official SAT Sample Essay 2 or Official ACT Sample Essay 2. Then look at the scored Sample Student Essays/Scoring Guide to give yourself a Post-Assessment score.

Request Letters Of Recommendation

Many colleges require one to two letters of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, coach, or employer who knows you well. As early as the end of your junior year, you should unofficially notify teachers or counselors of upcoming requests to give them sufficient time to write a thoughtful personalized letter during the summer.

Once you have completed your portion of the online application, send an official request through the application portals and check whether your recommenders have submitted their letters two to three weeks before the deadline.

Recommended Reading: How Many Years Of College To Be An Architect

The Most Popular College Exams

At this point, youre probably thinking, While I can see the benefit of these college tests, how do I know which one to take when there are so many options? While there are many college entrance exams, there are two that students are most likely to encounter.

The American College Test, known as the ACT, is a college test that is more popular than the SAT exam in the South and Midwest of the US. It is formatted with multiple-choice questions and tests a students skill in science, math, English, and reading. There is also an optional writing test that some institutions require you take. Each of the four sections is scored on a 1-36 scale. The extra writing section does not impact the average test score of the four sections and is scored from 1-12.

The Scholastic Assessment Test, or SAT, tends to be more popular in the East and West Coasts and is most possibly the most widely-recognized college entrance exam. Most US universities and colleges accept SAT scores. The SAT consists of two main sections: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, and Math. The first section includes the Reading Test and the Writing and Language test. The second section has two tests one with a calculator and the other without. A student may earn a 200-800 score for each section which makes the total score from 400 to 1600. There is also an optional essay as with the ACT.

Do You Need Test Scores For Community College

Planning to head to community college or pursue an associates degree? You may not have to take any formal college entrance exams. However, if you plan to use community college as a stepping stone to a four-year institution such as if you plan to pursue an associate of arts degree and then go on to achieve your bachelors your test scores may matter down the road. Always check with the school where you plan to enroll before determining which, if any, entrance exams to take.

Read Also: When Can You Start Applying For College Scholarships

Should I Take The Act Or Sat

Students are increasingly taking both the SAT and ACT . Changes made to the SAT in 2016 have made it easier than ever to prep for both tests concurrently and earn competitive scores on both! The best way to decide if taking the SAT, ACT, or both tests is right for you is to take a timed full-length practice test of each type. Since the content and style of the SAT and ACT are very similar, factors like how you handle time pressure and what types of questions you find most challenging can help you determine which test is a better fit.

Structure Of College Admissions Tests

The SAT is primarily a multiple-choice exam, so everything — excluding the written segment — is machine-scored. Students are allotted 3 hours and 45 minutes to take the exam, broken down into four sections:

• Critical reading: three subsections on word relationships, reading comprehension and contextual analysis.
• Mathematics: three subsections on algebra, geometry, measurement and statistics.
• Writing: three subsections on recognizing errors and creating a developed essay.
• Unscored section: one segment piloting new questions for one of the three scored sections.

In contrast, the SAT Subject Tests are one-hour exams taken in literature, history, mathematics, science and languages. They are also multiple choice, but some language tests have a listening component.

For the machine-scored questions, correct responses are worth one point, responses left blank are not counted, and there is a one-quarter-point deduction for a wrong answer to discourage guessing. For each section, the total score is transferred to a scale score, providing continuity among different sections and versions of the test. Each section of the SAT test receives a score from 200-800. The average score for each section is 500. The three sections are then totaled to obtain a composite, with 2400 being the top score .

Now that you know what’s on the test, let’s find out how to get you into the test site.

You May Like: What Colleges Should I Apply To

What Type Of Credit By Exam Options Are Available

There are a lot of options for earning credit by examination, and it can seem overwhelming at first glance. To help you get a handle on whats available and how to move forward with jumpstarting your college degree, Ill go over a few of the most widely accepted examinations, AP options, and university exams out thereso lets get started!

The Rise Of Test Optional Universities

These controversies are why some universities are starting to move away from requiring the SAT for admission. According to participating universities, test optional, test flexible, and test blind policies are designed to counteract the ways the SAT fosters discrimination and/or exclusion.

Thus, the move away from SATs is an attempt to make the college admissions process more fair for everyone.

