Colleges and Universities use a variety of factors to determine each student's eligibility for admission.  One factor may be the student's performance on one or more standardized admission tests.  What tests are used?

• SAT or Scholastic Aptitude Test (soon to be the Scholastic         Achievement Test) assesses the student's  potential for successfully completing college level work.  The SAT is composed of verbal and math sections (three sections of each type). Students can score up to 800 points on each section for a total combined score of 1600 points.

• The ACT measures what a student has already learned.  There are four sections: English, mathematics, reading and science reasoning. The scale scores range from 1 (low) to 36 (high) for each of the four tests and for the Composite. The Composite is the average of your four test scores, rounded to the nearest whole number.  

• TOEFL The Toefl is the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The TOEFL program provides English proficiency testing for international students planning to study in the United States or other country where English is the language of instruction.  Many students who have emigrated to the United States but for whom English is not their first language also take the TOEFL to assess their skill in reading and comprehending English.  

• English Language Proficiency Test.  The ELPT was developed for students whose best language is not English; who attend U.S. high schools, or who have studied in an international school where courses are taught in English; have completed two to four years of English language instruction in an English as a Second Language program or in English enrichment courses; and/or students who speak a language other than English at home or work. The ELPT is one of the SAT II Language Tests.  Not every college or university accepts the ELPT.  Before you take the test, talk with the admissions office at the college you plan to attend to make sure that they will be considered in the admissions process.  

How important are the scores?  

It depends. Talk with the colleges and universities you are applying to and ask how test scores are used in the admissions process.  Each school has its own policy about how each part of the admission application factors in to the admission decision.  

How can you improve your scores?

1. Take the most challenging courses your school offers.  The more you know, the better prepared you will be to take the tests.
   
   
2. Practice, practice, practice!  Build your skills by taking advantage of resources that will help familiarize you with the various parts of the tests. Book mark an SAT question of the day on your PC's web browser.  NEW!!! The D.C. Public Library is pleased to offer LEARN-A-TEST to all local residents. Go to www.dclibrary.org. and click on the link to LEARN-A-TEST. You can practice SAT, ACT, GRE, tests and many, many others - all FREE.  On-line courses help improve your skills in reading, writing and math. 
   
   
3. READ!  It not only improves your reading skills but helps you learn about  new ideas, cultures, facts, and issues.
   

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