Academics: Three Especially Important Areas

Colleges and universities have a responsibility to themselves and to you to determine whether there is a reasonable probability that you could be academically successful if you were a student at their institution. Therefore, colleges and universities need your academic information for your application for admission. Three areas are especially important:
1. The courses that you took in high school
2. The grades that you received in those course (GPA)
3. Your SAT and/or ACT, which indicate your ability to do college level work

This next statement may surprise you: At most colleges, your test performance is not the most important consideration in the admission decision. Rather, it is your GPA. College admissions people know from their experiences that your GPA is a much better predictor than SAT/ACT scores of how you will do academically in college.

Other requirements also include recommendations from people who know you, a personal essay, and an interview with someone on the staff of the institution. Community service and special talents count too.

The SAT is the scholastic aptitude test that was developed by the college entrance examination board. The SAT is a multiple choice test that consists of three sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing. The SAT is a three hour forty-five minute test and is scored on a scale of 200-800 per section. It is administered throughout the year. The SAT should be taken at the end of the student’s junior year and/or early in the senior year that will maximize the possible score and be considered for admission to competitive colleges. Students may take the SAT more than once. The highest score of any given section will be the score taken and submitted to your college.

There are college entrance tests known as the SATII. These subject-tests focus on particular knowledge and mastery of a given area. The five main areas are Languages, English, Mathematics, History and Social Studies, and Science. Often colleges use these for course placement and may give you credits for demonstrating your expertise.

The ACT is the American College Test, developed by the American College Testing Program. The ACT is a multiple-choice test that consists of four sections: English, Mathematics, Reading and Science and an optional writing section.

Whereas the SAT exam assesses basic thinking and reasoning abilities, the ACT content relates more closely to major areas of curricular instruction. It is not an aptitude test.

The Act is a four-part, two hour and fifty-five minute test with the highest score being 36. The ACT should be taken at the end of the student’s junior year and /or early in the senior year in order to meet the deadlines of many college scholarship programs. Like SATI, this test can be taken more than once and the highest score counts.

Free Resources For Preparation Of SAT/ACT

“Preparing for the ACT Assessment” and “Bulletin for the SAT Program” are two publications for students who are preparing for college-entrance test. These are available free of charge in high school guidance and counseling office. You can also purchase books or take classes; some of these cost money and can be very expensive.

Eagleview Foundation, partnering with Circle Of Neighbors, provides affordable tools to the students to be as successful as possible with their entrance exams. In the test gear provided by the program, students are recommended to take their practice tests. Then with the study guide, students can target the weak areas and work on that part. Specialists from Eagleview Foundation of College Admission & Funding do not recommend students to prepare the entrance exam at the last moment. This is best done over a longer period of time.

Community and Junior Colleges generally do not require these exams as part of the application process, but they encourage their applicants to take them, because scores are very helpful in course placement and in the advertising process.

Nonetheless, you want your college profile to radiate leadership and confidence through the proof of grade/test scores and the extra-curricular activities you are involved. Remember, the colleges you apply to want to see that you can stick with a project and provide leadership.