Testing Overview
Many U.S. colleges require that undergraduate and graduate students submit standardized test scores as part of their application. Standardized tests provide a consistent way for a college to evaluate you and even compare you to other applicants across the country.
Each student should test according to their unique readiness and preparation and fully understand their testing options.
The SAT measures your ability rather than knowledge. The ACT measures what you’ve learned in school. Both are accepted by almost all colleges in the United States. For information about which test you should take, talk to your school counselor, or to the admissions offices at the colleges you are interested in attending.
Some colleges may also require you to take SAT Subject Tests. SAT Subject Tests measure your knowledge in specific subjects within five general categories: English, mathematics, history, science, and world languages. SAT Subject Tests each last one hour and is primarily multiple-choice.
There are a growing number of colleges (more than 800) that do not require standardized testing as part of the college admission application or give you the option to either submit test results or have your application reviewed without them. See http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional for a list of schools.
Students who test in the school setting may be able to take the college admissions tests with accommodations but there are an extensive application and approval process that must be done in advance.
Students who demonstrate financial need may qualify for testing fee waivers.