College Entrance Test Questions

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Questions and Answers for students and parents concerning
College Entrance Tests
taken from The Maine College Advisor*

New Questions added on 03/11/2007

College Entrance Tests

It seems like most students are taking SAT prep courses. Doesn't that give them an unfair advantage over those who can't afford a prep course?

I don't think the SATs are a good measurement of my ability. Do I need to take the SAT? Do I really need to take an SAT prep course as some people are suggesting?

How many times should I take the SAT?

Am I at a big disadvantage if I can't take an SAT prep course?

Q. It seems like most students are taking SAT prep courses. Doesn't that give them an unfair advantage over those who can't afford a prep course?

A. You are right, but I am a big fan of honesty and openness. That is why I recommend that when you report your SAT or ACT scores, you make note of the fact that you have not taken a prep course. Just write "untutored." You might ask to have that noted on your transcript or you might just add it to some information you send to the colleges. Don't flaunt it; just acknowledge it.

Over the past year I have seen a slight movement away from SATs and their importance in the admissions process. I think that is good news. On the other hand, the movement is slight, and over the past twenty years SATs have continually moved in and out of favor.

Many more students are taking SAT prep courses, but not "most" students. Yes, if the courses are any good, they do give the students an advantage. Unfair? I don't know. Unfortunate? Probably. Particularly at a time when we are working hard to make higher education more accessible to all students.

But, I see the issue a bit differently than you see it. True, there are some very expensive SAT prep courses – some good, some less so. Still, there are several ways you can prepare for the SAT without spending much money at all. Many, perhaps most, high schools offer an SAT prep course that is free or close to it. If your high school doesn't offer one, I suggest you ask for it.

The other SAT prep option costs $19.95 or thereabouts. The College Board's The Official SAT Study Guide: For the New SAT, or other test prep books you will find at a bookstore can help you a lot. Reading the first 378 pages of test-taking advice, and then taking each of the eight practice tests may well give you the same advantage that the test prep crew has. But, you just saved enough money to buy at least two iPods and perhaps enough time to listen to all 15,000 songs. I guess that gives you the advantage!

And now back to honesty and openness. I have a strong feeling that very few students actually read all 378 pages of advice, and just as few complete all eight practice tests, even though it is a "best seller." It is a good way to prepare for the SAT, but I never said it was fun. Discipline yourself to use these books . . . and then enjoy the music and the advantage.

Back to Top of Page

Q. I don't think the SATs are a good measurement of my ability. Do I need to take the SAT? Do I really need to take an SAT prep course as some people are suggesting?

A. I will try to break your questions into three parts.

You are right; the SAT is a very poor measurement of your ability. Think of all the things it doesn't measure -- things that really matter. How you get along with others? How much you help in your community? How creative you are? How important honesty is to you? How much of a leader and a supporter you are? These are just a few traits in life that really matter, but none of these fit well in multiple-choice (or even a 25 minute essay) and on a 200 to 800 scale. Nonetheless, the SAT (or ACT) is the measurement most colleges have chosen – not because they think it is a great measurement, but because of convenience.

Do you need to take the SAT? No, not if you don't want to go to college.

Actually, there are approximately 400 colleges that don’t require that you submit SAT or ACT scores for admission. Some of these colleges allow you to substitute SAT II scores or some other part of your application portfolio in place of the SAT/ACT test scores.

Most of these 400 colleges are art colleges or technical colleges or less selective colleges, but there are some notable, well-known, and/or highly selective colleges that downplay or pay no attention at all to the SAT. They include: Bates College, ME; Bowdoin College, ME; College of the Atlantic, ME; Connecticut College, CT; Dickinson College, PA; Hamilton College, NY; Hampshire College, MA; Hartwick College, NY; Johnson & Wales University, RI, SC, CO, and FL; Lewis and Clark College, OR; Middlebury College, VT; Mount Holyoke College, MA; Muhlenberg College, PA; Ohio University, OH; St. John’s College, MD & NM; Sarah Lawrence College, NY; Sierra Nevada College, NV; Susquehanna University, PA; Union College, NY; and Wheaton College, MA. Many state universities do not require the SAT.

So, no, you don't need to take the SAT, BUT you will limit your college options significantly if you do not take the SAT or ACT. You need to move beyond whether SATs are fair or whether they are a good measurement of you. Assume that they are not fair and no better measurement of you than a crossword puzzle or your favorite video game, and now try to figure out how to win this game with the same confidence and energy you employ on a new video game.