Recommended Reading: How Do I Transfer My Fafsa To Another College

College Entrance Exams: Which Should You Take

By the time youre a senior in high school, youre probably understandably so sick of standardized testing. We dont blame you studies show that students take about 112 mandatory standardized tests from pre-kindergarten through high school, and that doesnt include any college entrance exams, practice tests, or advanced placement tests. But if you envision yourself applying for and ultimately enrolling in college, weve got some bad news for you: there are a few more left for you to conquer! And, arguably, theyre the most important ones yet.

Your college entrance exams are hopefully among the last standardized tests youll have to take in your schooling career, but they are worth some extra attention and effort. The Scholastic Assessment Test , the American College Test , and others are required by most institutions of higher education for application, and they serve an important purpose. They help admissions offices assess your college readiness and academic skill. Scoring well can land you a spot at a good school and also help you earn merit-based college scholarships.

But since there are a few different tests out there, how do you know which one to take? Well cover everything you need to know about the most common college entrance exams and help you determine which one to take for your unique academic goals.

Students Have Already Taken This Quiz

It does this by looking at your skills and interests, and then fitting those around a specific field to help you decide what you should become. Take our career test for students today and find out what you should study.

Looking for scholarships to make your dream of studying abroad possible? We’ve compiled 440+ scholarships available for international students!

You May Like: Is Rhema Bible College Accredited

Check Out Our Just Admit It Podcast

IvyWise counselors Nat and Eric offer advice on when and how students should start planning for standardized testing and discuss the important distinction between test-optional and test-blind on the Just Admit It!college admissions podcast, giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers.

According to NACAC, 58.3% of colleges place considerable importance on admission test scores. Chances are if youre applying to college youll need to take either the SAT or ACT to gain admission. But which test is right for you?

You Should Take A Diagnostic For Both

Its important to know the differences between the two tests and which test might appeal to certain strengths, but the only way to know for sure which test is best for you is to take a diagnostic of each. By taking a practice test of the SAT and ACT youll be able to see which you did better on, your areas of strengths and weaknesses, and which test you can best prepare for to reach your goal score.

At IvyWise, we offer free diagnostic exams which are administered, graded, and evaluated by our expert tutors for both the SAT and ACT as part of our college counseling and test prep programs. To learn more about our tutoring services for the ACT and SAT,

You May Like: How Many Years Of College For Real Estate

You Have More Flexibility

Even though there are many schools in the United States that have gone test optional, the majority of universities still require the SAT.

If you take the SAT, then youll be able to apply to pretty much any US university youd like–as long as you meet the minimum score requirements, that is. You dont want to get in a situation where youve skipped the SAT only to find a college thats perfect for you…but requires the test. Remember that there are only a few SAT test dates every year, so you dont want to find yourself in a situation where you have to pass on a school because you havent taken the test!

When Can I Take The Tsi At Tjc

You May Like: How Do I Become Successful Without College

Week : Test Strategies And Tips

Having some strategies for the test can really help your scores and improve your confidence!

Day 1: Test Prep Tips: Read 30 Tips for ACT and SAT Standardized Test Prep by Ernest Davenport, Ph.D. Write down the tips that you want to remember.

Day 2: Test Taking Advice: Read How to Get a Perfect 1600 SAT Score, by a 2400 Expert Full Scorer for advice that will help with SAT and ACT preparation. This guide was written by Allen Cheng, two-time perfect scorer on the SAT, so you will want to write down tips from this blog article as well.

Day 3: Test Taking Strategies: Download and read the free E-book, The Best SAT Advice You Can Get: 5 Strategies that Will Get You 160+ Points, posted on PrepScholar by Fred Zhang. Simply input your name and email address to access it and jot down notes for what will be most helpful.

Day 4: Test Taking Tips: Read How to Ace the SAT: 6 Expert Tips and Strategies, by Justin Berkman, or Top 10 ACT Tips to Crush It! posted by Test-Guide. Learn study strategies and test-taking tips and add to your notes.

Day 5: Strategy/Tip Mnemonic: Using the notes you created on the most useful strategies/tips, create a mnemonic that you can refer to on the morning of the test or write on the scrap paper/test booklet just before starting the test.