jigsaw
Senior Writer
Purveyor of Random Wierdness
Posts: 238
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Post by jigsaw on Jun 3, 2006 21:49:40 GMT -5
I am so confused right now. What the hell are SAT's? I get that its some kind of test...but thats all really, otherwise Im confused. We dont have SAT's in Australia...I think the HSC is its equivalent but I could be wrong. Are the SAT's like your final year exams?
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Post by Snoink on Jun 3, 2006 22:44:50 GMT -5
No... we not only have final year exams but a big test to show us nationally where we are with each other. You see, the states basically control the tests, so this is way we can measure up IQ at a nationwide level.
...At least that's how I would explain it.
Anyway, it is a BIG thing here.
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Post by Crysi on Jun 3, 2006 22:48:35 GMT -5
Not really. The SAT is a standardized test in America. Most colleges require students to take either the SAT or the ACT (another standardized test; used mainly on the East Coast) before applying. The SAT 1 includes sections on both Language Arts and Math, plus an essay. It's about a four hour test. The SAT 2 is made up of various subject tests. Many colleges want students to submit two or three subject test scores. The subject tests are on many things, including Literature, Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2, US History, French, Spanish, Chemistry... The list goes on. Students can only take up to three tests on a given test day, but they can choose whatever subjects they want to test.
The SAT 1 is scored out of 2400 points (used to be 1600). Students taking the test often stress about getting a good score; different colleges tend to accept different scores. For instance, colleges with really good reputations, such as UC Berkeley, might only accept scores above 2100, while community colleges rarely (if ever) look at SAT scores. Of course, colleges look for things other than good SAT scores, so... yeah. That's pretty much what the discussion is about here - what can be considered a "good" score that might get students into a greater range of colleges?
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jigsaw
Senior Writer
Purveyor of Random Wierdness
Posts: 238
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Post by jigsaw on Jun 3, 2006 23:15:02 GMT -5
Oh. We have the HSC (higher school certificate) which is basically the final year exam. Your assessment rank and overall mark coupled with the marks you get in the actual exam form a UAI mark, the higher the mark the better the university. So yeah, we only have the final year exams...I feel sorry for you guys.
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Post by Crysi on Jun 3, 2006 23:55:05 GMT -5
Hah, yeah. It pretty much sucks. I took the subject tests today, then tomorrow I have to start writing up notes for finals. Not fun. And I've felt like I've been done with school since AP exams... Bah.
So... yeah. The Subject Tests are out of 800 each, right? I answered every one of the Lit questions, so I have a very small chance of getting 800 on that. Math? Yeah, I'll be happy if I get 400, lol. Can't get much more than that...
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sabradan
Senior Writer
The Godfather.
Posts: 179
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Post by sabradan on Jun 4, 2006 14:18:57 GMT -5
Im trying to decide whether I should retake the ACT/take the SAT. I mean, Im already attending an okay college, but due to money problems, I may have to go to community college for a year or two and then go back to another (hopefully different and better) school to work on my majors. So I may be in shcool for a while. Does it make sense to retake the exams?
I mean, I got okay on the ACT when I originally took it (27 out of 36-I think its 36 at least) but since I am LD in math/science and they can't realy do anything to help you out with that (unlike with dyslexic people who have people to read to them and whatnot) I think I couldve done better. Meh, whatever....
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el
Junior Writer
Posts: 46
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Post by el on Jun 4, 2006 17:05:59 GMT -5
Retaking the ACT/SAT could actually make things worse... It doesn't look good to some colleges to retake the exam and get only a slightly better score. But it's really your choice. If you think you can do better, then go for it.
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Post by incandescence on Jun 5, 2006 14:04:46 GMT -5
Crysi, Mesh -- SAT Subject Tests are wastes of time for AP students. Before AP became big, universities used the Subject Tests to course placement for entering students. With the advent of AP, however, most colleges are pressuring CollegeBoard to totally abolish the Subject Tests. CollegeBoard, on the other hand, has recently proposed a deal to colleges that they can choose to exclude AP students from Subject Tests if they want to. We'll see how that plays out.
Sab -- I think you should definitely take the SAT. Not only would it be your first time to take it (meaning you can't show regression), it also puts you in league for a bunch of scholarships that ACT-only takers miss out on. It isn't that the ACT is "minor" or somehow worth less than the SAT, but, frankly, the SAT has been around quite a bit longer, and it mirrors more accurately what schools look at. For whatever reason, universities are not as trusting of a high ACT score as they are a high SAT score. Definitely I would recommend you sign up for, study, and take the SAT.
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backgroundbob
Senior Writer
A befitting emblem of adversity
Posts: 188
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Post by backgroundbob on Jun 6, 2006 10:38:35 GMT -5
In the UK, SATs are exams you take in year (grade) 2, 6 and 9. Then at 16 you take GCSEs, and at 18 you take A-Levels.
Our SATs are done by levels: one to nine. In year 2, you're only expected to get level two or three; by year six, you should be aiming at 3/4/5, and in year nine you should get 5/6+. All they determine is what set you go into for GCSEs, and maybe highlight what you need lots of help with. They're mainly to tell parents how well the school's doing, so they can choose where to send their kids.
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KayJuran
Senior Writer
o.0 zzZZ..
Posts: 227
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Post by KayJuran on Jun 6, 2006 16:45:10 GMT -5
Bob.. you can get a *nine* in SATS..? I was pretty proud when I got sevens in some of mine... Can you get those sort of grades if you do the extension papers?
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backgroundbob
Senior Writer
A befitting emblem of adversity
Posts: 188
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Post by backgroundbob on Jun 6, 2006 17:09:30 GMT -5
Yeah: they used to call it EP, for exceptional performance. We had a guy in the year above me who got a nine in his English SAT (or an EP) - he hadn't been going to take because his spelling and grammar were appalling, but his teacher convinced him to turn up and his natural skill with the subject got him through despite being rubbish with the technical side of things. I took the extension paper in English, and apparently just missed out on an EP. I felt ever so slightly gutted at the time, but it didn't last long, since they don't really matter anyway Eight did me fine, and gave my sister something to live up to (poor thing).
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