The United States has two standardized admission tests for college admissions. First is the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test, earlier known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test), and the second one is ACT.

SAT exam is the most popular standardized test for admissions in the undergraduate programs.

 What is SAT?

• The SAT was first used as a college entrance test in 1926 and was originally adapted from the US Army's IQ test. It was run by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a nonprofit organization that also administers the PSAT and AP Advanced Placement programs.

• The SAT continues to this day because Harvard presidents began using the test to assess educational attainment and believed it was an effective tool for assessing intellectual potential. This view of the SAT helped popularize it.

• The SAT was the standard test for colleges in the 1940s, but its dominance as a college entrance exam was challenged with the creation of ACT in 1959. While the ACT was initially far less popular than the SAT, it quickly surpassed the Math SAT and established itself as the most popular test in college admissions. 

• With increased competition from ACT and the PSAT, as well as other tests such as AP and AP Advanced Placement ( AP ) tests, the SAT exam pattern changed in 2016. Although the main intent and the purpose of the test remained the same, certain features of the content and structure have been changed. And then, once again, the SAT became the most popular college entrance exam.

• The SAT changed its name in 2018, but the test is still a multiple-choice test used in college admissions decisions. Some aspects of the structure and content have been changed, such as the number of questions, and the type of test. But the main purpose and form of this test are the same.

Why Should you give SAT?

Top reasons to give SAT

• To take admission in the undergraduate colleges of the US, you need to take the SAT. Most of the colleges in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Singapore accept SAT scores for admission in the undergraduate courses.

• In some cases, scholarships provided by the institutes are based on the SAT scores

• SAT does not have a dedicated Science section whereas ACT has, hence, it is advantageous for students for non-science background

What are the subjects covered?

• Literature

• U.S. History

• World History

• Mathematics Level 1

• Mathematics Level 2

• Biology E/M

• Chemistry

• Physics

• French

• German

• Spanish

• Modern Hebrew

• Italian

• Latin

• French with Listening

• German with Listening

• Spanish with Listening

• Chinese with Listening

• Japanese with Listening

• Korean with Listening

Types of SAT

SAT exam can be broadly classified into

• SAT Reasoning Test

• SAT Subject Test

What is the Application fee for Indian Students?

• SAT without essay - USD 49.50 + Non-U.S. Regional Fee (49 USD)
• SAT with essay - $64.50 + Non-U.S. Regional Fee (49 USD)

How long is the SAT score validity?

SAT scores are valid for a period of 5 years.

Note: The scores earned in September 2015 are reportable until August 30, 2020

For more details about the SAT, check the official website or apply directly