if applying to college isn’t confusing enough (and believe me, it’s a maze!), applying to schools internationally can be even more demanding. between asking teachers to write recommendation letters and navigating the documents you need to include in your applications, you also have to find time to study for and take the sat and/or act!

for students applying to international schools, it can be difficult to figure out what you need to include in your application. do international students need the sat? what about us students applying abroad? luckily, magoosh is here to answer all your american and canadian sat questions!

testing internationally

the sat is a standardized exam intended to measure students’ college readiness in a fair way across all fifty states. though us students applying to college come from a variety of educational backgrounds, whether graduating from public, private, parochial, or home school, the sat is supposed to help even the playing field for college admissions. though submitting sat scores is the norm for colleges and universities across the united states, canada does not have a counterpart to the sat. few, if any, canadian universities ask canadian applicants for sat scores.

canada → us

if you are a us high school student concerned about sending sat scores to a canadian institution, feel free to skip down to sending sat scores to canada.

if you’re a canadian student applying to colleges and universities in the us, you’ll usually need to submit sat scores with your applications, just like us students do. of course, individual institutions vary in what they require for admission, so you’ll want to check on the requirements for your target schools. as a general rule, though, universities in the us rely on the sat (or act!) as part of student applications.

taking the sat in canada

if the school you are interested in requires sat scores, your next step is studying for the sat and finding a location that administers the test. since you’re already at magoosh, you’re on a great track for studying! magoosh offers practice exams, study aids, and plenty of blog posts with tips for all sections of the sat.

locations

in the us, many high schools serve as sat locations every weekend that the sat is offered. while the average canadian student may have to travel farther to take the sat than a us student would, it’s not impossible to find sat testing centers in canada. college board’s sat location finder breaks down your search for canadian testing centers by provinces and territories. sat subject tests are generally offered in canada, but locations may vary.

test dates

the sat is usually offered 6 times throughout the year in canada, but the sat is not offered internationally in march, so keep that in mind as you plan your college applications. while the registration deadlines are not any earlier than us registration deadlines–about one month before the test date–it is important to remember that internationally administered sats don’t allow late registration. make sure you sign up on time!

fees

lastly, taking the sat internationally means you will be charged an additional fee. the current cost of the sat is $45 without the essay, and $57 with the essay. students in canada are required to pay an additional $35 regional fee, making the sat $80 (usd) without the essay, and $92 with the essay. of course, sat fees can change, so make sure you stay up to date by checking college board’s website.

sending sat scores to canada

though canadian schools do not generally require the sat, some canadian colleges might expect american students to submit sat scores. since american high school graduates obtained a differently standardized education, canadian universities often want to see a more standard measurement of student ability than gpa. you’ll need to check with the individual canadian institutions you plan to apply with to find out whether or not an sat or act score is required.

if you are not graduating from a us high school, it is unlikely but possible that your canadian school of choice will want to see sat scores. some canadian schools may ask you to take a language proficiency exam, or other college readiness test.

lastly, even though the sat is most commonly used in the united states, it is recognized internationally. universities that do not require you to submit sat scores with your application materials might not even look at your scores, but you can send them. colleges and universities all over the world are registered with college board, so you are able to select even international institutions as recipients of your score report. just make sure you use college board’s assigned school code.

happy testing!

the post sat test in canada appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

step in time!

proctors help the sat run smoothly and fairly by administering the test according to strict college board standards. test administration involves reading an sat-supplied script, but if you’ve taken the sat before, you know that the proctor does so much more. keeping track of time is one of the most important tasks the proctor manages on sat saturday, and an efficient proctor can make a huge difference in your test taking experience.

since proctors control how much time you spend on each section of the sat, plus how long you get for breaks, proctor performance is loosely correlated to your score. if your proctor accidentally gave your room too much or too little time for a section, especially if you’re running close on time, that just might affect your score. though college board provides very specific instructions for how long scheduled breaks should last, there’s always the chance that human error might shave some time off of, or add a few moments to, your breaks.
 
