College Admission Exams

Whether or not a student will need to take an SAT or ACT will depend on the colleges they are planning to apply to.  UC’s and CSU’s are test blind, and California community colleges never require a standardized test, so students only looking at California public schools will not need to take an SAT or ACT.  

When looking at private colleges, or public colleges outside of California, the SAT/ACT requirements can vary institution to institution.  It is best for students to check the admissions requirements for each individual school they are thinking about applying to.

Some common questions students about have SAT/ACT testing:

Which test, SAT or ACT, should I take? 

Colleges that do accept standardized testing have no preference which test students take, so students are encouraged to research the types of questions and formatting for both the SAT and ACT, and choose the test they find more comfortable.

When should I take the SAT or ACT?

If you’re applying to schools that ask you to submit a standardized test, spring of junior year is a good time to consider taking the exam.  This then leaves you with plenty of time to take the test a second time if you are not satisfied with your score.

How do I register for the exam?

There is a District-sponsored opportunity to take the SAT, which you can learn more about here.  If you wish to register for a different date or location, you can register for the SAT through College Board or for the ACT through their website.

If my school is test optional, how do I know if I should send in my score?

A test optional school does not require that a student send in their test scores, leaving it up to the individual to decide whether or not to submit a score.  If your test score is within or above the middle 50% of scores for admitted students, it is generally considered a positive for your application to submit the score.  Many colleges that do accept test scores will make this score range available as part of their admitted student profiles.

If my school is test blind, can I still submit a test score?

A test blind school will NOT use your score in the application assessment, so even if you have a perfect score it will do nothing to help your application.  There is nothing to be gained by sending in a score.