College Entrance Exams Glossary

Our "college entrance exams" pages contain links to free practice tests, where available, for he standardized tests.


ACT

The first in our list of college entrance exams is the ACT and the ACT PLAN Assessment. The PLAN Assessment is usually given to tenth graders to prepare them for the ACT exam generally taken in the 11th or 12th grades.

ACT PLAN Assessment. The ACT version of the PSAT

The ACT is one of two widely used college admissions tests, the other being the SAT I Reasoning Exam. The ACT has four sections, math, reading, English, and the Science Reasoning Test.

  • ACT Test Site at ACT.org

  • ACTs, SATs, SAT IIs


    The phrase "College Entrance Exams" refers to more than just the SATs and the ACTs. Read on.

    AP Tests - Advanced Placement Tests

    AP, Advanced Placement tests are taken in May by high school students as they complete AP-level classes. Grades are scored as 1-5.

    Having AP classes on your transcript are like some sort of bonus; colleges like them.

    AP classes are designed to be of an academic level with college classes, and as we continue to dumb down our schools, these may come to be considered the only classes of merit in your high school.

    AP classes go into greater depth and analysis than regular high school classes and you receive college credit for a high score on the AP exams

    The score required for college credit varies from school to school, although colleges are increasingly reluctant to give college credit for test results below a 4.

    Advanced Placement Classes


    CLEP (College Level Examination Program)

    The College Board says this about the CLEP:

    The College-Level Examination Program® or CLEP provides students of any age with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate college courses. There are 2,900 colleges that grant credit and/or advanced standing for CLEP exams.

    “Shorten your path to a college degree — with CLEP!"

    College Board CLEP Site

    Our Information on the CLEP



    DSST EXAMs (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests)

    Almost 100,000 people take this test each year for college credit. You can earn college credit for what you already know.

    From their Web site:

    "The DSST program provides the opportunity for people to earn college credit for what they have learned outside of the traditional classroom. Accepted or administered at over 1,900 colleges and universities nationwide and approved by ACE (American Council on Education), the DSST program enables people to use their knowledge acquired outside the classroom to accomplish their educational and professional goals.

    Made available by Thomson Prometric, the DSST is used by adult education programs, the US Department of Defense, 2- & 4-year colleges as well as corporations and municipalities nationwide.

    To find out more, download forms, take practice tests, locate accepting schools or have DSSTs administered in your school or office, choose the category above that best describes you. Once you choose, you will be connected to endless information on how to get credit for what you already know."

    Visit them to learn more: Get College Credit.


    ELPT

    The ELPT (English Language Proficiency Test) is sometimes required in place of the TOEFL, and the TWE, although the TOEFL is generally the preferred exam.


    Excelsior College Examinations

    Almost 1000 colleges and universities accept the 40 undergraduate-level Excelsior College Examinations. For a preview, free study guide, and test location visit Excelsior College Examinations and if you are in the military, these exams are free.


    GRE - Graduate Records Exam

    The GRE is taken by college students applying to graduate school in subjects not tested by the specialized exams such as the GMAT, CLEP, or others.

    Undergrads wanting to obtain extra college credit for early graduation should look into colleges that accept the GRE as one of the college entrance exams.

  • Our GRE Information Page

  • Official GRE site, learn about it


    THE GMAT - Graduate Management Admissions Test

    Exam taken to qualify for entrance to an MBA (Master of Business Administration) Program at a college or university. Called "B School by those in the know.

  • GMAT Official Site


    Job Ready Assessment Tests

    You can take Job Ready Assessment Tests for college credit in numerous technical and vocational fields. There are 75 of these tests including exams in Accounting, computer programming, and other fields such as construction and welding.

    Check out this site at the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute


    LSAT - Law School Admissions Test

    College Entrance Exam taken by college undergrads, or graduates who plan to apply to law schools.

  • Official LSAT Site

  • Everything about college LSAT info



    MCAT - Medical College Admissions Test

    Exam taken by upper division college students, or those who have graduated, and are planning to apply to medical school.

  • MCAT Official Site

  • MCAT Information


    SAT I Reasoning Test

    Perhaps the best known of the two college entrance exams taken by high school students in preparation for applying to colleges and universities. Administered by the College Board, the exam is given to hundreds of thousands of high school students each year.

    Like the ACT, the SAT I is meant to be an indicator of the skills the student acquired in high school, and to predict performance as a college freshman.

  • SAT, SAT IIs

  • CollegeBoard.com


    SAT II Subject Matter Tests

    The SAT II Subject Matter Tests are college entrance exams required by many private schools and some of the more selective public colleges and universities, in addition to the SAT I or ACT.

    Each test is one hour long and the student has a choice of English, any of several foreign languages, United States History, World History, two levels of math, and several science tests.

    Generally the requirement is two or three tests.

  • SATs, SAT IIs


    TOEFL

    TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language. Required of international students for whom English is not a first language. The exam tests your grasp of English. Some schools will accept you, depending on grades, with the understanding that you will take intensive English as a Second Language courses either before you arrive or after you get here.

    International students are also required to take other college entrance exams, such as the SAT.

    TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language)


    TWE: Many schools require the TWE (Test of Written English) along with the TOEFL.

    TWE: info, Q and A, sign up



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