most proctors won’t have any issues with timing, but within each room, proctor style varies. some proctors choose to call out warning times (“you have five minutes remaining!”) while others stay quiet to let students focus until “pencils down!” unfortunately, whichever style you prefer, you won’t get to choose, so it’s best to be prepared for any proctor.

stick to the script

of course, though proctor style varies, the sat works hard to ensure standardization by giving each proctor the same script. if you’ve taken standardized tests before, you can probably recite the script yourself! it’s pretty monotonous and well, boring, but nobody ever said the sat was trying to win an oscar for drama. a big part of the proctor’s job of keeping the sat fair is to stick to the script so that all students across the nation are given the same instructions, and same fair opportunity to take the test.
 
if you’ve ever heard any sat horror stories, you might know that some proctors don’t always stick to the script, which is absolutely uncool. the best way to know whether the proctor is properly following instructions is to know the instructions yourself! that’s just one reason practice sat tests can be so helpful. check out these magoosh blogs to brush up on sat sections, timing, and rules so you know exactly what to listen for on test day. if you realize that your proctor is giving out incorrect information or misreading the instructions, you can let college board know!

proctor to the rescue

aside from managing time and delivering instructions, proctors also guard against cheating and ensure fairness by checking and distributing test materials like pencils and calculators, and of course, keeping an eye open for old fashioned cheating. even before the test begins, proctors are entrusted with exam booklets and answer sheets to make sure the tests are secure. most proctors have administered tests many times and are well practiced in catching cheaters. the proctor is the guardian for your sat!
 

extra steps

since proctors aren’t superhuman, mistakes sometimes happen. make sure you are prepared for your test day the best you can!

• proctors can write down the wrong time on the board, give longer or shorter breaks than required by college board, or forget to call out remaining time. bring your own watch to keep time–they can make time mistakes and if you notice an error, speak up!
• if you should forget a pencil or yours breaks, proctors usually have extras on hand. but it’s better to bring plenty of backup for yourself!
• if you realize your proctor is not following instructions properly, let a supervisor and the college board know.

dr. proctor

proctoring is an important job, but it’s not exactly glamorous. your test proctor seems like a small factor but can make all the difference in a comfortable test taking experience. fortunately — or unfortunately, depending on how well you get along with your teachers — proctors are often your everyday faculty members. you might even end up in a classroom with your favorite english teacher! even though test proctors seem like they belong to a super exclusive club of your favorite teachers, librarians, and school administrators, they’re just regular folks!

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okay, but what is the sat question and answer service?

if you’re still feeling a bit lost, let me back up and explain: test makers are required by law to provide students with copies of their exams whenever possible. (but, that doesn’t mean test makers can’t charge a fee for those old exams!) to comply with these “truth in testing” laws, the act offers a test information release service, and the sat offers a question and answer service and a student answer service. the act’s test information release service is explained in depth here, but read on to learn about the sat’s answer verification service.

question and answer service

the question and answer service provides more information than the student answer service. when you order the qas, the college board sends you a full booklet copy of the sat questions you answered. unfortunately, this is a fresh copy, not a photocopy of your own test, so you won’t be able to see your work on math questions or any notes you took on a reading passage. however, seeing the questions you answered is still a pretty useful tool! along with the clean test booklet, you’ll also get an explanation of the type and difficulty levels of the questions you answered, and a report that includes your answers and the correct answers.

student answer service

the student answer service, by contrast, doesn’t include the test booklet or the actual questions you took on the sat. in fact, the sas doesn’t even provide the answers to test questions–it only tells you whether you were right or wrong. college board only allows test takers to order the qas when they are ready to release those questions. that’s why the sas is offered for more test dates than the qas. with sas, you receive a list of the types of questions you had, each question’s difficulty level, and you’ll find out whether your answer to each question was correct, incorrect, or skipped.

so, what can i do with this information?

the qas definitely has the advantage over the sas, because you have access to the exact questions you answered. similar to a practice sat, you can study both the questions and the corresponding correct answers. additionally, since you can see your test day answers, you can see exactly which questions you got right and wrong, giving you a clear map of any problem areas. since the sas doesn’t include the test booklet, you can’t review each question with the correct answer, but you’ll still be able to see which types of questions you do better or worse on. whichever verification service you end up using, you can still review types of questions alongside your scored responses. and that’s where both the qas and sas can be very helpful for you, if you’re planning to retake the sat.

