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Most college applications require that you take at least one of the following standardized tests. There are a lot of tests and you don't have to necessarily take all of them in order to go to college. However, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with what they are so you're not surprised if you see them on a college application. Hopefully this page will help you understand the major differences between each exam. For more information, see the link to the full exam website.
| The Test | Helpful Insight |
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The in·fa·mous (adj.) SAT I: Reasoning Test
If you're thinking about going to college to pursue studies in a technologically-based fields, you will most likely have to take the SAT I exam. If you're new to the college scene, you may notice that the SAT has changed in recent years. It is no longer scored based on a 1600 possible full score. A writing section with multiple choice and an essay portion was recently added to the exam, allowing for a possible score of 2400 (800 verbal, 800 math, 800 writing). | You cannot take a SAT I test AND any SAT II subject tests. | The SAT II Subject Tests
What? More SAT tests? Unfortunately, many selective universities require students to take two to three SAT II Subject tests. These are 1-hr exams that test any of the following subjects:
English: Literature
History and Social Studies: US History, World History
Mathematics: Mathematics Level 1, Mathematics Level 2
Science: Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics
Languages: Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean. Modern Hebrew (all the aforementioned tests include a listening section). Italian, Latin
Find out more about the SAT I: Reasoning test or the SAT II Subject tests at the CollegeBoard website | Be sure to check what dates the SATs are offered. Sometimes some of the subject tests aren't offered during certain test dates. Plan accordingly!
You can take up to 3 subject tests on one test date! | The ACT
An ACT test score is often accepted at colleges as a substitute for the SAT I Reasoning Exam. The ACT is made up of the following sections: english, mathematics, reading, science, and an optional writing section in which students will be given 30 minutes to respond to an essay prompt.
Find out more about the ACT at the ACT Student website | You might be thinking, "Wow, if a college I want to apply to accepts the ACT, I won't have to write any timed-essays." Don't get your hopes up. Though the writing section is optional, most schools require students require students to take the exam with the writing portion. | Advance Placement (AP) Exams
Many high schools offer AP courses, which are college-level classes. Each of course has a corresponding test, which is offered every May. If you score well-enough, you can often use your AP test score to get credit for first-year courses at the university you attend, which means that you won't have to take introductory classes in that particular subject because your exam score would have shown that you are proficient in the material!
Find out more about the AP Exams on the CollegeBoard website. | AP classes generally examine a subject at a deeper level than in regular classes. |
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