Those "people" you mention that are suggesting that you need to prepare for the SAT sound like adults. I'll bet they are not your classmates. No, you don't need to take an SAT prep course, but . . .

Test prep courses accomplish two things. They remind you of some facts you should know. When you pick up your #2 pencil, you need to know what the third side of a right triangle is if the first two are 5 and 12. More importantly, good test prep courses develop your attitude. Good test prep courses build strategies and confidence and a better understanding of how the test is built. Those without this attitude do the Pythagorean theorem. Those with this attitude know there is a trick – a shortcut. Those without this attitude do a lot of calculations on paper. Those with this attitude and knowledge eliminate a lot of answers.

Hearing this may make you like SATs even less. I would give up that battle, because there are very few people to fight. Not teachers, not guidance counselors, not even college admissions officers think SATs are a great way to measure you, BUT, SATs are often a very important criterion in determining whether colleges will accept you . . . fair or not fair.

The College Board and the Princeton Review both offer good books for SAT prep that you can find in most bookstores. Check with your guidance counselor about SAT prep courses at the school. Princeton Review and Kaplan often offer test prep courses in the area. I get very good reviews from Maine Prep, which offers test prep courses in Maine and is based in Brunswick , Maine . You can ask them whether they think the SAT is a good measurement of you!

Back to Top of Page

Q. How many times should I take the SAT?

A. There is no perfect answer. Once. Twice. Perhaps three times, but that is plenty. In general, it makes sense to take the SAT at least once during your junior year, probably in April, May, or June. Then plan to take it again in the fall of your senior year. Some recommend that you take the SAT more often so that you can have more practice and hopefully improve your scores. I recommend you save yourself some time and money and do your practicing with the College Board’s book, The Official SAT Study Guide. There may be no better way to prepare for the SAT. It is not fun, but it is effective.

You also need to be on top of SAT II’s. You need to figure out how to fit them around your SAT schedule. SAT II’s are generally offered at the same time as SATs. SAT II’s are subject tests. They assess what you have learned in particular courses. If you do very well in biology and the last biology course you will take in high school is in your sophomore year, you may be smart to take the Biology SAT II in June of your sophomore year. Get advice from your biology teacher and your guidance counselor. The end of your junior year may be a logical time to take the U.S. History SAT II. The important point is that early planning is key. This test planning should begin during your sophomore year, which is, unfortunately, well before most families start talking about college.

SATs are essential for most students applying to college. ACTs can take the place of SATs and are the “test of choice” in many states. SAT II’s are required or highly recommended by only the most selective colleges, but I recommend that more students look into taking the SAT II. A strong score on an SAT II means a lot to a college admissions office, whether they require the SAT II or not. You will find all the information you need about SATs and SAT II’s at www.collegeboard.com.

Back to Top of Page

Q. Am I at a big disadvantage if I can't take an SAT prep course?

A. You are probably at a disadvantage, though not a big one. The fact of the matter is that you CAN take an SAT prep course . . . and you do not need to spend a lot of money on it. You can pay anywhere between $19.95 (plus tax) and $795 for SAT prep. Do not assume that the $795 version is necessarily any better for you than the $19.95 version. As I recommended above, the $19.95 Official SAT Study Guide by the College Board gives you all the practice you need plus some good advice. What it does not provide is the discipline and structure that some (many?) students need, but $775.05 is a lot to pay for discipline and structure. Many students don't want them for free!

Most schools offer some SAT prep. Most bookstores have plenty of SAT prep books and software. The College Board has an online SAT prep program. You CAN prepare for the SAT. Almost everyone can prepare for the SAT. If you are one of a few who really can't get around to SAT prep, I encourage you to make a note on your application that your SAT scores are "untutored."

And remember, good grades in good courses and a great essay are almost always more important than improving your SAT scores by 10 or even 100 points!

Back to Top of Page

The Maine College Advisor Weekly is offered by Maine College Circle , a nonprofit initiative committed to providing better and equal access to information about higher education for all Maine families and to promoting community support for the opportunity of higher education. Bob Stuart, the writer of the Maine College Advisor Weekly, is a nationally known college consultant and Maine resident.

