Basic Information About SAT IN NEPAL

If you’re thinking of applying to college, it’s vital that you know what the SAT is and how it will affect your application process.

SAT is conducted by the US based ‘College Entrance Examination Board' which also frames the question papers. After the test is conducted, the board sends each examinee their score card and report of assessment.

The SAT is marked out of a grand total of 2400 points. Different universities have their own cut-off scores. Most of the universities consider a score of 1500 plus to be decent enough for admissions. A score of 1800 plus would be a very nice score and one of 2200 plus would be exceptional. Once you take the exam, your SAT score remains valid for 5 years.

The SAT examination can be taken at a number of cities across India, including Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Kodaikanal, Mumbai, Mussoorie, New Delhi, Pune and a few other cities.

And There are only three SAT exam centres in Nepal. And all are located in Bagmati region, where capital, Kathmandu is located. Rato Bangala School, St. Xavier’s School, and Ullens School. 

So what is the SAT? It’s one of two standardized college admissions tests in the US. (The other is the ACT.) It's run by the College Board, a non-profit that also administers the PSAT and the AP (Advanced Placement) program.

The SAT was originally adapted from and Army IQ test and administered as a college admissions test for the first time in 1926. However, it didn't really catch on until 1933, when the president of Harvard started using the test to assess scholarship applicants because he believed it was an effective measurement of intellectual potential. This view of the SAT helped propel it's popularity—by the 1940s, it had become the standard test for all college applicants and was administered to over 300,000 people across the country.

The SAT's dominance of college admissions testing was challenged with the creation of the ACT in 1959. Though initially much less popular than the SAT, the ACT took hold in the Midwest and the mountain states and, in 2010, actually surpassed the SAT to become the most popular college admissions test.

In part because of the increased competition from the ACT, the SAT is is currently undergoing some big changes, which will go into effect in March 2016. The basic purpose and form of the test will be the same (it’s still a multiple choice test used for college admissions decisions), but certain aspects of the structure and content are changing.

This post will establish the basics of the current SAT as well as how these things will be different if you’re taking the redesigned SAT.

Why Do People Take the SAT?

The SAT is a standardized test meant to show schools how prepared you are for college by measuring key skills like reading comprehension, computational ability, and clarity of expression. Because so many students take the test, it also provides schools with data about how you compare to your peers nationwide.

You'll almost certainly need to take the SAT or ACT if you're applying to any colleges or universities in the United States, since most require you to submit test scores with your application. Depending on where you want to apply, your ACT or SAT score can account for as much as 50% of the admission decision, so a strong standardized test score is vital.

Additionally, a few states require all high school juniors to take the SAT, including Delaware, New Hampshire, and Michigan.

Which Schools Accept the SAT?

All four year colleges in the US accept the SAT, and, as I mentioned above, most schools require either the SAT or the ACT (they don’t differentiate between the two). However, there are an increasing number of colleges and universities with more flexible policies, so make sure to check with the specific schools you're planning to apply to.

You’ll also need to take the SAT or ACT if you’re a US student looking to apply to schools in the UK or Canada or an international student hoping to attend college in the US.

This information all holds true for the redesigned SAT as well, although if you’re thinking of taking the current SAT and aren’t graduating until 2018 or later, you should check whether the schools you’re interested in will require scores from the new version of the test.

What Does the SAT Cover?

The SAT has ten sections: the first is always the essay, followed by two reading, two math, one writing, and one experimental section of 25 min each (in a random order), and then one 20-min reading, one 20-min math, and one 10-min writing section. The test is mostly multiple choice, with the exception of the essay at the beginning of the test and 10 grid-in questions in one of the 25-minute math sections.

The following chart breaks down the format of the test. Click the links for more depth on what material each section covers.

Topic area	Sections	Total number of questions
Critical Reading	2 25-min sections 1 20-min section	48 Passage-Based 19 Sentence Completions
Math	2 25-min sections 1 20-min section	44 Multiple Choice 10 Grid-Ins
Writing	1 25-min essay 1 25-min section 1 10-min section	25 Improving Sentences 18 Identifying Sentence Errors 6 Improving Paragraphs

The new 2016 SAT will test most of the same topics, but the format and some of the question types will be different. For more on the changes, check out our full breakdown of the redesigned test.

How is the SAT Scored?

When you take the SAT, you'll be given a total score between 600 and 2400, which is the sum of reading, math, and writing scores between 200 and 800. But where do those numbers come from?

