Several NC upperclassmen either took or plan on taking both the SAT and ACT, standardized tests to send the scores to colleges they hope to attend. Students wonder why they must take the tests and question their true significance, deeming them virtually pointless and believing they should not impact students as much as they do when applying.

Both the SAT and ACT measure students skills and their readiness for college-level material. Admission tests assess a common standard, allowing colleges to evaluate and compare the preparation of students who come from different high schools across the country. This may sounds functional in theory, but in reality all schools do not offer the same academic programs or expectations. Colleges look at the test scores, along with high school grades and courses, to see how college-level work may affect an individual.

University admission officers receive thousands of applications each year. Each application goes through an evaluation process, but only so many hours exist in the day. Admission officers need a way to narrow down their piles of applications to the students that stand out the most. Looking at GPAs and SAT/ACT scores offers the quickest way for them to do. If one does not have competitive scores, their application could end up in the rejected pile before essays, or recommendations even get read.
GPAs and SAT/ACT scores allow colleges to get a glimpse of how a student may perform if accepted into their program. By the time one applies for college, their GPA usually will not change significantly. The SAT/ACT scores can show a student’s capability of working hard in stressful situations and their ability to learn large amounts of information in a short period of time.

The importance of the test scores vary from college to college but that does not mean that their importance disappears during the application process. Some colleges, mainly more selective colleges, may place a high level of importance on the test scores while also examining other parts of the application. Other colleges, mainly community colleges, may not require the test scores at all. Colleges mandate the SAT/ACT tests as a part of one’s college application. While high test-scores alone will not get someone accepted, low SAT/ACT scores can exist as the reason one does not get accepted.