Standardized Testing
Standardized testing is an important factor in admissions decisions at most highly selective colleges and universities. A few institutions have downplayed the importance of scores, and some have eliminated test requirements entirely, but those institutions are in the minority. At most colleges standardized testing still matters.
We want our students to understand the testing requirements and, just as importantly, to keep testing in perspective. Students' academic achievement and extracurricular activities are more important than test scores, both in terms of acquiring a first-rate education and in terms of enhancing their chances of admission to selective institutions.
SAT Reasoning Test
The SAT Reasoning Test is primarily a multiple-choice test containing verbal and math sections designed to measure critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Colleges and universities use the test as a "standard" measure when evaluating your credentials during the admissions process. In general, taking the test more than three times is not helpful; if for some reason you are thinking of doing so we suggest you come and talk it out with your college counselor. Regardless of how many times a student takes the SAT Is, the colleges will receive all of the scores; you will not be allowed to choose which scores to send. Most colleges will focus on your best verbal score and math score, even if they are achieved on different days. The College Board offers online registration at www.collegeboard.com.
SAT Subject Tests
SAT Subject Tests are one-hour, primarily multiple-choice tests designed to measure knowledge in a particular subjects and the application of that knowledge. There are twenty-two subject areas. Some colleges may require SAT Subject Tests in addition to the SAT Reasoning Test and/or the ACT. Most colleges that require the SAT Subject Tests insist that students take either the Math Level I or the Math Level II and one additional test left to the discretion of the student. These scores are used as part of the admissions process and for placement after admission is offered. Requirements, including "how many" and "which" tests should be taken, differ from institution to institution. The College Board offers online registration at www.collegeboard.com.
Middlesex students typically take three SAT Subject Tests in June of their junior year; and, depending upon their performance, they retake one to three more tests in October, November or December of their senior year.
ACT
ACT stands for American College Tests, a battery which combines elements of aptitude and achievement test in one single instrument. Like the SAT Reasoning Test, the ACT helps predict academic achievement in college and serves as a standard measure by which students from diverse educational backgrounds can be compared. The ACT is a content-based multiple-choice test with four sections: English, reading comprehension, mathematics and science reasoning. Students receive a score for each section as well as a composite score ranging from one to 36.
Middlesex students have historically taken the ACT when they found that their scores on the SAT Reasoning Test do not fully or accurately reflect their abilities, particularly in the verbal section where scores on the test are more likely to fall short of a student's performance in the classroom. The ACT focuses more on grammar, punctuation and general comprehension than the SAT. Because of its more supplementary role, students generally take the ACT in the fall of their senior year after they have had a chance to evaluate their performance on the SAT Is they took during the winter and spring of their junior year. The ACT offers online registration at www.act.org.
TOEFL
The purpose of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is to evaluate the English proficiency of people whose native language is not English. The test was initially developed to measure the English proficiency of international students wishing to study at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and this continues to be its primary function. The TOEFL measures proficiency through three sections (Listening, Structure and Reading) to measure an examinee's ability to understand English as it is spoken, recognize the language that is appropriate for standard written English, and read and understand short passages on academic subjects. International students at Middlesex for whom English is a second language should take the TOEFL. Educational Testing Service offers online registration at www.toefl.org.
Non-Standard Testing
Non-standardized testing is helpful to those who have a diagnosed and properly documented learning disability or physical handicap. The College Board and ACT offers extended time or un-timed testing for those who qualify. Students who believe they qualify or need to file proper documentation for such testing should contact the Academic Office for specific information about documenting their disability. Starting in the fall of 2003, the ACT and the SAT no longer includes a flag on score reports to the colleges for students who have taken un-timed tests.
