Whether you plan to attend a 2- year college or a 4-year university, most require that you take the Standard Achievement Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT).  According to U.S. News & World Report’s Ultimate College Guide, your ACT/SAT score is the second most important factor to admissions officers. 

You can only take these tests three times, so make sure you are prepared.  Although you can choose which ACT score you would like to submit to these institutions of higher learning, admissions counselors will be able to see the score every time you sit for the SAT.

So let’s talk a little bit about the SAT. 

SAT

The SAT tests your way of thinking; how prepared you are for college academically.  There are three component areas that the SAT tests, Math, Critical Reading, and Writing. 

The Math section consists of algebra II, geometry, and statistics type questions.  This section is 70 minutes in length and consists of multiple choice and grid-in questions.  Good news, calculators are allowed!

Next up is the Critical Reading section.  This section measures the size of your vocabulary, the ability to think analytically and draw logical conclusions through sentence completions and long and short comprehension questions.  This section has 67 multiple choice questions and must be completed in 70 minutes.

Last up is the Writing section.  In this section you must write an essay and answer 49-multiple choice grammar and usage questions.  From your introductory paragraph, establishing your main points and supporting those, to the conclusion, make sure that you are able to properly develop an essay; your score will depend on it. 

This college entrance exam penalizes you for wrong answers, so make sure if you’re guessing, you’re making educated guesses.  This means logically eliminating choices you know are wrong and making an informed decision based on the remaining answer selections.  The test is given seven times per year and the maximum score one can receive is 2400.  Check out www.collegeboard.com for more information, practice tests, and to register for the SAT.

National Merit Scholarship

A precursor to the SAT is the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) taken in October by high school juniors.  Similar to the SAT, the PSAT tests critical reading, math, and writing, but instead of three sections, it is comprised of five sections.  Those students scoring in the top 5% receive National Merit Letters of Commendation and those scoring in the first percentile become National Merit Semifinalists and qualify for National Merit Scholarships.  For more information on the National Merit Scholarship visit  www.nationalmerit.org.