are these verification services basically study guides?

not technically. college board is pretty clear that verification services are not study guides or test prep tools. but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t review your answers to find out areas where you could do better next time. it’s a great idea to find out the question types that you consistently answered incorrectly and use that information to devote some extra study time to boosting your skills in those areas. if you know you’re definitely planning to retake the test, then ordering qas or sas is a great idea, providing you with personalized data to guide your second round of test prep.

but wait! there’s more!

here’s the catch: for many test dates, both options are not available…meaning you can only order whichever verification service is available for your test date. some test dates do have both qas and sas available, but it’s very tricky to keep track. if you think you might take advantage of either of these services, you’ll definitely want to check out this chart, copied directly from the verification order form.
 

 
also critical to keep in mind is verification service delivery dates. plan ahead: you may not receive your qas/sas until after the next test date!
 
of course, since qas offers more information, it also costs a few more dollars than sas. currently, qas costs $18, which sas costs $13.50. (always check sat’s website for the most updates rates & dates!)
 
just to recap, the sat’s answer verification service is not an official test prep guide, but is defintiely a great way to review before you retake the sat. as always, happy studying!

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getting to know the act

you’ll ping back and forth from english to math, reading to science, with the optional essay at the very end. many students find this refreshing: whatever your strength, you’ll be able to build up your confidence in the sections you prefer, as different subject areas are spaced throughout the act. the act is nearly 3 hours long (not including breaks or the optional essay), but the longest single section is math, clocking in at 60 minutes. english, reading, and science are all a bit shorter, giving you time to recover and catch your breath between sections. because these main sections of the act are always in the same order, you can walk into the test with total confidence!

section 1: english

the breakdown:

• 75 questions
• 45 minutes
• 5 passages

the act english section can feel a bit like a marathon, with 5 back-to-back passages. but, when you break it down, you have 9 minutes per passage and question set. each passage on the english test includes 15 questions, presented as underlined sentences and phrases throughout the passage. this means that context is important! pay attention to how each sentence fits in with the others around it. underlined sentences on the english section are divided fairly evenly between mechanical (punctuation, grammar) and rhetorical (organization, style) questions, so be prepared for a variety of question types.

section 2: math

the breakdown:

• 60 questions
• 60 minutes

made up of multiple choice questions, the math section of the act covers algebra, geometry, and some trigonometry. luckily for you, magoosh has a jackpot of act math advice as you prepare your act study guide! on the act math section, you’ll notice that you have approximately one minute per question. some questions will definitely take longer than 60 seconds to solve, but before you hyperventilate, remember that you can solve plenty of questions in under 60 seconds. get lots of practice (and time yourself!) and you should be just fine. a final note about math: remember that your calculator is a tool to help you solve some problems, but don’t waste your time using your calculator on every single question!

section 3: reading

the breakdown:

• 40 questions
• 35 minutes
• 4 passages

passages on the act reading section break down to 10 questions each, with just under 9 minutes to complete each passage and question set. to be completely honest, that is not a lot of time to read each passage and question thoroughly. you’ll definitely want to practice your act reading strategy. question types on the act reading include the classic purpose, tone, theme, and vocabulary.
fortunately for you, the four passages on the act reading section are always the same four topics, in the same order, every time. though you can expect to find prose fiction, social science, humanities, and natural science in that order on the test, you don’t actually have to read the passages in that order. feel free to read these passages in whatever order is most comfortable to you.

section 4: science

the breakdown:

• 40 questions
• 35 minutes

the great thing about the act science section is that you aren’t expected to memorize a ton of scientific facts. instead, you are being tested on your ability to analyze information presented on the test. that means reading is actually key to act science. many students get freaked out by act science, but familiarizing yourself with act science style, question types, and graphs will prove incredibly helpful. the science section also features quite a lot of math, but remember that this section tests you on science skills: the math here is easier than the math section. at a little over a minute per question, you have a bit more time to figure your answers than on the math section, but you’ll still need to maintain a good pace to get through the science section.