[ Up ] [ College Application Questions ] [ Financial Aid Questions ] [ College Major Questions ] [ Miscellaneous College Questions ] [ College Entrance Test Questions ]

			Questions and Answers for students and parents concerning College Entrance Tests taken from The Maine College Advisor* New Questions added on 03/11/2007
			College Entrance Tests It seems like most students are taking SAT prep courses. Doesn't that give them an unfair advantage over those who can't afford a prep course? I don't think the SATs are a good measurement of my ability. Do I need to take the SAT? Do I really need to take an SAT prep course as some people are suggesting? How many times should I take the SAT? Am I at a big disadvantage if I can't take an SAT prep course? Q. It seems like most students are taking SAT prep courses. Doesn't that give them an unfair advantage over those who can't afford a prep course? A. You are right, but I am a big fan of honesty and openness. That is why I recommend that when you report your SAT or ACT scores, you make note of the fact that you have not taken a prep course. Just write "untutored." You might ask to have that noted on your transcript or you might just add it to some information you send to the colleges. Don't flaunt it; just acknowledge it. Over the past year I have seen a slight movement away from SATs and their importance in the admissions process. I think that is good news. On the other hand, the movement is slight, and over the past twenty years SATs have continually moved in and out of favor. Many more students are taking SAT prep courses, but not "most" students. Yes, if the courses are any good, they do give the students an advantage. Unfair? I don't know. Unfortunate? Probably. Particularly at a time when we are working hard to make higher education more accessible to all students. But, I see the issue a bit differently than you see it. True, there are some very expensive SAT prep courses – some good, some less so. Still, there are several ways you can prepare for the SAT without spending much money at all. Many, perhaps most, high schools offer an SAT prep course that is free or close to it. If your high school doesn't offer one, I suggest you ask for it. The other SAT prep option costs $19.95 or thereabouts. The College Board's The Official SAT Study Guide: For the New SAT, or other test prep books you will find at a bookstore can help you a lot. Reading the first 378 pages of test-taking advice, and then taking each of the eight practice tests may well give you the same advantage that the test prep crew has. But, you just saved enough money to buy at least two iPods and perhaps enough time to listen to all 15,000 songs. I guess that gives you the advantage! And now back to honesty and openness. I have a strong feeling that very few students actually read all 378 pages of advice, and just as few complete all eight practice tests, even though it is a "best seller." It is a good way to prepare for the SAT, but I never said it was fun. Discipline yourself to use these books . . . and then enjoy the music and the advantage. Back to Top of Page Q. I don't think the SATs are a good measurement of my ability. Do I need to take the SAT? Do I really need to take an SAT prep course as some people are suggesting? A. I will try to break your questions into three parts. You are right; the SAT is a very poor measurement of your ability. Think of all the things it doesn't measure -- things that really matter. How you get along with others? How much you help in your community? How creative you are? How important honesty is to you? How much of a leader and a supporter you are? These are just a few traits in life that really matter, but none of these fit well in multiple-choice (or even a 25 minute essay) and on a 200 to 800 scale. Nonetheless, the SAT (or ACT) is the measurement most colleges have chosen – not because they think it is a great measurement, but because of convenience. Do you need to take the SAT? No, not if you don't want to go to college. Actually, there are approximately 400 colleges that don’t require that you submit SAT or ACT scores for admission. Some of these colleges allow you to substitute SAT II scores or some other part of your application portfolio in place of the SAT/ACT test scores. Most of these 400 colleges are art colleges or technical colleges or less selective colleges, but there are some notable, well-known, and/or highly selective colleges that downplay or pay no attention at all to the SAT. They include: Bates College, ME; Bowdoin College, ME; College of the Atlantic, ME; Connecticut College, CT; Dickinson College, PA; Hamilton College, NY; Hampshire College, MA; Hartwick College, NY; Johnson & Wales University, RI, SC, CO, and FL; Lewis and Clark College, OR; Middlebury College, VT; Mount Holyoke College, MA; Muhlenberg College, PA; Ohio University, OH; St. John’s College, MD & NM; Sarah Lawrence College, NY; Sierra Nevada College, NV; Susquehanna University, PA; Union College, NY; and Wheaton College, MA. Many state universities do not require the SAT. So, no, you don't need to take the SAT, BUT you will limit your college options significantly if you do not take the SAT or ACT. You need to move beyond whether SATs are fair or whether they are a good measurement of you. Assume that they are not fair and no better measurement of you than a crossword puzzle or your favorite video game, and now try to figure out how to win this game with