List of College Admission Tests
Undergraduate Admission:
Generally high school students apply for college or university in their last year of high school. Common criteria for acceptance in to a four year undergraduate degree includes ACT or SAT scores, Grade Point Average, extracurricular activities, demonstrated integrity, and a college admissions essay.
Admission requirements vary from one school to another based on the numbers of students applying and the number of spots available.
In the Ivy League schools, for instance, the admission rate is below 10% of all applicants.
If you are interested in applying to these schools you need to have a very impressive high school GPA score and to score well on the ACT or SAT exams to stand any chance of being accepted into a highly competitive school.
PSAT
A standardized test that provides practice for the SAT. PSAT measures critical reading skills, math problem solving skills and writing skills. It is offered twice a year usually in the fall, administered through your high school, and is usually taken in 10th or 11th grade. PSAT results are used to select scholarship recipients.
SAT - Scholastic Aptitude Test
The Scholastic Aptitude Test is a standardized test required for college admission by many colleges and universities in the United States. Its purpose is to measure a high school students chance of academic success in the first year of college. The exam is 3 hours long and consists of 3 sections, critical reading, mathematical reasoning and writing skills. The fee to take the SAT exam is $51 USD. Taking the SAT is an important step in applying to college. The test is offered 7 times a year.
ACT - American College Testing Assessment
Introduced in 1959 the American College Testing Assessment is an alternative to the SAT that almost all colleges and universities will accept. a standardized test that measures high school achievement and college admissions in the United States. It is offered 6 times a year.
In the following articles you can read more information about grade point average and the role your GPA plays in your educational career and beyond! If you are still a high school student, or have already started your undergraduate degree at college or university it is vital that you understand the importance of your gpa score.
Graduate Admissions:
If you aspire to join the elite in a professional career, the preparation should begin while you are still in high school. Knowing what your career goals are early on in your high school education allows you to focus your efforts in the right direction and avoids you bumping around taking courses that will not move you closer to your education goals. The decisions you make even when still in high school can affect how successful you will be in getting in to college or university and then applying to post graduate school. The professional fields are highly competitive and anything you can do to increase your GPA and to demonstrate your passion and interest in your chosen field will strengthen your application to the post graduate school of your choice.
You will have to attend college or university and earn an undergraduate degree before you can apply for post graduate studies. If you choose a college that has a high ranking and is associated with the profession you wish to pursue you may improve your chances of admission. You will need to take courses that will support your chosen field. For example, if you want to become a medical doctor you should choose courses that have a strong base in the sciences like biology, physiology and chemistry.
GRE - Graduate Record Examination
The most popular qualifying exam for graduate programs is the Graduate Record Examination. It is a standardized test that is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in graduate school and is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the United States, in other English speaking countries, and for English taught graduate and business programs world-wide.This is a general exam which aims to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills. It is a computer based exam administered by the Educational Testing Service in qualified testing centers. The cost to take the test is approximately $160 USD. The test will take 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete plus reading time and breaks. Administered year round, you can only retake once every calendar month. You should plan to take the GRE well in advance of grad school application due dates. To learn more please click on the link below which will take you to the official site.
Educational Testing Services: Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
MAT - Miller Analogies Test
An alternative test to the GRE but no longer as popular with college admissions departments so you should check to see if the colleges you are interested in still accept these test results. The Miller Analogies Test is a computer based standardized test used primarily for graduate school admissions in the United States. It is a high level mental ability test designed to measure a candidates logical and analytical thinking abilities through the use of analogies. These skills are considered critical for success in both graduate school and professional life. This test consists of 120 questions and takes 1 hour to complete. The test administrator is Pearson Education. The cost to take the Miller Analogies Test is $103 USD. To learn more please click on the link below which will take you to the official site.
Pearson Education: Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
MCAT - Medical College Admission Test
The MCAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in medical school. The Medical College Admissions Test is a required component of the medical school or school of veterinary medicine admissions process. This test measures your ability to understand basic medical concepts as well as your skill in reading comprehension and writing.
It is important that you get a high MCAT score so that you can stand out amongst other applicants. The Medical College Admissions Test is offered twenty five times a year in designated testing centers around the world. The registration fee for taking the MCAT is currently $270 USD, so it is important to make sure you are adequately prepared. There are MCAT preparation courses that you can take which will prepare you for the types of questions you will be expected to answer. You will increase your chances of a favourable result if you know what to expect before sitting down to take this test. The test is administered by Prometric. To learn more please click on the link below which will take you to the official site.
