PSAT

The SAT is one of the standardized tests created by College Board. Like the PSAT, this test measures a students skills in reading, writing, and math. The SAT is the most widely taken standardized test in America because so many colleges and universities require it to be eligible for admission. 

• There are 2 main portions to the test; English and Mathematics.
• The two sections are scored individually on a scale of 200-800. Therefore, if you get a perfect English and Math score of 800, your SAT would be a perfect 1600.
• There is a 50 minute essay that some universities require, and others do not, making it your choice if you want to take it.
• This in total - test and essay - takes approximately 4 hours.
•  During the 2019-2020 school year, the SAT was $49.50 and an additional $20 with the essay.
• if you believe you are eligible for a fee waiver, you can most certainly check and cut the price down for your test.
• On the day of your test, once you have completed it, you are allowed to send your scores to 4 schools for free. You will not find out your score, but once it is graded, it will automatically be sent to those schools free of charge.

Sending in your scores/Superscoring

You can take the SAT as many times as you would like, and how you submit your scores depends on how the university accepts it. Some universities like Boston University, Harvard, New York University, USC, or University of Miami allow superscoring!

Superscoring is taking your highest scores from both sections of the SAT from any date that you took it. To give you an idea -  if you took the SAT twice; the first time you got a 580 in the English portion and 560 in Mathematics. The second time you took it months later you got a 620 in the English and 520 in Mathematics. Certain schools will allow you to combine the second English score with the first Mathematics score to make up a higher score. Universities like the UC’s do not superscore.

When universities do not superscore, you will simply just have to pick whichever score you feel more confident in sending. You send your SAT scores through College Board for a fee of $12. They do have a Rush Report in which you can pay extra to get your scores to the university. 

Below is a list of some of the colleges in America that require you, and do not require you to submit SAT scores:

Do Not

• Wake Forest University
• Ventura College
• Oxnard College
• Moorpark College
• California State Universities (if you meet other requirements)
• Colorado College
• St.Johns University (you can send in an essay instead of SAT score)
• Smith College
• Connecticut College
• University of South Dakota(if you meet other requirements)
• Texas Tech University (if you graduate in the top 10% of your class)
• James Madison University
• Loyola University Maryland (optional)
• University of Arizona (required to be considered for scholarships)
• American University
• NYU (you can choose to submit 3 Subject Tests instead of the SAT or ACT)
• Pitzer College

Required

• Universities of California (UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, etc)
• Ivy leagues (Princeton, Harvard, Brown, Yale, etc)
• University of Florida
• University of Washington
• Georgetown University
• Stanford
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• George Washington University
• The University of Chicago (UChicago)

**Keep in mind that most colleges who require the SAT, allow the ACT in its place. Please also recognize that in the midst of the pandemic many schools are now making all tests optional for the students applying in the 2020-2021 year, or removing them from being an admission requirement all together. This list is to primarily showcase that many great colleges in America do not see standardized tests to be a good measure of a students education.

The ACT is another standardized test available to high school students. This test is a competitor of the SAT, primarily because both believe to measure a students skills and readiness for college better than the other. This is why the ACT was initially created. However, the only people who can really conclude this are you - the test takers! Though you do not need to take both, they are both available to take in case you are unsure of which test you can score higher on. If you are comfortable with taking standardized tests then take both and give colleges another reason to admit you!

**Keep in mind that no college in America requires you to take and submit both! These standardized tests are no walk in the park, preparing and studying for them is a handful. If you do not like taking standardized tests, it is in your best interest to look into which test your preferred colleges require, and then focusing on getting the highest score you can!

• There are four portions to this test: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning
• It is scored on a 1-36 scale. 36 being the highest and score to achieve
• The English portion contains 75 questions to be answered in 45 minutes
• The Math portion contains 60 questions to be answered in 60 minutes
• The Reading portion contains 40 questions to be answered in 35 minutes
• The Science portion contains 40 questions to be answered in 35 minutes
• With no essay, the ACT is approximately 3 and a half hours
• There is a 40 minute essay that is once again optional depending on which schools you are applying to 
• The ACT does cost $55 and an additional $20 is you take the essay
• The ACT also offers fee waivers, and if you qualify for the SAT waiver, you will most likely qualify for the ACT
• To send your ACT scores, you do so through their website for a fee of $13.

Below is a list of some of the colleges in America that do not require you to submit ACT scores:

Do Not

• Wake Forest University
• California State Universities (if you meet other requirements)
• Colorado College
• St.Johns University (you can send in an essay instead of SAT score)
• Smith College
• Connecticut College
• University of South Dakota(if you meet other requirements)
• Texas Tech University (if you graduate in the top 10% of your class)
• James Madison University
• Loyola University Maryland (optional)
• University of Arizona (required to be considered for scholarships)
• American University
• NYU (you can choose to submit 3 Subject Tests instead of the SAT or ACT)
• Pitzer College

**Keep in mind that a majority of the time, colleges who require the ACT, allow the SAT in its place. Please also recognize that in the midst of the pandemic many schools are now making all tests optional for the students applying in the 2020-2021 year; or removing them from being an admission requirement all together. This list is to primarily showcase that many great colleges in America do not see standardized tests to be a good measure of a students education.