College Admissions Tests 101: SAT and ACT Basics

One of the first steps in your undergraduate education will include taking standardized college admissions tests. Prepare for these important tests, and you'll be confident that your skills are accurately tested. From there, you'll be ready to for the challenge of college-level study.

The SAT Test Basics

The SAT Test, administered by The College Board, has long been an educational testing standard for students headed to college. The SAT test measures your skills and abilities in a number of fields. Testing demonstrates your existing knowledge and skills to admissions boards.

The SAT test has a general reasoning test, as well as general subject tests in History and Social Studies, Science, Mathematics, Literature, and Languages. SAT tests are offered throughout the year, and while there is no "right" time to take the test, students anticipating a fall enrollment will need to plan ahead to receive their scores in time.

Colleges and universities use the SAT reasoning test to get an idea of whether applicants are prepared for typical college classes. Although there is no singular admissions standard, administrators generally look for a "B" average in high school classes and an overall 550 or better on the SAT reasoning test. More exclusive schools will look for higher SAT scores, and high school students hoping for higher scores may spend months preparing for the test, sometimes enrolling in SAT prep courses offered by private companies.

When you arrive to take the SAT test, be prepared to stay for the total testing time of 3 hours and 45 minutes. To prepare, visit The College Board website. There, you'll find practical suggestions for taking the tests along with sample questions and answers. If you're unsatisfied with your score, you may re-take the SAT.

Taking the ACT Test

The ACT test is currently viewed as a standard undergraduate test. ACT tests are administered several times throughout the year, and can be re-taken. Check with the American College Testing Program for upcoming testing dates and sites near you.

It will take you up to four hours to answer the ACT's 215 multiple-choice questions in Mathematics, English, Science, and Reading. The optional writing test is also included in the testing period. Unlike the SAT, there is no penalty for wrong guesses, and students taking the exam are encouraged to answer every question. Visit the American College Testing Program Web site to find sample questions and test-taking strategies.

One common ACT strategy is to answer the questions you know first, and to go back through the test again to reason out difficult questions. Many students choose to enroll in courses with ACT prep services that help prepare them for the test.

Approaching the SAT or ACT test with confidence means getting the best scores you can. Through training, using practice tests, and familiarizing yourself with actual questions from prior exams, you can prepare--so nothing on the test comes as a surprise.

Sources
American College Testing Program (ACT)
The College Board (SAT)