optional essay

the breakdown:

• 1 prompt
• 3 perspectives
• 40 minutes

if you haven’t decided yet whether you plan to take the optional writing portion, definitely check out this video to help you weigh pros and cons. the essay will always have the same basic prompt, though the specific subject you are writing about will change. the act essay asks you to evaluate three perspectives, analyze them, and state and develop your own perspective as it relates to those given. as you are writing, keep in mind the four scoring areas on the rubric: 1) ideas and analysis, 2) development and support, 3) organization, and 4) language use and conventions.

that’s all, folks!

and that’s the act! i know this outline made it seem like a breeze. and with magoosh’s study guides, practice quizzes, and blogs, i know studying for the act will be a breeze! as always, good luck and happy studying!

the post act test outline appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

why use the sat?

in order to catch students and begin providing support earlier, parents and schools often choose to test younger students. although elementary age students might take a different set of tests, middle school students are likely to be administered an sat as part of their gifted and talented assessment. for schools, offering the sat is familiar and easy, since the sat is so widespread already. for students, taking the sat provides a fairly straightforward comparison to other students, again because the sat is pretty standard across us schools.

gifted and talented testing often includes a range of exams and assessments, including both achievement and ability tests. achievement tests, like the sat, try to assess what students already know…what students have achieved so far in school. theoretically, the results will show parents and educators whether the test taker is more academically advanced than other students at the same grade level. generally, academic achievement tests need to have a high “ceiling”–in other words, the test shouldn’t limit the test-taker’s ability to show how much he or she knows. since the sat is designed for high school juniors and seniors, that creates a pretty high ceiling for middle school students taking the exam. for gifted and talented testing, the point isn’t just getting the highest score possible. remember, these are 6th grade kids taking a test designed to show college readiness! the purpose of the sat scores in gifted and talented testing is to help educators and parents see the student’s strengths and weaknesses laid out clearly in data.

registering as a non-high school student

since the sat is designed for upper level high school students, it can be a bit more of a process to register if you’re younger! but, it’s not impossible. students outside of the typical grade and age range for the sat will just need to follow a different set of guidelines.

if you’re a student below the age of 13, or a parent registering your child who is below the age 13, you’ll need to register by mail. registering by mail isn’t difficult, but you do need to make sure you gather all materials before you send off your registration!

1. get a registration form from your school’s guidance counselor.
2. you’ll also want to ask your counselor about which sat codesyou need. these codes tell college board which testing center or school you took the test at, and where you need your scores sent.
3. most registering students need to include a photo, but if you’re below 8th grade, you don’t need to include a photo with your registration packet. but, you will still need a photo id on test day!
4. make sure your packet is postmarked by the same deadlines for online registration in order to avoid late fees or denied entry!

check out this handy guide for more mail registration tips!

registering with a talent search organization

of course, if you’re registering through a talent search program, such as the center for talented youth or talent identification program, you’ll have a few more hoops to jump through.

if you’re below eighth grade and taking the sat as part of a talent search program, your talent search program id works in place of a photo id on test day.

if you’re taking the sat as part of one of these talent searches, you need to turn in extra documentation to college board, which can be different for each talent search program. some talent programs require you to register for the sat with their own special registration forms, or pay additional testing fees. make sure you check out the specific details for each talent search program on their website. these programs try to make registering for the sat and other exams as seamless as possible, but you’ll need to make sure to follow specific program requirements as well.

• northwestern university — midwest academic talent search (numats)
• university of iowa — belin-blank exceptional student talent search (bests)*
• johns hopkins university — center for talented youth
• duke university — talent identification program (tip)

preparing to take the sat

of course, registering for the sat is just the beginning! as you prepare to take the exam, magoosh offers support every step of the way. create study timelines, find out what you need to bring on the day of the test, and how to ace every subject area!

 
*while bests offered sat as part of their talent search program, they currently only offer act for students in 7-9 grade.

