Are you an undergraduate applicant targeting admission at leading universities abroad? Then, you must comprehend everything about 'what is SAT exam'.
The SAT exam, popularly known as the Scholastic Assessment Test, is a computerized adaptive multiple-choice test designed to evaluate the evidence-based reading and writing skills and mathematical abilities of undergraduate applicants seeking admission to universities worldwide.
Earlier, the SAT exam was conducted in a standard paper-pencil format, but this examination pattern has been discontinued. Starting March 2023, the College Board has introduced the all-new Digital SAT exam, which will be conducted worldwide on a computer or tablet.
If you are curious about the SAT exam full form and nitty-gritties of the SAT, this article is for you!
The SAT is a standardized exam high school students take to strong-arm their undergraduate college applications to top universities abroad. In addition to your high school grades, personal statement, and extracurricular activities, a good SAT score can enhance your chances of securing admittance at leading universities around the globe.
The SAT exam entails multiple choice questions divided into two sections, namely, the Reading and Writing and Math section and is timed for 2 hours and 14 minutes. To be precise, you must complete the Reading and Writing section in 64 minutes and the Math test in 70 minutes.
The SAT is scored within the range of 400 to 1600 points. According to the College Board, 1050 points is considered an average SAT score. Any score above 1350 points is considered competitive and can strengthen your position against thousands of other applicants to top colleges abroad.
In the years leading up to 2022, the SAT exam listed the same questions for all test takers, irrespective of their aptitude. The adaptive nature of the Digital SAT, introduced in March 2023, offers a fresh perspective on evaluating students' abilities with a personalized testing format.
This means the test adapts to the student's skill levels. For instance, if you answer a question correctly, your next question will be comparatively difficult. Conversely, your next question will be easier if you answer a question incorrectly.
SAT is an abbreviated form of the Scholastic Assessment Test. Since its launch, the name of the SAT has been changed several times. In 1926, when the SAT exam came into existence, it was best known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Thereafter, it was referred to as the Scholastic Assessment Test, then the SAT I: Reasoning Test, then the SAT Reasoning Test, and finally, simply the SAT or Scholastic Assessment Test.
The SAT exam is conducted by the College Board in India and 85 other countries seven times a year. Indian students can take the SAT Weekend exam every year in March, May, June, August, October, November, and December. The exam is administered in 139 test centres spread across major metropolitan states in India.
The SAT exam is useful for multifold reasons, as listed below:
SAT exam scores serve the purpose of judging your academic aptitude to understand the university-level program curriculum designed by universities. The SAT exam tests your subject-specific knowledge in mathematics and English writing and reading comprehension skills. These skills provide detailed insights to universities on how comfortably you can adjust to the new educational atmosphere. An excellent way to check your subject knowledge before taking the SAT exam is by taking adaptive diagnostic tests.
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Take Free Adaptive Diagnostic TestsEvery university recommends an average or minimum SAT score that a student must have to seek admission to their campus. Once SAT score reporting is completed for a given session intake, universities can check and filter out students based on their SAT scores.
Even before you apply, the universities have a complied student database eligible to apply for their undergraduate programs. The universities get a broader view of how their upcoming student batch would look like. The universities also invite students to apply for their undergraduate programs based on their SAT score reports.
Once you have qualified or cleared your SAT exam, it is essential to understand the aftermath of applying to your dream university in the USA and Canada. You must go through the following steps after qualifying your SAT exam:
Once your SAT results are out, you can check your scores by visiting the 'Student Score Report' homepage of the official College Board website and logging into your account. Afterwards, you can access your detailed SAT scores, highlighting your sectional test scores. SAT scores are calculated on a 1600-point scale.
The SAT subject tests include two sections, each weighing a maximum score capacity of 800 points and a scoring range of 200-800 points:
After analyzing your scoreboard, you must check the SAT score requirements for the universities you plan to attend. Then, match your scores with the intended universities. Even if your SAT score falls slightly below the required, you may still have a chance to apply to the university, if you have:
So, you need not worry about your low SAT scores, as universities weigh your applications in the combination of all the above-listed factors.
Once you have compared your SAT scores with the minimum SAT requirements of your ideal universities, it is the time to get real in terms of choosing the right-fit program and best-fit university, aligned with your academic and professional goals.
Apart from the SAT scores, you must extensively research about the program intake, admission criteria, application deadlines, curriculum, and fee structure. These parameters will help you plan your university application process in a streamlined manner.
After you have selected your preferred set of universities to which you want to apply, understanding the documentation requirements and college application process holds prime importance. Here is a list of things you need to know about the admissions procedure:
Common App simplifies the application process, as it lets you apply in over 1,000 public and private universities in all the 50 states in the USA, and countries like Canada, etc. Once, you create your account on the Common App, you can upload a set of documents, as listed on the portal.
The best part is that you need not upload a separate set of documents, for each university you are applying to. Instead a common set of documents, like personal information, extracurricular activities, a common application essay, can be used to apply for all the selected universities. However, few universities might require additional essays and documents for completing the application. These requirements can be checked by tapping on the individual university tab present on the left side of the screen.
Not all universities are listed on the Common App. For instance, the UC System, UIUC, GeorgiaTech University, and other universities in the UK, Australia, and Canada, do not follow the Common Application process. Therefore, you might be required to submit a separate application containing a personal statement or statement of purpose or supplementary essays for each university you apply to.
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Enroll for End-to-End Admissions Consulting ProcessThe list of documents needed may differ depending on the university you are applying to, however the following is a general list of documents required for admission to prestigious universities overseas:
After obtaining all the necessary paperwork, all you have to do is applyâeither via the Common App or directly to the respective colleges, as the case may be. Once you have paid the application costs, if any, your application is prepared for submission. You have to wait until 4 to 6 weeks after your file your application, to hear from the most of the universities abroad.
Once, offer letters from different universities, start following into your email, it's time to compare the program curriculum, tuition fee, scholarship options, and career opportunities offered by each university. While making this decision you must consider your future career goals and current financial situation.
Even, if you do not get the best-fit university, aligned to your study and professional goals, because SAT cut-offs were too high, you can plan to re-take your SAT exam. Preparing for the SAT exam after a setback could be tricky; hence, it is advisable to seek professional SAT coaching classes and take SAT practice tests.
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Join Online SAT CoachingNo, the SAT exam alone does not guarantee your admission to universities abroad. The SAT exam is only a standardized assessment tool used by colleges overseas to evaluate your intellectual rigor and ability to comprehend the undergraduate program curriculum. To study overseas, candidates must pass English language proficiency exams like the TOEFL, or, IELTS, or others in addition to the SAT.
The most well-recognized exam of proficiency in English when preparing for a study abroad program in the United States is the TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language. However, IELTS or International English Language Testing System, covers a larger spectrum & is acceptable in majority of countries, including the USA, UK, Australia, & Canada.
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