Untangling College Testing

There are so many tests to take before applying to college! Here’s a list to help you keep them straight. Keep in mind that you’re not required to take all these tests. Be sure to read up on the testing requirements for the schools that you’re looking at. Plan ahead and prepare yourself for the test(s) required by each school.   

SAT: a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. It consists of three major sections: mathematics, critical reading, and writing. Each section receives a score on the scale of 200–800.

SAT Subject Test: Tests taken within a specific subject, for example, literature, mathematics, or history.

ACT: American College Testing is a standardized achievement examination for college admissions in the United States. The required portion of the ACT is divided into four multiple choice subject tests: English, reading, mathematics, and science reasoning. Subject test scores range from 1 to 36.

TOEFL: The Test of English as a Foreign Language evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand Standard American English at a college level. It is required for people’s whose first language is not English and they want to study at an English-language college or university.

AP Exam: If you have taken Advanced Placement courses in high school then you should consider taking the final exam at the end of the course. Depending on the score that you receive you can get college credit within that subject.

CLEP: The College Level Examination Program is a series of examinations that test an individual’s college level knowledge gained through course work, independent study, cultural pursuits, travel, special interests, military service schools, and professional development. CLEP tests are multiple-choice exams which are scored on a scale from 20 to 80 and cover a range of subjects.

Dream Big—But Make a List

Elizabeth Golden
Missouri

Second semester of junior year can be a very scary time for students. The college application process is getting closer and your fears are starting to haunt you. What if I don’t get into a certain school? Do I have enough extra-curricular activities? Are my test scores high enough?

Lots of high school juniors have these fears when it comes to college. To be truthful, you might not get into every college you apply to. That’s why it’s important to have “safety schools.” Safety schools are colleges that will most likely accept you. It is also important to have “reach schools.” Reach schools are harder to get into and the educational level is usually better. Set your goals high! The third category is a “dream school.” What school have you always dreamed of going to? What school would you do almost anything to get into? This school can be a safety or a reach school. There is only one fact that matters: you desperately want to go there.

Here are my tips on how to select the right college for you:

• It’s a good idea for all juniors, definitely seniors, and even sophomores to have a top 10 list of prospective colleges. This list should include safety, reach, and dream schools.
  
• Do you have any idea what the entrance requirements of your top 10 schools are? Research your top 10 using such websites as collegeboard.com and princetonreview.com -- great informative college sites. Type in each of your colleges and keep track of the important facts. What ACT or SAT score is required to get in? What sets this college apart from every other college out there? Does this college have the extra-curricular activities you’re interested in? Write down any important facts you see. They will aid you in your college selection process.
  
• After you have thoroughly researched each of your top 10, narrow down your list as much as you can. These are the colleges you most likely will be applying to. Be sure to send your applications by the due date specified by that college. After you have applied, go a step further and visit each school, if possible. If you are unable to visit the college, you should e-mail an admissions officer with any pressing questions.
  
• Your acceptance and (sadly) rejection letters will come a few months later. At that point, make a pro and con list for all the schools that accepted you. Carefully examine every fact you know about the college. Whichever school has the lowest pro to con ratio should be your pick for college.

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