|
Tests are often one requirement of admission at many colleges. The SAT, ACT and other standardized tests play a part in college admissions, and in some cases, scholarship decisions. Therefore, the more you know about them, the better off you’ll be. Why are test scores so important?When admissions officers juggle numbers around, sometimes a test score is the only objective and uniform way decisions can be made. It’s very difficult to choose students from vastly different backgrounds and different talents. Denying a student on the basis of low test scores takes away much of the pain of rejecting students, because it’s done on the basis of a number, and not a personality. Test scores allow the pool of applicants to be narrowed quickly and determine placement in different college programs and course work. Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)The SAT is a standardized test taken by college-bound students. There are two forms of the test; the SAT I and SAT II. The SAT I is designed to measure reasoning abilities in the area of verbal and math skills, and assists colleges in assessing student readiness for college-level work. Most of the questions on this test are multiple choice and feature three verbal and three math sections. The SAT II is a test that measures knowledge and skills in a particular subject and the ability to apply that knowledge. How do I contact SAT?For Information, registration forms and test dates, visit your high school counseling office or write to: The College Board Phone: (609) 771-7070 Is there a practice SAT test?Yes! You should become familiar with the format of the SAT and practice answering some of the sample questions. The College Board offers a free SAT Preparation Booklet which includes a full sample test and test-taking advice. To get a copy, you can write to or call the address listed above. Or, you can also visit their website at http://www.collegeboard.org for more information. American College Testing (ACT)The ACT assessment is a national college admission examination consisting of English, math, reading, and science reasoning. The ACT is not an aptitude or an IQ test. Rather, the test focuses on what a student has already learned in high school. This test includes over 200 multiple-choice questions and takes about almost four hours to complete. While the multiple-choice questions focus on analytical and problem-solving skills, some general subject knowledge is required. How do I contact ACT?ACT information, registration forms and test dates are available from your counseling office or you can write to: ACT Registration You can also visit their website at http://www.act.org for more information. There is a fee to take the test and additional fees for late registration, standby testing, changing test centers or test dates. You can call ACT to purchase The Real ACT Prep Guide and sample test booklets. The importance of verbal skillsSome public colleges use a “selection index” that puts equal weight on both sections. Other colleges care more about the verbal portion of the test because professors are concerned that the reading and writing skills of students are in the decline, so they urge their admissions officers to place greater emphasis on verbal skills. Work on your vocabularyStudents with big vocabularies earn higher test scores than students with smaller vocabularies. The best way to improve your vocabulary is to read constantly, so start a book today! Keep taking math coursesStudents who aren’t taking math courses do not do as well on the math portion of SAT and ACT tests than students who are. If you have not taken Algebra II already, take it! If you have, see if your school offers pre-Calculus or advanced Algebra. Every bit of knowledge helps! How to prepare for the SAT and ACT
Good Luck! |
