2. Basics
Meet with your counselor to create a testing plan
When in doubt, ask your college counselor
It is the students’ responsibility to be aware of each
school specific requirement
3. SAT Reasoning Test
What?
∗ Critical Reading, Math, Writing
∗ 2400 is the highest score possible
Who?
∗ Students applying to US & Asia and
∗ Students without IB Diploma
When?
∗ Last chance for the current SAT: January 23rd
∗ Redesigned SAT May 7th
How?
∗ Register at www.collegeboard.org
Where?
∗ ISM ☺ Test Center: 74905 (confidential)
4. Changes from SAT to Redesigned SAT
SAT
Three sections:
Math
Critical Reading
Writing
Scoring 600-2400
¼ a point loss for wrong
answer
Required Essay
Aptitude test, testing reasoning
and verbal abilities
Obscure word without context
Redesigned SAT
Two Sections:
Math
Evidence Based Reading and
Writing
Scoring 400-1600
No Penalty for guessing
Optional Essay
Curriculum based learning
Less obscure words (more
contextual analysis)
More advanced math
Math without Calculator section
5. But what if the SAT is not my best friend?
∗ FAIRTEST.ORG
∗ SAT Optional:
∗ ex. NYU, but need predicted IB Scores
∗ SAT Flexible:
∗ ex. Middlebury, 3 subject tests in place of SAT
Reasoning Test
6. SAT Score Choice
College Board and ACT allows you to choose
which scores you submit from specific test
dates.
∗ But what if a college requires all test scores?
∗ The College Board says they are your scores
∗ Colleges will require you to sign a statement saying
you have submitted all scores
∗ College board does not report if you use Score
Choice
∗ Using score choice typically does not make you a
better applicant
7. SAT Subject Tests
∗ What?
∗ 1 hour exams in English Literature, History, Languages,
Math, Sciences
∗ Who?
∗ Generally those who are applying to selective US colleges
∗ How Many?
∗ You can take up to 3 in one sitting
∗ 2 is often required
∗ Ex. Georgetown & Johns Hopkins recommend 3
∗ When?
∗ Cannot take them on the same test date as the SAT
Reasoning
∗ Language with Listening (preferred) is offered only in
November
∗ Recommended in May/June JUNIOR year
8. Advice for Subject Tests
Study – you can learn the material for them
What is a good score?
700 + is competitive at the most selective colleges
What if it’s not required?
If you can score well, it can help your application
Take what you can score well on, but not too many.
Score choice can be used on individual exams within a
single test date
It is not recommended to take a language subject test in
your first language.
9. ACT
∗ What?
∗ College admission exam similar to the SAT, includes a
science section
∗ Who?
∗ Students applying to US universities
∗ Why?
∗ Many US colleges will accept the ACT in lieu of the entire
SAT Reasoning and two SAT Subject Test requirement
∗ When and Where?
∗ Five times per year at ISM
∗ Coming up: December (NOV 6th Deadline), April & June
∗ How?
∗ Register at www.actstudent.org
10. TOEFL
∗ What?
∗ Test Of English as a Foreign Language
∗ Who?
∗ Passport holders of non-English speaking countries
(including the Philippines) are often expected to submit a
TOEFL score
∗ Where and When?
∗ Offered several times per month at various locations in
Manila – but not at ISM
∗ If possible take TOEFL before senior year begins
∗ How?
∗ Register at www.ets.org/toefl
11. Potential TOEFL Exemptions
∗ Check individual college requirements
∗ 650 on SAT Critical Reading
∗ English A HL (sometimes with a prediction of 5+)
∗ Entirety of high school education in a Western
nation accredited school with instruction in
English (similar to ISM)
12. IELTS
International English Language Testing System
Offered about 3x a month in Manila
Take if you are going to a school in the UK
UK will not issue a Tier Four visa without an
IELTS
13. IB
∗ Full Diploma generally required in Europe
and Australia
∗ Full Diploma students are exempted from
the SAT requirement in Canada and at
some Asian universities
∗ ISM reports predicted scores for all IB
Diploma candidates
∗ All university offers are conditional
∗ UK and Australia set strict IB score conditions
∗ North American universities expect you to
achieve close to your predictions
14. Advanced Placement
∗ Myth: US colleges prefer AP to IB
∗ ISM only offers AP US History
∗ US colleges do not expect ISM students to submit AP scores,
unless the student has taken AP US History
∗ ISM courses do not line up with AP course material
∗ AP exams are offered at ISM for a wide scope of subjects
∗ If taken in junior year, you can submit AP scores as part of
your application to US colleges
∗ Please don’t sacrifice grades and health by studying for a
bunch of AP exams
15. Generic Timeline
Junior Year:
∗ November-February: Take SAT/ACT for
first time
∗ February-May: If needed take SAT/ACT
again
∗ TOEFL: Junior Year
∗ June: SAT subject test
Senior Year:
∗ Last time for the SAT/ACT
16. An Additional thought
Junior Year Transcripts are important.
Find a balance between testing and school work.
17. SAT 2015-2016
Test Date Registration Deadline Results Online
December 5 November 5 December 22
January 23 December 28 February 11
May 7 (REDESIGNED) April 8 Mid June
June 4 May 5 Mid July
ACT 2015-2016
Test Date Registration Deadline Results online
December 12 November 6 December 22-Feb 5
April 9 March 4 April 19-June 3
June 11 May 6 June 21-August 5
18. Additional Resources
College Board Sample Questions
College Board: SAT Suite of Assessments
New York Time: Everything you need to know about
the New SAT
