College Admissions Tests, ACT & SAT
Which standardized tests are considered by colleges?
There are two sides of it and some very prominent universities have recently decided not to require tests anymore. The ones that do generally still require the SAT or the ACT with writing. Up until last year, not every school in the country let students interchange those. You need to look at the universities, look at what the requirements are, look at the test requirements, and decide what tests you will be taking. And prepare for them.
Can I get into college without taking any standardized tests?
It depends on the school, but you can get into college without taking any standardized tests. If the school doesn't require standardized tests, you do not need to take them. fairtest.org will list the schools that do not require standardized tests and you can always inquire if you're thinking of applying to a school whether or not they require tests. the new key term, as of late, is holistic admissions, where a comprehensive review is done of the student and standardized test scores are not at the top of the college totem pole.
What is the PSAT?
PSAT is the practice PSAT, generally given to students in the tenth grade and it's exactly what it says. It's a way for them to practice taking the test to see how they do. There are three sections on the PSAT, each with a maximum score of 80, so the top a student can get is 240 points and if they score very high, they would qualify for national merit recognition which potentially can earn them merit aid when applying to colleges.
When should I take the SAT or ACT?
Standardized tests - the SAT, ACT -generally start being taken in March of the junior year. Students can retake them again in May, and June is another test date. If they want to take the SAT or ACT again, students can take it in October of the senior year.
Is their a deadline for taking the SAT or ACT?
The web site to look at to find out the deadlines for taking the SAT or ATC is collegeboard.com, and the ACT web site is ACT.org. On both of those web sites are calendars that list the registration dates, the dates that the tests are given and the test centers. Put in your location, your zip code, and then you've found out exactly where your test center is for SAT or ATC. I do advise registering and signing up early because then you can get the test center of your choice.
Can I take a standardized test again to try to improve my score?
You can take a standardized test depending on when you're applying to a college. If you're a senior in high school and your deadline to apply for a college is December 1st and you're first taking your SAT's in October; you may not have a chance to take them again. However, most students do time this right and they are advised by counselors to begin taking their tests as a Junior so that they would have the opportunity of taking it again in October of their Senior year, if necessary.
What will colleges consider if I take the SAT more than once?
What colleges do with SAT, if you have taken it more than once, is they will see all of the student's scores and will take the highest combined score of one sitting. If you score a certain number on one test, you can't pick which test -- the verbal on one, the math on one, the writing on one. A college would take the highest combined SAT score. With the ACT, the ACT does not send out all the scores, but only the score that you choose. They would send out, obviously, the highest score. They're graded entirely different than the SAT.
