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What International Students Should Know about SAT and ACT
Several top U.S. universities say they will require standardized1 tests such as the SAT and ACT from applicants3 again. Some of them went "test-optional" during the pandemic.
The schools include Dartmouth College, Georgetown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dartmouth College, in New Hampshire, said students from other countries will need to submit results from those tests or "an equivalent4 standardized national exam."
Allen Koh is the founder5 of Cardinal6 Education, a company that helps students with college preparation, including applications. He said Dartmouth's announcement "only made official what had been ‘de facto' true."
He noted7 that between 80 and 90 percent of students admitted to top universities sent test scores, even when they were not required.
Koh said students who attend international schools that use the "A-level" tests from Great Britain may not need to take the SAT or ACT since those tests are so well known. The tests from India may be useful, too. However, students coming from other countries should take the ACT or SAT.
Andrew Taylor is a vice8 president at the nonprofit organization that runs the ACT. He said the tests are important for international students because they permit American schools to compare students, even if they come from different educational systems.
In an email message to VOA, a representative from the College Board, which runs the SAT, said the test "plays an important role in helping9 international students be seen by colleges and universities. Test scores can confirm a student's grades or even demonstrate their strengths beyond what their high school grades may show."
So if you are an international student planning to apply to college in the U.S., what should you know about the tests?
SAT or ACT?
The SAT has two parts – reading and math. Students can earn a top score of 800 for each part, making 1600 a perfect score.
The SAT is an "adaptive" test, which means the questions will change based on a student's answer to the previous question. As a result, the SAT takes less time for most students than the ACT.
The ACT is the same for every student who takes the test on the same day. The ACT has four parts – math, science, English and reading. The top ACT score is 36.
Both tests are now available to be taken with a computer at international testing centers.
For the most part, Koh advises international students to take the ACT "because it is much easier to get a perfect ACT score than a perfect SAT score." Based on how the final ACT score is calculated, Koh said, there are more ways to get to the perfect score of 36.
For English learners, Koh has this advice:
"So I'd say if your English is really strong, all around, ACT could be great for foreigners, but I think for the average foreigner where English might be a little bit of a liability10 and math might be a little bit stronger, then the SAT may be a better test."
Taylor of the ACT added that the ACT has a science section, so for students who may not be strong in science, the SAT could be a better choice.
Both Koh and Taylor say students should take practice tests from both the ACT and SAT to decide which may be better for them.
You can find more information online, such as testing dates and locations of test centers at the SAT and ACT websites.
When to take the test?
Koh and Taylor suggest that international students take the tests at least one year before finishing high school. If there is room for improvement, Koh said, students can practice and take it again six months later.
Taylor reminded students that most schools will consider a "super score" which is the best score from each test category.
"So there is no doubt that students do better if they take more than one test. So if they're in a position to be able to take more than one test, we would always recommend that and give yourself the time to do some additional learning between tests so you know, think about where you struggle, think about where you can be ready, and go from there."
Arkar Chen of Myanmar took the SAT in 2016, one year after he finished high school. He studied for the test but was still surprised at how difficult the reading part was.
"I'll say that 80 percent of the time, I have no idea what it's asking, but the thing with SAT is that when you practice enough, you kind of see a pattern and you kind of know what answer the test maker11 are looking for."
In addition, Chen said students need to solve math problems quickly because each question has a limited time. "There's no way you could do well without a lot of practice," he said.
Chen said the concept of "critical thinking" was the biggest difference between American tests such as the SAT and the tests he saw growing up in Myanmar. "The SAT," he said, "tests a lot on your critical thinking skills, so I think that's why it can feel hard."
Test is part of the "toolbox"
Taylor of ACT says the test is part of the "toolbox" for colleges to decide about a student's ability to do well in school.
"More and more," Taylor said, "higher ed is worried about graduation, not just about admission. ... So we need to give not only the higher education institution as much data as we can about the student. We also need to give the student as much data as we can about themselves."
Koh observes that standardized tests favor a well-rounded student. So students who spend a lot of time studying math and engineering would be smart to spend time on reading and discussing books in English before taking the test.
The parents of many international students are surprised to learn, as Koh said, "Asian STEM-focused students are penalized13 the heaviest by American admissions officers, for being very strong in math but weak on reading."
Words in This Story
standardized test –n. tests taken by large numbers of students that are meant to measure their general knowledge and compare it to other students
applicant2 –n. a person who is submitting applications for entry into a school or college
equivalent –adj. something that is different in small details but is more or less equal to something else
de facto –adj. something that is understood to be true but not written
grade –n. the score or letter given to show a student's ability in a subject or study area
demonstrate –v. to show
score –n. a number or result of a game or test
liability –n. something that is lower quality or not as good as something else
recommend –v. to tell someone about something or give advice
pattern –n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done
graduation –n. the event that ends someone's time in a university study program
institution –n. an organization such as a school, university or health center that has been in place for a long time
stem-focused –adj. students who center their education on science, technology, engineering and math
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standardized
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| adj.标准化的 | |
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applicant
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| n.申请人，求职者，请求者 | |
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applicants
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| 申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 ) | |
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equivalent
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| adj.（to）相等的，等价的；n.相等物，等值物 | |
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Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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liability
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| n.责任[pl.]负债，债务，不利条件 | |
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maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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penalize
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| vt.对…处以刑罚，宣告…有罪；处罚 | |
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penalized
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| 对…予以惩罚( penalize的过去式和过去分词 )； 使处于不利地位 | |
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