International Student Admissions

We have previously talked about the SAT but what is the difference between the SAT and its biggest rival – the ACT.

Comparative Features of the SAT I and the ACT

(1) ACT content/SAT I problem solving

The ACT is an achievement test; it assesses what students should already know. The SAT is more like an aptitude test; it attempts to measure critical thinking ability, particularly in the area of problem solving, as well as test–taking skills.

(2) SAT I is coachable – ACT less so

The ACT is probably less coachable in the short term. The SAT is very coachable in the short term; problem–solving strategies are necessary in the multiple–choice format and these are often not emphasized as much as they should be in the traditional classroom.

(3) Students may score higher on one test than on the other

Because of the ACT’s limited dependence on vocabulary and emphasis on achievement, research seems to favor use of the ACT for students of limited English proficiency, for students with higher GPAs (above 3.4), and for females. This is not an unlikely result, since the ACT is an achievement test and in effect rewards those who have mastered the curriculum. On the other hand, students who are good problem solvers, particularly academic underachievers, might prefer the SAT.

(4) Less emphasis on defensive test taking strategies

SAT scores are adjusted for incorrect answers; the ACT format encourages guessing. Students can relax and try to answer as many problems as they can on the ACT. There’s no need to second–guess their decisions about whether they should or should not answer a question.

Deducting for incorrect responses is another ETS ploy to “level the playing field” . If a test taker is randomly guessing and does not really know any of the correct responses, then he/she should theoretically get one out of every five multiple–choice problems correct in the long run, (since there are five answer choices). Hence, the decision to deduct 1/4 point for an incorrect problem. The complete random guesser therefore will theoretically score a zero, (i.e., a 200), since there will be four 1/4 points deducted to match every correct one.

So the theory is that the scoring penalty will discourage test takers from guessing and will keep scores from being artificially inflated by any guessing successes. The truth is that good test takers know that if they can get the number of possible answer choices down to three or less, then guessing in the long run is a good strategy; novice test takers do not always know this and choose not to guess at all, (thereby hurting their scoring chances), or guess too often, even when they only have eliminated one choice or no choices, (and again hurt their scoring chances).

(5) ACT provides a more detailed score report

The ACT scores are reported in much greater detail than the SAT. Colleges are going to receive subscores that will let them know the extent of the student’s mastery. For example, a student who took no math beyond Algebra II is not likely to produce a high subscore in Geometry/Trigonometry but may do well in the Elementary Algebra and Algebra/Geometry subscores. The SAT simply reports a 200–800 math score. The ACT also presents a more detailed student profile section to the colleges. All colleges accept the ACT score in the admissions process.

If you’d like to check out the College Board’s website on this topic, just visit: http://www.collegeboard.org/ and then search for a topic like “SAT and ACT” to see what they currently have.

Why isn’t the ACT a more popular choice for test takers?

 (1) The ACT has been emphasized in the middle of the country where it is created and the SATs dominate on the two coasts. Old habits die hard, so that even though both exams are accepted everywhere, some do leave home without it. My point is that some people, (administrators, parents, students, teachers, but certainly not counselors), aren’t aware of it as an acceptable alternative to the SAT. So that may change.

 (2) The ACT is a content–based exam. You actually have to have learned some things in school in order to do well on the exam. The SAT I is a problem–solving exam. So you can do well on the exam if you’re a good test taker and can solve problems given new information. You won’t get so zapped with a poor score if you didn’t do your homework all of those years in school. That makes for a popular and tempting choice for many test takers. That may never change.

 (3) The SAT is still the established major player in the admissions market. It’s hard to dethrone the Yankees when they have the money to continually get better players, outdraw you at the ballpark, and advertise those facts like crazy. And the ACT people are the Washington Nationals of the testing business, but this is definitely changing.

Previously we briefly mentioned the Advanced Placement or ”AP” exams. What exactly are these exams and how can they help a student considering applying to some of the more selective colleges? The following extract from the College Board (the organization that makes and administers these tests) provides a bit of insight).

What is AP and Why Participate in it?

With more than 30 courses and exams across multiple subject areas, AP offers something for everyone. Here are just a few reasons to sign up:

Earn College Credit and Advanced Placement

Receive recognition by more than 90 percent of colleges in the United States and colleges in more than 60 other countries, which grant credit, advanced placement or both on the basis of AP Exam grades.