You start with a raw score for each topic area: the number of questions you got right minus ¼ times the number you answered incorrectly. That number is then converted into a scaled score through a process called equating—the College Board is a bit cagey about how exactly this works, but it's based on years worth of data rather than how people do on a specific test date.

The average SAT score hovers around 1500 with some variation from year to year, but what counts as a good score for you will really depend on where you’re looking to apply. To get into a top-tier school you'll probably need a score above 2000, but for the local branch of the state university you might be just fine with a 1400.

Note that the redesigned SAT includes some big changes to the scoring: it's returning to original 400-1600 scale (you'll receive a Math score and a Reading/Writing score) and getting rid of the wrong answer penalty.

When Should You Take the SAT?

The ideal time to take the SAT for the first time is usually in winter of your junior year, when you’ve covered most of the material in school, but you still have time to take it again. Your testing schedule may be different, however, especially if you need SAT scores for another purpose or are required to take it by your school.

Everything You Need to Plan for the SAT 

Hopefully you now understand what the SAT is and why you might need to take it. The hard part is still to come, however—preparing for the test. To help with that, I've listed some of the key questions you need to consider as you start planning for standardized tests and college applications more generally.

Should I Take the SAT or the ACT?

It's hard to know for sure which of the two standardized tests will be better for you without your trying them out. However, if you aren't up for spending the time to take two full practice tests, take a look at this guide to help you decide. Also, keep in mind that, for many students, there's not that big of a difference between the SAT and the ACT.

If you’re a member of class of 2017, you may want to take the ACT in order to avoid dealing with the changes to the SAT, which will make the test somewhat harder to prepare for. Read more about the differences and similarities between the ACT and redesigned SAT here, and take this quiz to determine which you'll prefer.

What SAT score do I need to get into college?

To reiterate: what score you should shoot for depends on where you want to apply. Use the formula in this article to calculate your ideal SAT score.

What's the best way for me to prepare for the SAT?

Now that you've calculated what your SAT score goal is, you need to decide how to get there. Will you do better hiring a tutor or studying on your own? You may also want to consider an online program like PrepScholar!

If you do decide to take on the SAT prep process on your own, make sure you get the best book for your needs. Or if you're preparing for the redesigned SAT, learn how to go about it here.

What do I need to know to prepare for the SAT?

There are three key aspects of prepping for the SAT: learning the logic of the test, studying the content, and practicing the questions.

The SAT or the Scholastic Assessment Test assists students in pursuing their path after high school towards their college and career, and offers a wide range of benefits to students who clear this international level test.

Here are a few benefits of this test which can open varying vistas of career opportunities for students:

Opens new doors for higher studies to International Colleges-

The SAT is an admission test universally accepted by most of the U.S. colleges, and the College Board has programs which encourage all students to take advantage of higher education in foreign institutes. Eligible SAT candidates also receive the benefit of college application fee waiver schemes and all students can opt in to Student Search Service in order to receive free information about admissions and financial aid from colleges, universities, and various scholarship programs.

Helps Students to hone their skills over time-

The SAT exam provides a consistent response and feedback assessments to help students in their course and also supports teachers as they amend their instructing techniques for students who are either ahead or behind. SAT allows preparing candidates to hone and sharpen a variety of their oral and verbal skills. Knowledge based assessment of SAT prepares students according to an internally accepted criteron which makes sure they don’t lack behind in an international classroom.

Introduces Students to various Scholarship Opportunities-

There are a number of scholarships offered by the College Board affiliated colleges. Majority of students in India are not able to land in a good college due to the lack of information and guidance. SAT allows international colleges to come up with scholarships and grants which greatly helps students in pursuing higher studies.

The Board that conducts SAT mentions that the test evaluates literary and writing skills that are quintessential for academic accomplishments in college. The most basic and fundamental logic which follows the conduction of the exam is making the candidates use their current academic knowledge for excelling in future practices.

The need of the SAT exam is to provide well judged criteria for a student’s assessment of knowledge and aptitude. In this manner students do not have any sort of vagueness about their potential, as they are judged by impartial higher officials who solely assess students based on their knowledge. Nearly all colleges in the US accept SAT scores for admissions in their colleges. In a gist, SAT exam checks the inclination of a student for taking higher education in foreign colleges and the extent to which they are ready for the same.