ABOUT THE TESTS
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS:
The ACT has become more popular in recent years. In fact, in 2012 more students in the United States took the ACT than the SAT for the first time. The ACT is shorter than the SAT, and you can take the test several times and choose which score to submit. The ACT has English, Reading, Math, and Science sections, and in 2005 an optional essay was added. Some colleges and universities may require that you take the essay, so be sure to find out about the requirements of the schools you’re applying to before you take the test. Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes, but add on the 30 minute Writing Test and the total time is 3 hours and 30 minutes. A composite score between 1 and 36 is given based on the average of 4 sections.
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The SAT is a 3 hour and 45 minute standardized test used to rate applicants to undergraduate programs in colleges and universities. Almost all 4-year schools require an SAT score or an ACT score from a student to be considered for admissions. The SAT is offered 7 times per year, and there are 3 sections: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing. Each section is scored from 200 to 800. The lowest possible score on the SAT is a 600; the highest possible score is a 2400.
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AP (Advanced Placement) Tests are administered during the first half of May. The 34 subject-specific tests, from Music Theory to Macroeconomics to German Language and Culture, are scored on a scale of 1-5, and many colleges and universities award credit toward graduation for scores of 4 or 5. Many of Tutor Tango’s talented staff tutors have taught AP courses themselves and, as such, are experts at planning and implementing tutoring plans to meet the specific need and time constraints of AP students.
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There are 20 SAT II Subject Tests, administered on various Saturdays throughout the year (more or less frequently depending on the popularity of each test). Some colleges require or recommend that you take one or more subject tests, each of which is a 1 hour multiple choice test. The subjects span the range of English Literature, History, Math, Sciences, and Foreign Languages. The College Board (the company that also administers the SAT and AP Tests) proudly points out that “These are the only national admission tests where you choose the tests that best showcase your achievements and interests.” Tutor Tango has a team of highly-skilled staff tutors ready to custom-design a preparation plan for almost all 20 tests!
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UPPER/HIGH SCHOOL
ADMISSIONS:
The SSAT, or Secondary School Admissions Test, is required for admissions to many independent schools, and is offered to students in Grades 3-11. The 2 hour and 35 minute test is administered on 8 Saturdays throughout the year or, through “Flex administration,” on a specific date chosen by an individual or group. According to the SSAT Board (SSATB), the test “emphasizes critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are critical for academic success,” and it measures students’ abilities in three areas: reading, quantitative analysis, and basic verbal (including an essay). Tutor Tango offers tutoring for the SSAT to students taking the Middle Level test in grade 7, and to students taking the Upper Level test in grades 8-11.
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The SHSAT, or Specialized High School Admissions Test, is administered on a few select dates in late October/early November to students in grades 8 and 9 by the New York City Department of Education for admission to elite and specialized high schools in the city, such as Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech. The test is 2 hours and 30 minutes long, and includes two multiple choice sections – one on verbal, and one on math.
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The ISEE, or Independent School Entrance Exam, is administered throughout the year (usually on dates specified by the schools that require the exam). The Educational Records Bureau (ERB), the non-profit organization that runs the test, breaks the exam down into three parts as follows: (a) carefully constructed and standardized verbal and quantitative reasoning tests that measure a student's capability for learning; (b) reading comprehension and mathematics achievement tests that provide specific information about a student's strengths and weakness in those areas; and (c) an essay section. It’s worth noting that the essay section is not scored (although copies of the essay are sent to the schools to which a student has applied). Tutor Tango offers tutoring for the Middle Level test in grade 7 and the Upper Level test in grades 8-11, both of which take 2 hours and 40 minutes.
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OTHER TESTS AND EXAMS:
Many of our tutors have the qualifications and experience to prepare students for a wide range of other exams, such as the C-NET, GED, the GRE, the Hunter College High School Entrance Exam, the NLN PAX, the LSAT, the MCAT, the OLSAT, Regents Exams, the TACHS, and the TOEFL.
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If you’re looking for a custom- designed plan to get ready for
one of these tests, let us know:
testprep@tutortango.com.
