Which Tests Should You Take Before applying to Universities in the USA?

Many programs in the US universities may require additional standardized tests for admission. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most universities adopted a test-optional policy, but now many have reverted to requiring these tests for reviewing admission applications. The universities make a holistic approach to review the applications so they take into consideration many factors like your academics records, test scores, English proficiency tests, and many other factors. The standardized testing is a way to compare between the students in United States and International students who are from different education system.

For undergraduate students may need to take include:

• Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT): The SAT is a standardized exam administered by the not-for-profit organization College Board that students must take when applying for admission to undergraduate schools. Formerly known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the SAT is now officially referred to as the Scholastic Assessment Test. This test is now called the Digital SAT because it is now only taken digitally and the paper SAT is no more there offered internationally and in the United States.

• American College Testing (ACT): ACT is a standardized exam administered by the non-profit organization ACT. The ACT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make an admission decision. This is a multiple choice, pencil and paper test. 

• Advanced Placement (AP) exams:  AP exams are standardized testing which are administed by different high school or exam centers. These exams are designed to measure how well a student has mastered the contents and skills of a specific AP course. The AP exams are special because a student may be granted college credits or advanced placement in U.S Colleges.

For postgraduate students, the standardized tests may include:

• Graduate Record Examinations (GRE): GRE is a standardized test which is a part of the graduate admissions process in U.S colleges and some colleges in Canada and UK. This exam is administered by Educational Testing Service. The GRE aims to verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills that have been acquired over a long period of learning. This test is offered as a computer-based exam.
•  Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT): GMAT is a computer adaptive test which is designed to assess specific analytical, quantitative, verbal, and data literacy skills for use in admission to a graduate management program, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. This exam is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council.
• Law School Admission Test (LSAT): The Law School Admission Test is a standardized test administered by the Law School Admission Council for prospective law school candidates. This test is required by most law schools which are accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) in the U.S while some law schools also accept the tests like GRE and a few accept GMAT. This test is used for a variety of reasons and tests an applicant’s ability to use logic, critical thinking and reading ability.
• Medical College Admission Test (MCAT): The MCAT is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective medical students (both Allopathic M.D. and Osteopathic D.O.) in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands.
• Dental Admission Test (DAT): The DAT is a multiple-choice standardized exam which is taken by dental school students in United States and Canada. This test is required by all dental schools in the United States. This test is administered by the American Dental Association. This test measure the academic ability, scientific understanding, perceptual Ability of  a potential dental student.

Additionally, international students who have studied in a high school or college where the primary language of instruction is not English may need to take English proficiency tests, such as:

• IELTS Academic: The International English Language Testing System is an international standardized testing which is dedicated for the non-native English language speakers. This test is basically designed to test English speaking proficiency of a non-native speaker. IELTS academic is administered jointly by British Council, IDP and The Cambridge English. This test is most popular among international students and globally accepted in most universities.
• TOEFL: The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standardized exam designed to assess the English language proficiency of non-native speakers who wish to enroll in English-speaking universities. According to Wikipedia, TOEFL is accepted by over 11,000 universities and institutions across more than 190 countries and territories. There are two types of TOEFL: the paper-based test and the internet-based test, commonly known as TOEFL iBT. The TOEFL is administered by ETS (Educational Testing Service), a nonprofit organization based in the United States that specializes in educational testing and assessment.
• Duolingo:  The Duolingo English Test (DET) is a modern, online English proficiency test designed to assess the language skills of non-native English speakers. This test is now accepted in a growing number of universities and becoming more popular. The DET is a cheaper option for students and the best part is this test can be taken by just sitting at one’s own home with a reliable internet connection and quite space.
• Pearson PTE Academic: The Pearson Test of English is a computer based English language proficiency test which is designed to evaluate a student’s ability to comprehend, speak, write, and understand English. PTE is widely accepted in many universities in Australia, the USA, the UK, Ireland, Singapore, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand. This test is conducted by the Pearson VUE (Virtual User Environment).
• Cambridge Assessment English exam: There are different levels of Cambridge English Tests. Among them the C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency are accepted in many Universities in the USA for admission. The C2 Proficiency is the highest level of English test offered by the Cambridge. 

English proficiency waiver options are available at most of the universities in the USA, the UK, Canada and Australia. Please check the respective university websites for details on the available options