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Know Your Tests: College Entrance Exams
By Kay Peterson, Ph.D.
As you prepare for college, you’ll encounter at least one (and probably more than one) of the following college entrance exams:
- PSAT/NMSQT: Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Assessment Test
- SAT Reasoning Test
- ACT
- SAT Subject Tests (formerly the SAT II)
Admissions requirements vary from school to school. Consult your prospective school when deciding which test to take. Learn more about each of the tests here:
Test: <a href = “http://www.fastweb.com/content/college-scholarships”>PSAT/NMSQT
Usually Taken: During your junior year, though you may wish to take it sooner for practice.
Tips and Strategies: If you do well on the PSAT (and meet additional academic requirements), you may qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program (a nationally distributed merit-based scholarship). Only scores from the junior year are used to determine qualification for National Merit Program. For more information visit: <a href = " http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html ">http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.htm
Test: <a href = “http://www.fastweb.com/content/college-scholarships”>SAT Reasoning Test
Usually Taken: Spring of your junior year or fall of your senior year (or both, if you want a practice run).
Tips and Strategies: The SAT carries a “wrong answer penalty.” If you guess right, you gain a point; if you guess wrong, you are penalized. Eliminate the answers you know are wrong before guessing. You can retake the test to improve your score, but your college will send all available scores to your prospective college, including the results of tests you have taken previously. The SAT does not allow students to send only their latest and/or best scores. For more information visit: <a href =" http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about/SATI.html"> http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about/SATI.html
Test: <a href =“http://www.fastweb.com/content/college-scholarships”>ACT
Description: Three-hour exam; 215 questions; measures achievement in English, math, reading and science. The ACT Plus includes a 30-minute writing test. Scores on each section are averaged to create a composite score. Perfect score is 36. Students in the Midwest and South generally take the ACT.Usually Taken: Spring of your junior year or fall of your senior year (or both, if you want a practice run).
Tips and Strategies: Your score is based on the number of correct answers ONLY. If you aren’t sure, take a guess – it can’t hurt you and it could help. Harder questions are worth the same amount as easy ones. Answer the easy questions first and leave the more time-consuming questions till the end. For more information visit: <a href = "http://www.actstudent.org ">http://www.actstudent.org
Test: <a href =“http://www.fastweb.com/content/college-scholarships”>SAT Subject Tests
Description: One-hour test that assesses mastery of a particular field of study. Up to three tests can be required for admissions. Some schools use the SAT II for course placement; others don’t require it at all. Tests are offered in five subject areas: English, Math, History, Science and Foreign Language. Scores are based on an 800-point scale.Usually Taken: Soon after you have finished the relevant course work (can be as early as freshman or sophomore year, depending on the school’s curriculum and the student’s progress).
Tips and Strategies: Entrance requirements vary from college to college. Consult your guidance counselor or college admissions representative to determine which tests you should take. For more information visit: <a href = " http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about/SATII.html ">http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about/SATII.html
markg4444
15 days ago
I need to take issue with Dr. Peterson's time lines for the SAT and ACT. She describes spring of junior year as the time most college-bound students take their first SAT or ACT. For students aiming for the more competitive colleges, waiting until spring of junior year is TOO LATE.
"Early and often" has been the adage for my students, and it works well. Almost all students have the math skills for SAT success by the end of sophomore year. Fall and winter of junior year thus become the most opportune times to take the SAT one, two, or three times. Spring is such a crowded time for most juniors, and if the SAT is already behind them they can
A) relax
B) intelligently research / visit colleges,
and
C) make sure to get the best final grades possible.
A senior year SAT should be either a backup if things did not go well in one's junior year testing, or "gravy" (a test taken when you have already scored well and are looking for an extra 50 - 100 points.)
A final reason for early testing is that the study process of mastering the SAT often yields better grades and better study skills. The Ivy Bound course that I and my fellow instructors teach (www.ivybound.net) gives students the benefit of not only targeted SAT coaching, but reading skills, grammar skills, essay writing skills, math reinforcement, and a broader vocabulary. Every semester, our students (more often their parents) report that they have improved their GPA thanks in part to their SAT study. So I implore parents and students NOT to wait until late in the junior year for a first SAT.
Mark Greenstein, Ivy Bound Test Prep