5 Types of Exams You Need to Study in the USA
Apart from the visa application process, there are a few things to think about if you want to study in the USA. The United States is one of the most popular studies abroad destinations in the world. To gain admission to US institutions, you must pass specific exams as proof of language and academic evaluation. These include academic evaluations of admissions to US universities at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Every year, over a million international students choose to study at one of the country’s 4,300 higher education institutions. Studying abroad is a life-changing experience, but deciding where to study and what course to take can be difficult to organize.
However, there is one crucial step that should not be left until the last minute: booking and taking entrance exams to study in the USA. As part of the application process, most higher education institutions in the United States require students to take at least one standardized admission test.
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Types of Exams You Need to Study in the USA
Can you differentiate GMAT from your TOEFL?
Don’t worry if you don’t, we’ve got your back. Here is a list of the exams required to study in the USA
1. TOEFL or PTE USA
Whether you want to pursue an undergraduate degree in Physics or a Ph.D. in English Literature, you’ll need to demonstrate your English language proficiency in order to study in the USA.
In general, the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is the most widely accepted of the international language tests for students. This is one of the exams needed to study in the USA.
The test takes three hours to complete and costs around $220 depending on where you live. TOEFL scores are only valid for two years after the test, so make sure you keep them up to date.
Some colleges also accept the Pearson Tests of English (PTE), so check with each individual institution to determine which English language proficiency test you will need to take.
2. Law Degree Admission Test: LSAT
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT), administered by the Law School Admission Council, is the standardized test used as part of the admissions process for law schools across the United States.
The LSAT exam is $200 and takes three and a half hours to complete. It has four multiple-choice sections and a writing task that you can complete up to eight days before your exam date. It assesses your reading comprehension, reasoning, and analytical reasoning, as well as your preparedness for law school.
3. IELTS for the USA
In the United States, approximately 4,000 universities and colleges accept an applicant’s IELTS Score to determine his or her English skills. In the USA, the minimum IELTS score required ranges from 6 to 7 depending on the courses and universities. Because the IELTS rating is lower than the TOEFL, it is becoming more popular among students. Students are still encouraged to research whether or not their IELTS results will be accepted at their chosen university.
4. Undergraduate Admissions Exams: SAT or ACT
If you want to study for an undergraduate degree in the United States, you must take either the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). One of the exams required to study in the USA is the SAT or ACT.
The SAT is a three-hour and 45-minute exam that is mostly multiple-choice, assessing students on a wide range of skills across four sections:
- Reading
- Writing
- Calculator math
- No calculator math
Meanwhile, despite being less well-known in the United Kingdom, the ACT is the more popular of the two college entrance exams, with many institutions requiring it of prospective students. It’s about three and a half hours long.
The ACT, like the SAT, is a multiple-choice test that assesses skills such as:
- Writing
- Reading comprehension
- Editing
- Data analysis
The SAT exam costs $52 plus individual center fees. The ACT test costs about $150. Both tests also include a fee-based essay component.
5. GMAT or GRE (Entrance Exams for Postgraduate Degrees Including MA and MSc )
The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are the two most common standardized entrance exams for postgraduate study in the USA.
The GMAT, which typically costs $250, is widely used by business schools for admission to MBA programs. The GRE, on the other hand, costs $205 and can be used for admission to a broader range of graduate programs. You should always carefully examine the admissions requirements for each college or graduate school, as some may require subject-specific GRE tests.
These more specific tests can be used for things like:
Maths
Psychology
Physics
English Literature
They typically assume you already have an undergraduate-level understanding of your chosen subject.
6. GMAT (Entrance Exam for MBA Programs)
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is one of the most versatile and useful degrees available, and it will undoubtedly open many doors for you in your future career.
As previously stated, if you intend to pursue a professional master’s degree, such as an MBA, you will almost certainly need to take the GMAT test.
The three-hour GMAT exam is the most widely accepted MBA entrance exam if you want to study in the USA, and it is designed to assess your potential to succeed in an MBA or other similar graduate management programs.
It assesses candidates in four areas:
- Reasoning with words
- Writing analytically
- Quantitative ability
- Integrated reasoning (which will not be found on the GRE test)
7. MCAT (Entrance Exam for a Medical Degree)
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is the most widely used medical entrance exam if you want to study in the USA, and it is required as part of the application process for almost all medical schools in the country.
The multiple-choice test costs $320 to register for and takes seven and a half hours to complete. There is also a $55 late registration fee if you register eight days or less before the exam date.
The Association of American Medical Colleges administers the exam, which aims to assess your critical thinking, problem-solving, and existing knowledge of scientific concepts across four key sections:
- Biological systems’ chemical and physical foundations
- The psychological, social, and biological bases of behavior
- The biological and biochemical foundations of living systems
- Critical thinking and reasoning skills
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