SAT Reasoning Test
Objective assessments of college readiness
With record numbers of students applying for and attending college, higher education institutions have a growing need for a reliable, objective standard to assess college readiness.
- The SAT Reasoning Test—used by nearly every college in America—is the best independent, standardized assessment of a student's college readiness. High school grades are a useful indicator of how students perform in college, yet there is great variation in grading standards and course rigor within and across high schools.
- The SAT Subject Tests also provide important additional information to admissions and enrollment officers. Students choose to take these tests to demonstrate their interest in and mastery of academic areas.
What the SAT Program tests measure
The SAT Reasoning Test measures critical reading, mathematical reasoning, and writing skills that students have developed over time, both in and out of school, and that they need to be successful in college. SAT scores are intended to supplement the secondary school record and help admissions officers put local data—such as course work, grades, and class rank—in a national perspective.
The SAT Subject Tests measure students' knowledge and skills in English, science, history, mathematics, and languages, as well as their ability to apply that knowledge.
The 20 tests are independent of any particular textbook or method of instruction, and many colleges use them for admission, course placement, and advising students about course selection.
The SAT is the most rigorously researched college admissions test in use today. Click here for research about the SAT's validity and reliability and other studies of interest.