Know Your Options for Standardized Tests

What are the different standardized tests?

What are the different standardized tests? How are they different? Which ones do you need to take? Listed below are brief descriptions of each test.

PSAT/NMSQT

• Take October of your junior year
• Good practice for the SAT
• Test scores are the qualifiers for a National Merit Scholarship or a Letter of Commendation
• Five sections: two verbal, two math, and one writing skills
• Total time of two hours and ten minutes

SAT I

• Required for admission by the majority of U.S. colleges
• Scores are often used to award scholarships
• Three critical reading, three mathematics, and two writing sections.
• Total time of four-hours

SAT II

• Many selective colleges require one to three SAT II subject tests
• Each one-hour subject test is multiple choice, except writing, which includes one 20-minute essay

ACT

• Virtually all U.S. colleges accept the ACT as an alternative to the SAT
• Four sections: English, math, reading, and science reasoning
• Total time of approximately three hours

How can I compare my SAT and ACT scores?

This table displays a comparison between the ACT and SAT. Both the College Board and ACT publish similar lists that both demonstrate basically the same relationship. Please note that the table does not suggest that students who score well on the ACT will also score well on the SAT and vice versa. Often a student’s score on one test will be significantly higher.

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