ACT | AP | CLEP | PSAT | NMQST | SAT | TOEFL

Getting into College   › Introduction   › Your Career Goal   › Prerequisites   › Academically Prepared   › Select College   › Application Essentials   › Prepare and Apply   › Financial Aid   › Early Application

After knowing the prerequisites it becomes easier to know about the academic preparation. The most important task of the college planning is college entrance exam, where you apply and where you are in your academic career determine which standardized tests you need. Planning for them need not be stressful. A little preparation goes a long way.

Almost all colleges require a college entrance exam. These exams measure your ability to understand college-level materials. Most colleges commonly use to assess applicants on a level playing field. Find resources such as books, online study guides, and preparation classes that you can use to prepare for college entrance exams.

• Preliminary SAT(PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test(NMSQT)
  The PSAT is has the same format as the SAT, and is administered to high-school sophomores and juniors each October. PSAT scores from the junior year count toward eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship. PSAT/NMSQT measure critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills and writing skills.



• The scores are meant to serve as a rough prediction for scores on the real SAT, which is taken later. PSAT scores range from 20 to 80. To translate a PSAT score to SAT format, multiply the score by 10. While the PSAT is a rough predictor of SAT performance, it does not guarantee accuracy. You can significantly improve your real SAT with early preparation.




• Dates & Deadlines

  DECEMBER 20 Registration deadline for January 27 SAT & Subject Tests JANUARY 5 Registration deadline for February 10 ACT JANUARY 27 SAT & Subject Tests test date FEBRUARY 2 Registration deadline for March 10 SAT FEBRUARY 10 ACT test date (not in NY) MARCH 9 Registration deadline for April 14 ACT MARCH 10 SAT test date MARCH 29 Registration deadline for May 5 SAT & Subject Tests APRIL 14 ACT test date APRIL 27 Registration deadline for June 2 SAT & Subject Tests MAY 4 Registration deadline for June 9 ACT MAY 5 SAT & Subject Tests test date JUNE 2 SAT & Subject Tests test date JUNE 9 ACT test date

  SAT: Colleges use the SAT to measure verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities and to assess an applicant's readiness for college. It is a three-hour, 35 minutes exam divided into three sections: Math, Critical Reading, and Writing. The test is administered on paper; last year 1.3 million students took the test.
  
  High-schools throughout the country have varying grading and instructional standards, high-school G.P.A. by itself is not an accurate predictor of college performance. The SAT serves as a standard by which colleges and universities can measure a student's reasoning abilities to predict how well he or she might do at their college. The SAT does not test how much you know. Rather, it tests your math and verbal reasoning abilities, and compares it to the abilities of students from other high-schools. Each of the 2 sections on the SAT is scored from 200(lowest) to 800(highest), for a maximum of 1600.



• American College Testing Program (ACT) This test consists of four 35-50 minutes. Tests skill levels in English, math, reading, and science of those planning to attend college. An optional Writing test is also available. Scores range from 36(highest) to 1(lowest). The ACT was used primarily by colleges in the Midwest, but now its acceptance as a substitute for the SAT I is expanding. Some colleges use the ACT test. You need to check your college to determine which test they use for admittance.



• Advanced Placement (AP): These 3-hour long exams are based on AP high-school classes - which model full-year college level courses. Administered each May, the AP Exam scores range from 1(lowest) to 5(highest). High AP scores (4 or above) usually allow high-school students to receive college credit for the respective subject matter. A student who receives a score of 4 or higher on three AP Exams is considered an "AP Scholar."
  
  Many students will take both the SAT and ACT so that they have the right exams for the college of their choice



• Test of English as a Foreign Language TOEFL: Measures the ability of nonnative speakers of English to use and understand North American English as spoken in colleges and universities. The TOEFL requirement is often lower for a community college than it is for a four-year institution. In addition, if your TOEFL score is a little below the entry requirement, the community college may still admit you into the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Successful completion of all the prescribed ESL courses will open the door to the wider academic world of the community college.
  
  Take college aptitude tests (the SAT and/or the ACT) early in your senior year, so that your scores will be available by the application deadline.