My Boarding School Blog
09 4th, 2010 College Entrance Exams for Foreign Students
If you wish to study in the US for an undergraduate associate program or bachelor’s degree you need to prepare yourself for the entrance exams you need to endure to qualify and achieve premium education offered by US Colleges and Universities. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) is a non profit organization that provides assessment tests based on extensive research. Among the tests they administer are TOEFL, TOEIC, GRE and The Praxis series in more than 9,000 locations worldwide. Their work encompasses research, assessment, test administration, test scoring and instructional products and services.
Here are some of the tests required for college applicants.
Scholastic Aptitude Test
Scholastic Aptitude test or (SAT) is needed by undergraduate applicants. It has seven sections on verbal, math and experimental. Admission decisions are dependent on SAT scores that is why it is important to prepare for this exam. The test lasts for 3 hours with the following different type of exam questions: analogies, critical reasoning, sentence completion, problem solving and quantitative comparisons.
Graduate Management Admission Test
The Graduate Management Admission Test or (GMAT) is required by most business schools in the US. It is administered by the ETS and they also administer the GMAT Computer Adaptive Test or (GMAT-CAT). You can check their website for more information. The exam consists of multiple choice sections both quantitative and verbal and an essay section called AWA, Analytical Writing Assessment which is administered first. The AWA includes two writing tests lasting 30 minutes each typing the essay into a word rich text program in the computer.
Graduate Record Exam
The Graduate Record Exam is administered to students who want to study graduate or Post-Graduate in the US. This test helps administrators to measure and gauge the intellectual capability of students coming from different colleges and universities. Most undergraduates are screened through their academic scores and analytic skills to further evaluate their capability to pursue a Master’s program.
Test of English as a Foreign Language
The Test of English as a Foreign Language is a test for students who are not native English speakers. In order to pursue Graduate or post- graduate study in the US one’s English proficiency needs to be assessed. TOEFL is required for more than 2,500 universities and colleges in the US and is also a standard test in admitting foreign students in other countries like Canada and UK.
Most of these tests are administered using a computer called Computer Adaptive tests. It only takes basic knowledge of computer to undergo this kind of test. In the CAT, there is a large database of questions where the computer randomly chooses from different levels of difficulty. The first level is always intermediate and from your answer the computer will determine the difficulty level of the next question. Before hitting the next button you must be very sure of your answer as you cannot go back and change it.
read comments (1)12 26th, 2007 Admissions FAQ’s For Dunn School
Q. When do I apply?
A. Applications completed by February 15 will receive priority consideration. If you miss the deadline, you may still apply. We will evaluate applications on a rolling basis after our first round of acceptances. We may still have openings available in late spring or early summer.
Q. How is the application process different for international students?
A. Because Dunn School does not offer ESL, all international students must submit a TOEFL score of 500 or above. We do offer vocabulary and grammatical support for international students in our Non-Native English class. If you need a student visa, we will issue an I-20 form only after a student has been accepted and enrolled. International students that are accepted to Dunn must have a guardian residing in the United States.
Q. When is the application process complete?
A. The Admission committee will only review an application when we have received the following:
>> Your formal application
>> Teacher and personal recommendations
>> Transcript of current and past grades
>> Tour and personal interview
>> Score results from the SSAT or ISEE
Q. What are the SSAT and the ISEE?
A. The SSAT and the ISEE are tests that are widely used by independent schools to assess a candidate’s academic potential. When you take these tests, you will have the opportunity to have the results sent directly to Dunn School. Our school code is 2914 for the SSAT and 051 863 for the ISEE. You can find testing websites for dates and locations in the Admission Resource section.
Q. What is your Learning Skills program?
A. The Learning Skills program accommodates a select group of applicants with minimal, diagnosed language and learning difficulties. Students who qualify for this program meet individually with an LS teacher for fifty minutes four times per week. Instruction includes strategies and skills for coping with and compensating for a learning difference.
Q. How does divorce or separation affect the financial aid application process?
A. The Financial Aid Committee considers the financial resources of both parents and any stepparents. Both the custodial and non-custodial parents are required to complete financial aid applications.
