Many colleges and universities require that students who apply for admission submit a standardized test score. Standardized test scores are often used as a tool that admission officers can utilize to determine whether a student will be successful in a demanding collegiate environment.
Why do colleges need prospective students to take a standardized test?
Colleges consider standardized tests as a tool that may help compensate for the many differences between high schools across the country, including differences in: curriculum, quality of education, and grading policies.
How important are standardized test scores?
Every school places a different value on standardized test scores, some schools consider it a very important part of an admission decision whereas other schools view the scores as a small part of an application for admission.
Do all colleges and universities require a standardized test?
Many colleges and universities (830 in fact) do not require that student's submit a standardized test score, these schools are often referred to as "test optional schools." Many colleges and universities throughout the country are considering or have considered the prospect of "going test optional."
Some of the most selective colleges in the country have abandoned standardized tests and have turned to other means of evaluation because some experts consider standardized tests to be a "barrier to equal opportunity," due to "racial, class, gender and cultural (bias)." A list of the "test optional" institutions can be found at Fair Test - The National Center for Fair and Open Testing.
When should students take a standardized test?
Most students take standardized tests sometime during their junior or senior year of high school.
What are the most common standardized tests?
The two most common standardized tests are the SAT and the ACT. Some more selective institutions require students to take SAT II Subject Tests. This page will discuss each test in detail.
The SAT:
The SAT is a three hour and forty-five minute test that has seven sections: three math sections, three verbal sections and one experimental section that may be either math or verbal. The scoring range is 200 to 800. The scores are divided into three categories: writing, math and critical reading. Each category's score range is 200 to 800, with a total of 2400 possible points. The test includes multiple choice questions, student produced responses and a 25-minute essay. Students who have strong verbal skills often score better on the SAT than the ACT.
According to the official SAT dialogue the SAT "...does not test logic or abstract reasoning, it tests the skills (students) are learning in high school. Test experts characterize the SAT as a test that tests "critical thinking and problem solving."
Next Test Date: March 12, 2011
The ACT:
The ACT consists of four subject multiple-choice examinations; the exams cover English, mathematics, science and reading. A fifth exam, an essay writing test, was added in 2005, though not all schools require the essay portion of the test. Taking the ACT test without the writing section costs $33.00. Taking the test with the writing section costs $48.00. Students who cannot afford to pay for the test may be eligible for an ACT fee waiver.
According to the official ACT dialogue, the ACT is "...not an IQ or aptitude test," but rather a multiple choice curriculum based test. The ACT has attempted to create a test that more closely resembles the information that was taught in high school. Test experts characterize the ACT as a "content-based test" that tests "core curriculum that is taught in most schools."
There are many different types of ACT test preparation. Many of the different test preparation tools (some of them free) can be found on the test preparation page of the ACT website.
Next Test Date: February 12, 2011.
Which test should you take?
Traditionally, students who lived in the mid western portion of the United States would take the ACT whereas students who lived on either the east or west coast would take the SAT. Today, almost every college and university in the country accepts the scores from both testing agencies and geography no longer dictates which test students choose. The SAT and ACT are significantly different standardized tests and each student should examine his or her strengths and weaknesses to determine which test he or she is best suited to take. You may also want to visit Math.com where experts on standardized testing thoroughly analyze the difference between the SAT and ACT.
The Differences:
- The ACT includes a science reasoning test, the SAT does not.
- The ACT math section includes trigonometry.
- The SAT focuses more on vocabulary than the ACT does.
- The SAT has a guessing penalty, the ACT does not.
- The ACT tests English grammar, the SAT does not.
SAT - ACT Conversion Chart:
ACT
If you scored...OLD SAT
or a...NEW SAT
It's about the same as a...36
1600
2400
35
1560-1590
2340
34
1510-1550
2260
33
1460-1500
2190
32
1410-1450
2130
31
1360-1400
2040
30
1320-1350
1980
29
1280-1310
1920
28
1240-1270
1860
27
1210-1230
1820
26
1170-1200
1760
25
1130-1160
1700
24
1090-1120
1650
23
1060-1080
1590
22
1020-1050
1530
21
980-1010
1500
20
940-970
1410
19
900-930
1350
18
860-890
1290
17
810-850
1210
16
760-800
1140
15
710-750
1060
14
660-700
1000
13
590-650
900
12
520-580
780
11
500-510
750