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if you’re a new yorker, you might have noticed by now that february act dates are always accompanied by a frustrating little asterisk and a footnote.
 

 
it turns out, the suspiciously absent february act isn’t just a result of a blood feud between new yorkers and exams, or even an extreme aversion to getting out in the cold on an early saturday morning. (though that second one might be true anyway!) no, the real reason empire state doesn’t have an act in february goes way back to a little law called “truth in testing,” passed in 1979.

 
back in the 70s, new york lawmakers decided that students should be able to see their actual test responses and answers, instead of just a number score. after a couple students discovered errors on the sat (yikes!), lawmakers decided that students deserved more transparency from testmakers, and passed the standardized testing act as part of the admissions testing law in july 1979. the law is popularly called the “truth in testing” law. now, ever since january 1980, when the law officially went into effect, new york students must be allowed to see copies of their actual tests and the correct answers.

so what do answer sheets and copies of tests have to do with exam dates?

here’s where our story gets really weird! not all act test dates are eligible for students to request copies of their tests, but the act must offer copies of exams for a certain number of exam dates. currently, the act only offers answer releases for three saturday exams (december, april, and june) and two non-saturday exams, but it’s widely speculated that the act does not offer a february exam in new york to avoid releasing answers to another test. to make matters even weirder, this new york law gave an exception to the sat, which is only required to offer answer releases to four tests instead of the five answer release dates that the act offers.

i’m not from new york…who cares about a state law?

testing was pretty different before this 1979 new york law, and even though truth in testing is a state law, it has affected standardized college entrance testing nationwide. since truth in testing required new york students be able to request access to their tests and answers, college board began administering fewer tests in a school year. if every exam must be able to be released to students afterwards, testmakers would have to write a lot more questions!
 
although the law allowed students to request copies of their own test for a fee, college board took advantage of the legislature and began selling old versions of the test in book form in the 80s. (check out the book cover from 1988 below!) of course, the act also offers real tests in a study book for students.

perhaps the biggest effect the truth in testing law had on national exams, even outside new york state borders, was that both the act and sat now provide test questions and answers afterwards to students who request that information. the act calls this service test information release (tir), and the sat offers question and answer service (qas). whether you choose to take advantage of those services for a fee, you have that opportunity thanks to new york legislature! so while the rest of us are braving the february cold to take the act, new yorkers bundled up at home on a saturday morning. if you live in new york, you just need to be extra careful when planning your test dates!

the post why isn’t there a february act in new york? appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

do i need to sign up for the standby waitlist?

first of all, you don’t actually need to start panicking! you might feel freaked out if you realize that you missed the deadline to register for this important test, but chances are, you might be able to get in. for students who forgot to sign up for the sat on time, or might not have realized they needed to take the sat on a particular date, college board offers a waitlist status.
 
especially with the summer approaching, when fewer test dates are offered, this might be your last chance to retake the sat unless you can wait until fall. or, if you really need to take the satright now to stay on track with college applications, then requesting waitlist status is exactly what you need!
 
basically, being on the waitlist for the sat means you have a special ticket that doesn’t automatically guarantee you a seat and test. after all other students are checked in, if there is extra room and materials, you might be able to take the sat.
 
but, keep in mind that you cannot request waitlist status if you are making up a rescheduled test, and you probably won’t be able to get special testing formats or extra time. you may be able to get the 50% time extension, if you have your eligibility approval letter, but even with your letter, time accommodations may not be available as a waitlist test taker. unfortunately, if you need special testing accommodations, requesting waitlist status isn’t the best idea.

how do i request waitlist status?

if you’ve decided that you really need to take an upcoming sat instead of waiting for a later sat, you can request to be waitlisted for the next sat testing date. however, even the waitlist for the sat has a deadline. you can only request the waitlist for the sat up to five days before the test.
 
to request waitlist status, create a college board student account or log in. fill out all the required information online, including a current photo of yourself, and make sure to submit payment. you’ll have to pay for both the sat and the current $46.00 waitlist fee. since the combined sat registration and waitlist fees are pretty hefty, only go for the waitlist option if it is really necessary!

