Standardized Testings

PSAT/NMSQT

SAT

This is an test administered by the College Board and used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. The goal of the SAT is to ensure you possess the appropriate reading, writing, and math skills deemed necessary for success as a college student. The test consists of four sections: Reading, Writing and Language, Math (consists of two subsections, No Calculator and Calculator), and the Essay (optional).

Reading

The Reading section contains 52 questions based on passages which focuses on reading comprehension and understanding vocabulary in context. There are a total of 5 passages:

- 1 passage on U.S. or world literature
- 2 passages on history/social studies
- 2 passages on science (which may include graphs and/or charts)

Writing and Language

The Writing and Language section contains 44 questions which measures your ability to identify and correct grammatical errors and stylistic weaknesses within passages.

Math

The Math section contains 58 questions and consists of practical, real-world math and measures the problem-solving abilities most useful for college-level coursework and future employment.
It is split into 2 sections: Math No Calculator (which you are not permitted to use a calculator) and Math Calculator (which you may (but aren't required to) use a calculator.)
The Math sections tests you on:

Heart of Algebra
Problem Solving and Data Analysis
Passport to Advanced Math
Additional Topics in Math (See the 'Full overview and tips on the SAT' link below)

Essay

Full overview and tips on the SAT

SAT Subject Tests

ACT

There are four sections on the ACT, and they are always offered in the same order: English, Math, Reading, and Science. If you take the ACT with Writing, the Writing section will be last. Every section is scored out of 36 points, except for Writing, which is scored out of 12 points.

English

The English section contains 75 questions based on passages which tests your knowledge of usage and mechanics and rhetorical skills. There are a total of 5 passages.

Math

The Math section contains 60 questions. There are six main content areas tested on ACT math: Pre-Algebra, Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, Plane Geometry, and Trigonometry.

Reading

ACT Reading presents you with 40 questions based on the passages that test your reading comprehension skills. There are a total of 4 reading passages. Three subsections will have longer passages, while one subsection will have two paired passages. The subsections will come from four different subject areas and they always appear in the same order: Prose fiction/literary narrative, Social science, Humanities, and Natural science.

Full detailed explanations of ACT Reading passages

Science

The Science ACT test section tests your scientific interpretation skills. It involves more reading passages, charts, and graphs. Using the information in the passages, you’ll need to apply the scientific method, evaluate theories or hypotheses, and interpret data.

You can expect to see three passages summarizing research and experiments (which may or may not include graphs and figures), three passages primarily made up of graphs and figures, and one paired passage set describing conflicting viewpoints on an issue.

Essay

ACT Writing tests your ability to write a clear, well-argued essay that analyzes an issue in relation to different viewpoints—all in a limited 40-minute time period.