Admission Examinations

Admission examinations provide an indication to colleges and universities of your readiness for college work. Generally, colleges consider admission tests in combination with your high school grades and coursework. An admission examination without other information about you is not a good predictor of your ability to succeed in college.

Most colleges that require an admission examination will accept either an SAT or ACT. Some colleges may express a preference for one or the other. Both the SAT and the ACT have pre-tests that help you determine how you might do on the SAT or ACT. The pre-test for the SAT is called the P SAT. The pre-test for the ACT is called the PLAN. Both pre-tests are taken in the junior year or earlier. Neither the P SAT nor PLAN are used by colleges for admission decisions. The P SAT is also used as a qualifying test for the National Merit Scholar awards.

Some universities also require the SAT Subject Test. The SAT Subject Test is a series of subject area tests that match the subjects you study in high school. Universities that require the SAT Subject Test frequently require more than one SAT Subject Test subject area test. You can take up to three SAT Subject Test subject area tests in one test sitting.

More information about the SAT and SAT Subject Test is available on the College Board website.

More information about the ACT is available on the ACT website.

Tip: Consider taking either the P SAT or PLAN early in high school to get a sense of your readiness for the SAT or ACT.