do waitlisted students actually get in?

on the day of the sat, you’ll bring your photo id and other necessary items (pencils, water bottle…) just like you would with a regular registration. but, you’ll bring the waitlist ticket instead of a normal admission ticket, of course. you have to print out your waitlist ticket, and you have to go to the testing center you registered for! if you show up on the wrong date or with a ticket for the wrong location, you won’t be able to take the sat.
 
since waitlist test takers are allowed inside on a first-come, first-serve basis, you still might not get in. it’s up to the testing center supervisor whether or not you’ll be admitted, and there are no guarantees with a waitlist ticket. even if there are extra seats and tests, if there are more waitlisted students than tests, someone else might get in ahead of you. if you don’t get in, your waitlist ticket won’t apply to any other test dates. luckily, the $46 waitlist fee is only charged if you are able to get in on test day.

other waitlist tips

• don’t request waitlist status if you can easily take the sat on the next available date.
• you won’t be able to get the waitlist fee waived.
• if you’re older than 21, you won’t be able to get waitlist status.
• if you need to take the sat language with listening subject tests, you won’t be able to use the waitlist option.
• if you need to take the sat on a sunday, you can request waitlist status only if you have already taken the sat on a sunday and you are retaking the sat.

the post sat testing waitlist appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

the same goes for pens. to be safe, always use a good old no. 2 pencil. make sure it has a good eraser, too!

why no. 2, though? would using a mechanical pencil really make that much of a difference?

yes. the short answer is that you can’t use a mechanical pencil on the sat or act because answer sheet scanners are specifically calibrated to detect the marks made by a no. 2 pencil and mechanical pencils are not always regulated as no. 2. in addition, they are thin and prone to breaking, which means your marks may not be as readable as the thicker, darker marks you can achieve with an old-school number 2 pencil. the sat and act scoring machines need to process score sheets fast, which means any variation might delay the process. so take their word for it and use a wooden #2.

but the long answer is far more interesting….

“number one pencils exist?!” i asked my friend crystal with confusion. she had just failed an exam because she used a number 1 pencil to fill in the bubbles. it turns out, there are actually a whole scale of different pencil types, though many of us are only familiar with the trusty yellow no. 2.

a whole new world…of pencils

all of you artists are familiar with the wide range of pencils, both graphite and charcoal, that are best for different kinds of sketching and drawing. but for the rest of us, it might be a surprise that there are more kinds of pencils than just yellow, hello kitty, or random logo from your mom’s office.

photo by pencils.com

all of these many different pencil numbers (and letters!) have varying degrees of darkness and hardness when they mark on paper. pencils are made with graphite mixed with a little clay to hold the graphite together. with less clay mixed in, the graphite tube in the center of the pencil is much softer…which means that the mark is darker, but also smudgy. adding more clay to the blend makes the pencil harder. a harder pencil can be sharpened to a finer point, but because there is less graphite in the graphite-clay blend, the pencil makes a much lighter mark on the page.

the perfect balance

so, i present to you the no. 2 pencil: the perfect balance between dark enough graphite and hard enough clay. but what’s the problem with mechanical pencils? “my mechanical pencils do use no. 2 graphite!” you might be shouting in my general direction. first of all, it’s often much harder to figure out whether or not the graphite in a mechanical pencil is actually no. 2. many mechanical pencils don’t include any kind of identification.

however, even those mechanical pencils that claim to use no. 2 arrive in those very thin, easily breakable cylinder shapes. the never-dull, constantly sharp fine point that makes mechanical pencils so appealing, also make mechanical pencils more prone to breaking. but more importantly, they actually cause you to take longer filling in bubbles on an answer sheet! in fact, even regular wooden pencils are best for scantron sheets when they are just slightly dull. slightly dull pencils make a wider mark on paper, allowing you to fill in bubble much more quickly than with a thin line. even if mechanical pencils were allowed for use on the sat and act, you’ll actually save yourself some precious time on the sat or act by using a regular pencil instead of a mechanical pencil!

