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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 Web sites to find out each institution's
specific test requirements.
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The Scholastic Assessment
Test (SAT)
Both the SAT I and SAT II are 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 test administrators' Web site at http://www.collegeboard.org.
You can get copies of the registration bulletin from the College
Board in the United States or from your nearest U.S. educational
information or 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 I is primarily a multiple-choice
test that measures verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities.
The test is divided into seven half-hour sections: three verbal;
three mathematical; and one additional section, the equating
section, which is either verbal or mathematical. This last
portion is used to ensure the same level of difficulty from
year to year and does not count toward your score.
The SAT II 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:
- American History and Social Studies
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Chinese
- English Language Proficiency
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Latin
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Modern Hebrew
- Physics
- Spanish
- World History
- Writing
Many U.S. colleges and universities, especially those that
have more competitive admissions criteria, either require
or recommend one or more SAT II test scores for admission
and/or placement purposes. Be sure to check each institution's
requirements before registering for any SAT II 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: The mathematical and verbal sections of the
SAT I are each scored on a 200 to 800 scale. Therefore, the
highest possible combined score on the SAT I would be 1,600.
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. The SAT II Subject Tests
are also scored on a 200 to 800 scale.
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The American College
Testing Assessment (ACT)
The ACT is administered by the American College Testing Program
and is given up to five times annually at testing locations
around the world. Unlike the SAT, the number of times the
test is offered varies from one test center to another. As
an international student, you may not need to take the ACT.
If it is required, however, plan ahead to make sure you do
not miss the test date(s) at your nearest center. Preregistration
is required, and deadlines are two to three weeks prior to
the exam. Since the ACT is not as widely accepted as the SAT,
check to see if the universities where you are applying will
accept ACT scores in place of the SAT exam. More specific
information about dates and test centers is available in the
registration bulletin, which can be obtained from the test
administrators and from many U.S. information and advising
centers. Note that the centers may ask you to pay postage
costs.
Content: The ACT Assessment is a multiple-choice test
that measures English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning.
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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