Since the United States has no national educational standards, a B in a private, upstate New York school can mean one thing and a B in a rural Mississippi public school can mean another. In fact, a B from Teacher Smith in your high school can mean something entirely different from a B in Teacher Jones’s class down the hall. That’s why many colleges and universities don’t rely solely on GPA and class rank in the admissions process, adding ACT or SAT test scores to the mix. Educators believe these scores reflect not only what you have learned, but also how hard you work and your potential for doing well—or not—in college.

The ACT—or A-C-T—and the new SAT—or S-A-T—are the two national achievement tests colleges uniformly consider in admissions decisions. In fact, most schools don’t care which one you take. These tests are aligned with your course work and curriculum, measuring how much you have learned in school. Neither is an aptitude or intelligence test.

The SAT was developed by the Educational Testing Service for the College Board, a nonprofit association of schools, colleges, universities, and educational organizations. The College Board is located in Princeton, New Jersey. Originally, SAT stood for Scholastic Aptitude Test, but now only the letters are officially used. Effective March 2005, the College Board will replace the old SAT I with the new SAT.

The ACT (American College Testing Program) Assessment was developed by the ACT, an independent, not-for-profit organization in Iowa City, Iowa, governed by educators.

About the ACT

- The ACT has four components: English, reading, mathematics, and science, with 215 multiple-choice questions. A new, optional 30-minute writing test measures the skills taught in high school and expected of students entering first-year college composition courses. Some colleges require the writing test results for admissions and/or course placement purposes, so whether you take the test will be based on the colleges you consider.

- The ACT takes 2 hours and 55 minutes; add 30 minutes if you’re taking the new writing section.

- Individual scores for each ACT area range from 1 to 36; these scores are averaged into a composite score. If you choose to take the writing test, that score is combined with your English test score. The highest you can score is 36. You’ll also receive a writing test subscore and feedback on your essay.

- ACT scores are mailed within four weeks. Scores are available earlier on the Web for an $8 fee.

- For more details regarding the ACT Assessment, go to www.act.org.

About the SAT

- The SAT has three components: math, critical reading, and writing. An experimental section does not count toward your score. The math section includes Algebra II concepts, as well as functions, more geometry, data analysis, and statistics; quantitative comparisons have been eliminated. The critical reading section focuses on reading comprehension and includes both short and long reading passages; analogies have been eliminated. The writing section includes an essay and multiple-choice grammar questions.

- The SAT takes 3 hours and 30 minutes.

- The SAT is scored 200 to 800 writing, 200 to 800 math, and 200 to 800 critical reading. The highest you can score is 2400.

- SAT scores are mailed within three weeks. You can get your scores earlier on the Web or by phone, although there is an additional $8 fee if you go the phone route.

- For more details regarding the SAT, go to www.collegeboard.com.

How to Prepare Yourself for Test Day

- Learn the format and directions ahead of time.

- Remember some basic pointers: all questions are worth the same; it doesn’t matter how you get the answer but rather that you get it; the right answer to a multiple-choice question is already in front of you.

- Take practice tests, including timed practice tests, to give yourself a basic understanding of content, to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, and so that you can acquire a sense of the necessary pacing. Plus, you’ll see what it feels like to take a really long test.

- Get a good night’s sleep prior to test day.

- That morning, eat a breakfast that will provide enough energy for 3 or 31⁄2 hours of intense concentration.

- Dress comfortably and in layers so you’ll be okay no matter what the temperature of the testing room.

- If you’re registered for a national test center, bring your admission ticket.

- Bring identification, three sharpened soft-lead No. 2 pencils with good erasers, a wristwatch to pace yourself, and a calculator.

- If you aren’t familiar with the test center location, leave early. Better yet, take a test run sometime.

Five Key Mistakes to Avoid

1. Spending too much time on a difficult question. Each question is worth the same number of points, so answer all the easy questions first, then come back to the harder questions.

2. Not guessing. You do not get penalized for wrong answers. If you don’t know an answer, guess intelligently. Leaving a question blank costs as many points as guessing incorrectly.

3. Trying to identify the right answer first. The test is multiple-choice. You can logically eliminate incorrect answers, then make an educated best guess about the remaining options.

4. Making careless mistakes. True, this is a timed test, but you still need to read thoroughly and carefully. And if you must erase, erase thoroughly.

5. Spending too much time on a few problems. Pace yourself, using the watch you have on. You’ll also be told when there are five minutes remaining.