the scientific method

in order for your sat and act scores to mean anything to college and university admissions, they must be comparable to other students’ scores. so, for the sat and act to make sure they provide a fair and accurate testing process, they need to control as many variables as possible. those variables include dates, time, and even materials! everyone takes the test on the same test day, gets the same amount of time for each section, and uses the same test booklets and answer sheets…and pencils. in order to ensure the best accuracy, test proctors are trained to look specifically for things like mechanical pencils and ask you to put them away before the start of the test.

most answer sheet scanners are specifically calibrated to detect the marks made by a no. 2 pencil. since the sat and act must grade so many answer sheets, the machines they use need to be as fast as possible. one way of ensuring speed is to use the exact same tools for every single exam. plus, if the sat and act are only grading the exact same size and weight of paper with the exact same kind of marks, it is much less likely that misreading errors will occur, and accuracy is an even more critical factor than speed!

pencils down!

“but i bet i can get away with it!” you might be protesting. you might have heard rumors of test takers using other grade pencils, mechanical pencils, pens, or even colored pencils, with no errors. while other tools miiiight slide through undetected and still produce some correct answers, it’s an unnecessary risk you don’t need to worry about.

using anything other than the recommended tool just isn’t smart! if someone told you an easy way to get a higher score on the sat or act, you’d listen, right? using the recommended tool is a very easy way to ensure a more accurate score. sat or act test day is not the time to test the boundaries of what you can get away with. it’s much better to be safe than sorry on something as important as the sat or act.

when crystal accidentally used a #1 drawing pencil to fill out her scantron sheet, the machine wasn’t calibrated to read her responses. due to the misreading errors on almost every line, the machine produced a very low grade. of course, crystal’s teacher realized that the scanning machine hadn’t properly read the answer sheet, and crystal was able to retake the exam. but, that won’t happen on an act or sat. once your answer sheet is scored, you’re stuck! don’t potentially lower your score with a misread answer sheet when the sat and act have already told you exactly what you need to use. happy penciling!
*if you’re curious, here’s an approximate conversion from letter to number pencil grades: #1 = b, #2 = hb, #2½ = f, #3 = h, #4 = 2h.

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luckily, there’s a helpful hack called act standby testing!

in brief: act standby testing is a process that may allow you to take the act on a particular date, even if you’ve missed the late deadline. you’ll have to sign into your act account online to request standby status, and there is a $49 fee. keep in mind that you only have a limited period of time in which to register for standby testing before the test date. the latest you can register is usually just over a week before the test.

now, let’s take a closer look…

why would i need standby testing?

some students forget to sign up for the act on time, or might not realize they need to take the act on a particular date. there is a late registration date and fee, but if you miss even the late registration date, the act will still try to accommodate you. or, you might have missed the late deadline to request a different testing date or location.
 
if this is your last chance to retake the act or if you really need to take the act right now to stay on track with college applications, then standby testing might just be the lifesaver you need!
 
basically, standby testing means you have a special ticket that doesn’t automatically guarantee you a seat and test. after all other students are checked in, if there is extra room and materials, you might be able to take the act.
 
but, keep in mind that standby testing only accommodates standard testing materials and standard time. unfortunately, if you need special testing accommodations, you’ll need to sign up in the before the standby testing window.

how do i sign up for standby testing?

if you’ve decided that you absolutely have to take the upcoming act, instead of waiting for the next offered test, you can request standby testing. there’s only a very limited window for standby requests, so you’ll have to act fast! the standby request period lasts for around two weeks, and it ends about one week before the act. so if it’s a tuesday and you’re trying to get in the act this weekend, it’s too late! requests for standby testing won’t be accepted after the standby request window closes.
 
to request a standby ticket, create an act student account or log in. fill out all the required information online, including a current photo of yourself, and make sure to submit payment. you’ll have to pay for both the act and the current $49.00 standby fee. (if you qualify for a fee waiver, it only applies to the basic registration fee, not standby fees.) the standby fee is pretty hefty, so only go for the standby option if it is really necessary!

will i actually get in as a standby?

