Do You Need to Take the SAT for Community Colleges

Do You Need to Take the SAT for Community Colleges SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re thinking of applying to community college, you might be wondering what the application requirements are. Do you need a certain GPA? Will you have to take the SAT? I have good news! The vast majority of community colleges are open enrollment, which means that they accept anyone who applies, as long as she has a high school diploma or GED. They generally don't require standardized test scores. However, if you're interested in certain more selective programs like nursing or planning to transfer to a four-year university, you may end up needing SAT or ACT scores. This post will go into more depth about the application requirements for community colleges and what they mean for you, whether you're only looking for an associate degree or ultimately aimingto obtain your bachelor's. What Do You Need to Apply to Community College? The application process for community college is usually very simple. You'll need to provide just a few documents to enroll: an application with some basic information your high school transcript or GED possibly an application fee, though most are free. Once you’ve been accepted, there may be a few other requirements you have to fulfill before regestering for classes. You'll probably have to take a placement test and may need to meet with an academic counselor. But as long as you complete these steps, you’ll be on your way to a college degree! What If You've Already Taken the SAT? I explained above that community colleges don’t require the SAT for admission, so you don’t need to sign up for the test. If you’ve already taken the test, however, you may want to send your scores. Most community colleges require some kind of placement test to determine what level your English and math skills are at. In some cases, it may be possible to opt out of the placement test if you scored highly enough on your SAT. Nonetheless, if you don't already have SAT scores,it will probably be cheaper (or even free) to simply take the placement test the school offers. Are There Any Cases Where YouDoNeed the SAT for Community College? Yes! If you are applyingto a special program within the school or transfering to a four-year college, you may need to submit SAT or ACT scores. Let's break each case down in a bit more depth. Applying to Specialized Programs Certain programs within community colleges, especially those in health sciences and engineering, have more selective requirements for entry than the school as whole. In some cases, these may include standardized test scores. If you’re thinking about applying for a specific program within yourcollege make sure to check its admission requirements. Transferring to a Four-Year School The other case in which you may need to take the SAT is if you're planning totransfer to a four-year college or university. Depending on how many credits they'vecompleted, transfer applicants (whether from other four-year schools or from community colleges) may be required to submit standardized test scores at some schools. Individual school's policies on standardized tests for transfer students vary quite a bit, but, in general, the more credits you have (especially if you've already completed your associate's degree), the less likely that you'll need to submit SAT or ACT scores.You may also be able to avoid sending in test scores if you're enrolled in a pathway program that provides priority admission at a four-year university. Some schools require standardized test scores for all students, however. (These are mostly selective private schools.) I've listed examples of each type below. Schools that Require SATs or ACTs for Upper-Level Transfer Students Harvard University University of Chicago University of Virginia Tulane University Schools that Don't Require SATs or ACTs for Upper-Level Transfer Students University of California University of Colorado Pitzer College NYU University of Texas University of Florida Miami University (Ohio) No matter what,double check the transfer requirements for the specific school and program you're interested in. What Are Your Next Steps? Confirm Admission Requirements with the School You’re Interested In The advice in this article will apply to most schools, but the admission process varies. Make sure to check with the school you’re interested in about what you need to apply. Some community colleges have confusing websitesif you have any questions, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call the folks at the admissions office. They’re there to help! Study for the Placement Test Even if you aren’t taking the SAT, you should still study for the placement test. You want to do your best so you aren’t stuck repeating a bunch of material you already know. Plan for the Future If you are planning on transferring to a four-year college, set yourself up for success by researching the transfer requirements at the schools you're interested in: what kind of classes do you need to take? Is there an admission between your community college and the university you want to attend? Asking these questions early on helps make sure that you're in the best position to transfer to a four-year school after you complete your associates degree. Other Recommended Reading If you do decide to take the SAT, check out our complete study guide to prepare. Alternately, make sure you wouldn't rather take the ACT. Also check out our complete guide to transferring colleges! Want to improve your SAT score by 160points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Alex Heimbach About the Author Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. No spam ever. hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: '360031', formId: '2167ba30-e68e-4777-b88d-8bf3c84579af', formInstanceId: '2', submitButtonClass: 'btn-red-light btn', target: '#hubspot-container2', redirectUrl: 'http://ww2.prepscholar.com/blog-subscribe-thank-you', css: '.post-bottom .hs-form.stacked label {display:none;} .post-bottom .hs-form.stacked .field div.input {padding-top: 55px; padding-left: 300px;} .post-bottom .hs-input {width: 220px} .post-bottom .btn-primary, .hs-button.primary {margin-top:0px; padding-left:350px} .post-bottom .hs-form-field {margin-bottom:5px}' }); $(function(){ $(".exclusive-tip-form #hubspot-container2 label").hide(); }); function replace_tag(a, b){ $(a).each(function(index) { var thisTD = this; var newElement = $(""); $.each(this.attributes, function(index) { $(newElement).attr(thisTD.attributes[index].name, thisTD.attributes[index].value); }); $(this).after(newElement).remove(); }); } $(function(){ replace_tag($(".posts-by-topic h3"), "h2"); }) Ask a Question BelowHave any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply! Search the Blog Search jQuery(function(){ var $ = jQuery; var url = 'http://google.com/search?q=site:' + location.protocol + '//' + location.hostname + ' '; var $searchModule = $('.hs-search-module.20d8a6ce-a690-4432-aa38-6690ecea74e5'); var $input = $searchModule.find('input'); var $button = $searchModule.find('.hs-button.primary'); if (false) { $input.val(decodeURIComponent(location.pathname.split('/').join(' ').split('.').join(' ').split('-').join(' ').split('_').join(''))); } $button.click(function(){ var newUrl = url + $input.val(); var win = window.open(newUrl, '_blank'); if (win) { //Browser has allowed it to be opened win.focus(); } else { //Browser has blocked it location.href = newUrl; } }); $input.keypress(function(e){ if (e.keyCode !== 13) return; e.preventDefault(); $button.click(); }); }); Improve With Our Famous Guides SATPrep ACTPrep For All Students The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section: Score 800 on SAT Math Score 800 on SAT Reading Score 800 on SAT Writing Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section: Score 600 on SAT Math Score 600 on SAT Reading Score 600 on SAT Writing Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? 15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section: 36 on ACT English 36 on ACT Math 36 on ACT Reading 36 on ACT Science Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section: 24 on ACT English 24 on ACT Math 24 on ACT Reading 24 on ACT Science What ACT target score should you be aiming for? ACT Vocabulary You Must Know ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA How to Write an Amazing College Essay What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For? Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide Should you retake your SAT or ACT? When should you take the SAT or ACT? Michael improved by 370 POINTS! Find Out How Stay Informed Get the latest articles and test prep tips! Looking for Graduate School Test Prep? Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: GRE Online Prep Blog GMAT Online Prep Blog TOEFL Online Prep Blog