Have time to move into upper-level courses in your field of interest, pursue a double major, or study abroad.

Design a college experience that suits you and gives you the flexibility to get the most out of your college years.

Stand Out in the College Admissions Process

Demonstrate your maturity and readiness for college.

Show your willingness to take the most rigorous courses available to you.

Emphasize your commitment to academic excellence.

Gain Skills that Will Help You Succeed in College

Get a head start on college-level work.

Improve your writing skills and sharpen your problem-solving techniques.

Develop the study habits necessary for tackling rigorous course work.

Broaden Your Intellectual Horizons

Be part of a community of students and educators who are passionate, curious, and committed to academic excellence.

Engage in intense discussions, solve problems collaboratively, and learn to write clearly and persuasively.

Take courses that are developed by leading professors to reflect the level of learning happening at colleges throughout the country.

What is the SSAT?

The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is an admissions test administered to students in grades 5-11 to help determine placement into independent or private junior high and high schools. Despite its similarities, the SSAT is not related to the SAT Reasoning test and is not administered by the College Board.

There are two levels of the test: the Lower level for students in grades 5-7 and the Upper level, designed for students in grades 8-11. The SSAT consists of two parts: a brief essay and multiple choice sections that include Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, and Verbal. The test, written in English, is primarily administered in the United States and Canada at various test centers, which usually are independent schools. However, there are also test centers worldwide.

Essay – In the essay part of the test, students will be asked to support or argue against a topic statement by using examples from personal experience, history, literature and current events. The essay section is 25 minutes long and students are given one side of a paper to write this essay. The essay is not scored. It is still very important however, since it is sent to school admissions offices.

Mathematics Section – There are two 30 minute math sections with 25 questions each that require basic computations including some basic algebra, this section is called quantitative reasoning. They vary from word problems to equations.

Verbal Section – verbal section is 30 minutes long and consists of 30 synonym and 30 analogy questions.

Reading Comprehension Section – The 40 minute reading comprehension section has 40 questions based around seven given reading passages. These questions not only require test takers to comprehend what they are reading but also to read quickly.

Scoring – All questions on the SSAT are equal in value and scores are based on the number of questions correctly answered subtracted by one-quarter point for each question you answer incorrectly. No points are awarded or deducted for questions left unanswered. The scaled score for the Upper Level is 500- 800 and the Lower Level is 440- 710.

The SSAT score report provides scaled scores for each section as well as percentile ranks for each category, comparing a students score to others who have taken the test in the past three years. Also in the score report are estimated national percentile ranks for 5-9 grade test takers and projected 12th grade SAT scores for test takers in grades 7-10.

Upon receiving their scores, students can send the results to the independent schools they wish to apply to. Each school then evaluates the scores according to its own standards and requirements.

Over the next few days (before we return to the question of financial aid) we will discuss the most widely taken standardized test for undergraduate admissions to U.S. colleges – the SAT Reasoning Test. 

What are the features of the SAT? This is the test that most students use during the admissions process. The SAT I is “designed to help predict freshman grades in college,” according to the College Board. Notice the use of the word help. The SAT I is only designed to work in conjunction with a student’s high school grade point average (HSGPA) – we will be discussing more on the HSGPA later. Students might want to checkout the book The Official SAT Study Guide by the College Board. The College Board is the company that manages the SAT and contracts with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to obtain test items and other services.

The SAT is divided into three distinct sections – Critical Reading, Writing and Math. These sections are further divided into smaller subsections. Here is a brief breakdown of each -

Critical Reading: Sentence Completion (19 problems, 25 minutes); Passage Based Reading (45 minutes, 48 questions) - scored on a  scale of between 200 and 800 points.
Writing: Identifying Sentence Errors (18 problems, 25 minutes); Improving Sentences (25 problems, 25 minutes); Improving Paragraphs (6 problems, 10 minutes), Essay (25 minutes) - scored on a  scale of between 200 and 800 points.
Math: Multiple Choice (44 problems, 25 minutes); Grid-in (10 problems, 45 minutes) - scored on scale of between 200 and 800 points.

Total: 170 Problems + Essay, 200 minutes, out of 2400 points.