Standardized Testing for U.S. Institutions
The first, and perhaps most important point, is that not all U.S. institutions require standardized tests as part of their admissions process. In fact, the New York Times estimates that more than one quarter of U.S. institutions are now test optional. The Fair Test website (PDF) maintains a list of institutions that do not emphasize ACT/SAT scores in the admissions process.
Which test to take - ACT or SAT?
For U.S. institutions that do require standardized tests, it is important to note that they all accept either the ACT or the SAT equally. No institution requires a student to take both tests, and they do not give preference to one test over another. For this reason, students should familiarize themselves with both tests and focus on the one that they are most comfortable with. For more information on choosing between the ACT and the SAT you can visit the ArborBridge and US News websites.
In some cases, an institution will require that students submit SAT and SAT Subject Test scores. This is especially true for highly selective institutions. These must be taken on separate dates, thus increasing the number of testing days students must plan for. For this reason, the ACT may be a better option, as many institutions will accept an ACT score in lieu of SAT/SAT Subject Test scores, thereby reducing the number of Saturdays spent taking standardized tests. Compass Test Prep maintains an up-to-date list of institutions that require SAT Subject Tests, including which institutions accept the ACT as an alternative.
In some cases, an institution will require that students submit SAT and SAT Subject Test scores. This is especially true for highly selective institutions. These must be taken on separate dates, thus increasing the number of testing days students must plan for. For this reason, the ACT may be a better option, as many institutions will accept an ACT score in lieu of SAT/SAT Subject Test scores, thereby reducing the number of Saturdays spent taking standardized tests. Compass Test Prep maintains an up-to-date list of institutions that require SAT Subject Tests, including which institutions accept the ACT as an alternative.
When to take the ACT/SAT
When to take the ACT/SAT is an important question. If possible, we would recommend that students have all of their testing completed by the end of the grade 11 school year, as this will allow them to focus more fully on the application process in the fall of grade 12. The link below can help students decide on the best testing timeline for them.
How to register for the ACT/SAT
All ACT/SAT registration is done online directly through the ACT Student website (School Code: 734315) and/or the College Board website (ISD Test Centre: 57655; School Code: 734315). ISD is an open test centre for the SAT, meaning that non-ISD students are welcome to register and sit this test on our campus. Please note that ISD is no longer an ACT test centre as of June 2018 as we are not able to offer the new ACT computer-based testing that begins in August 2018.
Preparing for the ACT/SAT
Khan Academy, the official College Board SAT test preparation partner, offers free online test preparation resources. For students who are preparing to take the ACT, please refer to the recommended test preparation resources from their website.
To help students prepare for the ACT/SAT, ISD offers a test preparation course on campus every year in the Spring. Academic Services International, our test preparation partner, focuses on helping students understand how to take the test. In four days spread over two weekends, students receive 22 hours of class time learning the ASI test-taking method, which includes detailed instruction in understanding the repetitive nature of the question structure and which clues to look for that lead to the correct answers in the least amount of time. The Spring 2019 course is planned for Feb. 16/17 & 23/24. Please follow this link to the registration package.
For any and all questions relating to standardized testing, please contact the appropriate counsellor - Mr. Layman (last names A-I), Mrs. Mika (last names J-R) or Dr. Reiss (last names S-Z).
To help students prepare for the ACT/SAT, ISD offers a test preparation course on campus every year in the Spring. Academic Services International, our test preparation partner, focuses on helping students understand how to take the test. In four days spread over two weekends, students receive 22 hours of class time learning the ASI test-taking method, which includes detailed instruction in understanding the repetitive nature of the question structure and which clues to look for that lead to the correct answers in the least amount of time. The Spring 2019 course is planned for Feb. 16/17 & 23/24. Please follow this link to the registration package.
For any and all questions relating to standardized testing, please contact the appropriate counsellor - Mr. Layman (last names A-I), Mrs. Mika (last names J-R) or Dr. Reiss (last names S-Z).