on the day of the act, you’ll bring your photo id and other prep materials (water bottle, pencils…) just like you would with a regular registration. but, you’ll bring the standby ticket instead of a normal admission ticket, of course. you have to print out your standby ticket, and you have to go to the testing center you registered for! if you show up on the wrong date or with a ticket for the wrong location, you won’t be able to take the act.
 
since standby test takers are allowed in on a first-come, first-serve basis, you still might not get in. even if there are extra seats and tests, if there are more standby students than tests, someone else might get in ahead of you. if you don’t get in, your standby won’t apply to any other test dates–you’ll have to go through the whole process again. luckily, the act does refund the standby fee if you aren’t able to get in.

other standby tips

• don’t try to get standby testing if you can take just the act another time.
• try to stay ahead of the testing season by marking test and registration dates on your calendar.
• register for the act as soon as you know which test dates you need!
• bring all required materials! the last thing you want is to not get in because you forgot your id.
• stay calm! make to study, get a good night’s sleep before your test, and be confident! you got this!

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hopefully you won’t find yourself in either of those situations, but if you wind up needing to take an act on a date not offered, taking a residual act may be an option for you.

what is the act residual test?

let’s say that you’re thinking of applying to a particular college and they require the act. maybe they even already want to admit you (yay!) or maybe you’ve even already enrolled and the college wants act scores to know which classes to place you in… but you didn’t take the act.

this is where act residual testing comes in.

in act residual testing, colleges offer their applicants, future students, and/or current students the opportunity to take the act outside of the official national test dates. they also offer it on-campus, making it easier for most students to take advantage of the testing opportunity. however, there are strict requirements about who can take the act residual test, and for what purposes. notably, you can only use your score at that college.

there are a lot of other factors to consider when thinking about act residual testing, as well. for example…

advantages of the act residual test

the residual act is offered directly through participating college campuses. some colleges offer the residual act every week, every month, or a few times per school year. it can be a great option for students who find out they need to take an act immediately in order to be considered for admission, or to remain at the university.
 

since the residual and national act exams are the same, if you’ve already studied for the act, you have nothing to worry about. the material is the exact same, and residual acts are not harder or easier than the regular act offered nationally. the residual test isn’t different from the national test, but offering the act more frequently at different institutions makes it easier for some students to take the act.
 

because your scores aren’t sent away with thousands of other students scores all at the same time, you can find out your results much sooner than if you wait for national act score reports. some schools have unofficial scores ready within a day, while others have scores available within a week.
 

since you’re taking the residual act through a specific institution, you’ll pay the school for your registration fee. residual act registration fees can range from $40-60, depending on the institution. often, you can simply pay on the day of the test at the university testing center or registrar’s office. no worrying about deadlines, late fees, or standby tickets!

disadvantages of the act residual test

the biggest difference between the national and residual act is that scores from the residual test are only valid where you take the exam!! this means that those scores cannot be sent to other colleges if you decide to transfer, and may not be acceptable for external scholarship requirements. this is very important to keep in mind if you do decide to take a residual act.
 

i know, i know, i just said it can be easier! this one really depends on your personal preference. at many institutions that offer a residual act, you can register and pay on the same day of the test…but you can’t register online. for many students, having the option to register and pay online is important. again, because various institutions handle registration and payment for residual testing differently, each school may have different deadlines, requirements, and options to wade through (some schools are even cash only!). colleges may require you to have already applied for admission at their institution before allowing you to take the residual test at their campus. while some schools allow you to retake the residual act several times, others restrict how many times you can take the residual act in a certain period of time.
the bottom line is: make sure to check all of your institution’s requirements!
 

this is another one that depends on the institution. some college testing centers are equipped to meet potential accessibility needs, but others may not be. the act does allow for some accommodations when taking the residual act, but it’s best to contact act directly to find out how you can qualify for special testing accommodations before arriving at the university residual testing center. some schools also require official documentation via the university, in addition to act allowances.

at the end of the day, residual testing can be a great way to quickly get act scores if you’re in a bind and your institution offers act residual testing. otherwise, it’s a much safer bet to register online and wait for the regular act, so that your scores count at colleges and universities nationwide!

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