sat

(Scholastic Aptitude Test)

As the nation’s most widely used college admission test, the SAT is the first step toward higher education for students of all backgrounds. It’s taken by more than two million students every year and is accepted by virtually all colleges and universities. Most university/college in USA use the SAT as one indicator of a student's readiness to do university-level work. Other criteria include class rank, marks (Grade Point Average), extracurricular activities, personal essays and recommendations. Starting in 1993, the SAT split into the SAT I: Reasoning Test and the SAT II: Subject Tests. In general, universities only require SAT I, but the most exclusive schools often require two or more SAT II Subject Tests.