The ACT & SAT are exams high school juniors and seniors know very well. However, adult learners who did not go to college straight out of high school may find it difficult to navigate the college application process. Regardless of the circumstance, adult learners need to take an exam to enter. Here are your options.
ACT & SAT
The ACT and SAT standardized tests are keystones of the college admissions process.Many adults believe their high school ACT and/or SAT tests are good enough and while a smaller percentage of schools require these scores than they did fifteen years ago, they are still vitally important. Unfortunately, the results aren't long-lasting. After five years, you must retake the exam(s). You may have forgotten certain subjects or, conversely, know other subjects better than you did in high school. The college needs to know your understanding of certain subjects now, not while you were in high school.
On the bright side, there are many ACT and SAT study guides available online and in bookstores, as well podcasts and blogs. You can also trying taking a practice test at a designated location under simulated conditions in order to best guage where you stand. The cost is usually nominal, but the benefit is enormous.
College Placement Exams
Just as many colleges separate the adult learner from the typical college student. Also called "entrance exams" and "entrance assessments," these tests are strictly for the adult learner. Like the ACT and SAT, you take the exam at a college or specified location under controlled conditions.
There are four exams: COMPASS, Accuplacer, THEA, & ASSET. The most accepted exams in most colleges are the COMPASS and Accuplacer tests. These un-timed exams test your knowledge of popular subjects. Because it is computer based, you receive a score immediately after the test is over. ASSET is a timed, pencil-and-paper exam that is also accepted by some colleges. THEA is mainly for Texas students or out-of-state students who will attend a Texas university; it is also welcome in some colleges.
The goal of the ACT and SAT and college placement exams is to determine what you already know. If you score well on the Math, Reading, English, Science, and/or Writing, you will likely place out of developmental classes and you may also become exempt from having to fulfill certain degree requirements that less experienced students have to take. For more information on college exams and how to achieve your highest score at any age, contact us.