the same confidence and energy you employ on a new video game. Those "people" you mention that are suggesting that you need to prepare for the SAT sound like adults. I'll bet they are not your classmates. No, you don't need to take an SAT prep course, but . . . Test prep courses accomplish two things. They remind you of some facts you should know. When you pick up your #2 pencil, you need to know what the third side of a right triangle is if the first two are 5 and 12. More importantly, good test prep courses develop your attitude. Good test prep courses build strategies and confidence and a better understanding of how the test is built. Those without this attitude do the Pythagorean theorem. Those with this attitude know there is a trick – a shortcut. Those without this attitude do a lot of calculations on paper. Those with this attitude and knowledge eliminate a lot of answers. Hearing this may make you like SATs even less. I would give up that battle, because there are very few people to fight. Not teachers, not guidance counselors, not even college admissions officers think SATs are a great way to measure you, BUT, SATs are often a very important criterion in determining whether colleges will accept you . . . fair or not fair. The College Board and the Princeton Review both offer good books for SAT prep that you can find in most bookstores. Check with your guidance counselor about SAT prep courses at the school. Princeton Review and Kaplan often offer test prep courses in the area. I get very good reviews from Maine Prep, which offers test prep courses in Maine and is based in Brunswick , Maine . You can ask them whether they think the SAT is a good measurement of you! Back to Top of Page Q. How many times should I take the SAT? A. There is no perfect answer. Once. Twice. Perhaps three times, but that is plenty. In general, it makes sense to take the SAT at least once during your junior year, probably in April, May, or June. Then plan to take it again in the fall of your senior year. Some recommend that you take the SAT more often so that you can have more practice and hopefully improve your scores. I recommend you save yourself some time and money and do your practicing with the College Board’s book, The Official SAT Study Guide. There may be no better way to prepare for the SAT. It is not fun, but it is effective. You also need to be on top of SAT II’s. You need to figure out how to fit them around your SAT schedule. SAT II’s are generally offered at the same time as SATs. SAT II’s are subject tests. They assess what you have learned in particular courses. If you do very well in biology and the last biology course you will take in high school is in your sophomore year, you may be smart to take the Biology SAT II in June of your sophomore year. Get advice from your biology teacher and your guidance counselor. The end of your junior year may be a logical time to take the U.S. History SAT II. The important point is that early planning is key. This test planning should begin during your sophomore year, which is, unfortunately, well before most families start talking about college. SATs are essential for most students applying to college. ACTs can take the place of SATs and are the “test of choice” in many states. SAT II’s are required or highly recommended by only the most selective colleges, but I recommend that more students look into taking the SAT II. A strong score on an SAT II means a lot to a college admissions office, whether they require the SAT II or not. You will find all the information you need about SATs and SAT II’s at www.collegeboard.com. Back to Top of Page Q. Am I at a big disadvantage if I can't take an SAT prep course? A. You are probably at a disadvantage, though not a big one. The fact of the matter is that you CAN take an SAT prep course . . . and you do not need to spend a lot of money on it. You can pay anywhere between $19.95 (plus tax) and $795 for SAT prep. Do not assume that the $795 version is necessarily any better for you than the $19.95 version. As I recommended above, the $19.95 Official SAT Study Guide by the College Board gives you all the practice you need plus some good advice. What it does not provide is the discipline and structure that some (many?) students need, but $775.05 is a lot to pay for discipline and structure. Many students don't want them for free! Most schools offer some SAT prep. Most bookstores have plenty of SAT prep books and software. The College Board has an online SAT prep program. You CAN prepare for the SAT. Almost everyone can prepare for the SAT. If you are one of a few who really can't get around to SAT prep, I encourage you to make a note on your application that your SAT scores are "untutored." And remember, good grades in good courses and a great essay are almost always more important than improving your SAT scores by 10 or even 100 points! Back to Top of Page
			The Maine College Advisor Weekly is offered by Maine College Circle , a nonprofit initiative committed to providing better and equal access to information about higher education for all Maine families and to promoting community support for the opportunity of higher education. Bob Stuart, the writer of the Maine College Advisor Weekly, is a nationally known college consultant and Maine resident.

			[ Up ] [ College Application Questions ] [ Financial Aid Questions ] [ College Major Questions ] [ Miscellaneous College Questions ] [ College Entrance Test Questions ]