Association of American Medical Colleges: Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
LSAT - Law School Admission Test
The LSAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school. The Law School Admissions Test is a required component of the law school admissions process. It provides admissions personnel with a standard measurement of reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use to compare candidates.
The Law School Admissions Test is offered four times a year in designated testing centers around the world. The test consists of multiple choice questions. You may not take the LSAT more than three times in any two year period. The registration fee for taking the LSAT is currently $160 USD. To learn more please click on the link below which will take you to the official site.
Law School Admission Council: Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
DAT - Dental Admission Test
The DAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success at dental school. The Dental School Admissions Test is a required component of the dental school admissions process. The Dental Admission test is a 5 hour multiple choice standardized exam taken by potential dental school students in the United States and Canada.
The test is made up of four sections, survey of the natural sciences, perceptual ability, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning. The test is offered year round at designated testing centers. Each applicant may only take the test a total of 3 times before having to ask for special permission to take the exam again. If you fail the test you must wait a minimum of 90 days before repeating the exam. Each exam costs $385 USD so it is important to be fully prepared before attempting this exam. To learn more please click on the link below which will take you to the official site.
American Dental Association: Dental College Admission Test (PCAT)
PCAT - Pharmacy College Admission Test
The Pharmacy College Admission Test is a standardized test that measures a student's general academic ability and the scientific knowledge necessary to succeed in pharmacy school. The PCAT assesses competency in six content areas including verbal ability, biology, chemistry, reading comprehension, and quantitative ability.
The PCAT is offered 3 times a year and is administered by Pearson VUE test centers throughout the United States and in select international cities. The registration cost is $199 USD. After taking test 5 times you may have to request special permission to take it again. To learn more please click on the link below which will take you to the official site.
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy: Pharmacy College Admission Test
GMAT - Graduate Management Admission Test
The Graduate Management Admission Test is a standardized test to help business schools select qualified applicants for their MBA program. This test is considered a solid predictor of academic success in a graduate business program. The GMAT is a computer adaptive test which assesses a person's analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills. It consists of four sections, an analytical writing assessment, integrated reasoning, a quantitative section, and a verbal section.
The test is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) a global non-profit council of business schools. The test will take 3.5 hours to complete plus reading time and breaks. The registration fee is $250 USD. The GMAT is available year round and on demand which offers greater scheduling flexibility for candidates. You can take the GMAT once every 31 calendar days and a maximum of five times in a 12 month period. More than 5,000 graduate management programs around the world use GMAT scores as a part of their admissions process. To learn more please click on the link below which will take you to the official site.
Graduate Management Admission Council: Graduate Management Admission Test
OAT - Optometry Admission Test
The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) conducts the Optometry Admission Testing Program (OAT™) for applicants seeking admission to schools and colleges of optometry. Applicants must complete a minimum of one year college education in the sciences before they can take OAT. This test is designed to measure general academic ability and comprehension of scientific information. The exam is made up of 4 sections; survey of natural sciences, reading comprehension, Physics, and quantitative reasoning. The test takes 4 hrs 40 minutes to complete and candidates must wait at least 90 days to retake the OAT. The Oat fee is $226 USD and is non refundable. The tests are administered year round at Prometric Test Centers in the United States, its territories including Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada. To learn more please click on the link below which will take you to the official site.
ASCO Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry: Optometry Admission Test
Choosing your career early on in your education allows you to focus on your goals and ensures each step that you take moves you closer to your dreams. These tests have expensive fees associated with them so you need to make sure you are well prepared for the test so you only have to take it once. There are a lot of study materials and practice tests available online and for purchase that will help you become familiar with the types of questions you will be asked. I hope this list of college admissions tests provides you with a starting point, links to the official websites are provided for more in-depth information.
Good luck with your career choice and remember!
SATs
SATs don't measure sports
SATs don't measure art,
SATs don't measure music.
Or the kindness in your heart.
SATs don't see your beauty,
SATs don't know your worth,
SATs don't see the reasons,
You were put upon this earth.
SATs don't see your magic,
How you make others smile,
SATs don't time how quickly,
You can run a mile.
SATs don't hear your laughter,
Or see you've come this far,
SATs are just a tiny glimpse,
Of who you really are.
So sitting at your table,
With a pencil and your test,
Remember SATs aren't who you are,
Remember you're the best!
~ Louise Regan