College Preparation & Entrance Exams

Comparing grades and knowledge from students who graduated from different high schools can be tricky. That's why most four-year colleges and universities rely on standardized tests to compare the educational aptitude of potential students.

The two standardized entrance exams accepted by the majority of colleges are the ACT and the SAT. Some schools accept both; others accept only one.

Make sure you know which test is required for admission at the colleges where you are applying.

PLAN	PSAT	ACT	SAT	TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language
	What	does it	test?
English, reading, math and science reasoning skills	Critical reading, math reasoning abilities and writing skills (Serves as National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test for juniors)	English, reading, match and science reasoning skills; optional writing test	Critical reading, math reasoning abilities and writing skills	Ability of non-native English speakers to read, write, speak and understand North American English
	Who should	take	this test?
Sophomores	Juniors	Juniors and Seniors	Juniors and Seniors	Juniors or above
	Why should	I take	this test?
Helps prepare for college entrance exams	Helps prepare for college entrance exams	Most common entrance exam for four-year colleges in Midwest and Central U.S.	Most common entrance exam for four-year colleges on East and West coasts	Required by some four-year colleges if English is not applicant's native language
	When are	the tests	offered?
Usually in the fall	Second Wednesday or third Saturday in October	Five test dates during academic year	Seven test dates during academic year	Varies by location
	What	does	it cost?
Check with high school	$13 (can be waived for students in need)	$29 + $14 for writing test (can be waived for students in need)	$41.50 (can be waived for students in need)	$150 (fee reduction possible for high school seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents)
How do I	sign up or	get more	information about	the test?
Check with school counselor www.act.org/plan	Check with school counselor www.collegeboard.com	www.actstudent.org	www.collegeboard.com	www.toefl.org

Most two-year colleges do not require a college-entrance exam for admission. Instead, most new students are required to take a placement exam to determine what levels of classes are appropriate.

For more information about college entrance and placement exams, go to: www.getreadyforcollege.org.