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It also addresses testing timing, policies, fees, repeat attempts, accommodations, and the purpose of test-optional schools.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-zinc-guide-to-college-entrance-exams-admission-tests-overview/274614/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/the-zinc-guide-to-college-entrance-exams-admission-tests-overview/274614.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Gelato","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",13,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What other factors besides test scores matter in college admissions?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Admissions typically combine high school performance, standardized test scores, and everything else such as recommendations, extracurricular activities, and written or creative work including application essays.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"Do colleges see a student’s PSAT or PreACT scores?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Colleges generally never see PSAT or PreACT scores during the admissions process.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How do the SAT and ACT differ at a high level?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The guide positions them as different main tests and discusses key differences such as content focus and pacing so students can choose the better fit for their strengths and schedule.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},274614,1789480016,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,95,100,105,110,115,120,123,127],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":124,"slug":126},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":130},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":132},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":133,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":140,"language":141,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":142,"faqs":143,"seo_title":144,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":145},19241457091524,"https://us-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","THE ZINC GUIDE TO COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS  \nWWW.ZINC.NYC  \n1  \n# Table of Contents\n\nWHAT IS REQUIRED?   4  \nA Snapshot of College Admissions Tests   5  \n• The Pre-Tests   5  \n• The Main Tests   6  \n• Other Tests   7  \nTesting andthe College Admissions Timeline   8  \n• When should I take the test?   8  \n• Testing and Early Admissions   8  \nTesting Policies and Fees   9  \nRepeat Testing   11  \n• How many times should I take the test?   11  \n• Should I take both the SAT andthe ACT?   11  \nTest Optional, Test Flexible, and Test Blind Schools   12  \nBy the Numbers   14  \nTesting Accommodations   17  \nWHAT ARE THESE TESTS?   18  \nThe Main Tests: The SAT andthe ACT   19  \n• What are these tests and why do they exist?   19  \n• SAT/ACT Details   20  \nOther Tests   26  \nAP Exams   27  \n• If my school does not offer AP classes, should I take AP Exams?   27  \nWHERE DO I STAND?   28  \nWhat do my SAT/ACT scores reveal about me?   29  \nOn Reading   30  \nOn Math   31  \nWHAT SHOULD I DO?   33  \nThe SAT vs. the ACT   34  \n• Which test should I take?   34  \n• The Key Differences   34  \n• Pacing   35  \nTest Preparation   36  \nResources and References   39  \nThe Zinc Approach    40  \nOur Services   41  \nAbout Us   42  \nNotes   44  \nOWNERSHIP OF TRADEMARKS For all references herein, PSAT, SAT, and AP are trademarks owned by the College Board, and ACT and PreACTare trademarks owned by American College Testing, neither of which were involved in the production of, nor do they endorse, these materials.  \n2  \n# Introduction:\n\nSTANDARDIZED TESTING AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS  \nTHE ZINC GUIDE TO COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS  \n3  \nApplying to college marks a major life transition for parents and students alike.  \nComplicating matters further, there are almost 3,000 accredited, four-year collegesand universities in the United States. That’s a lotof choices.  \nAtthe same time, you’re the one applying, so they get to decide whether or not tochoose you.  \nStandardized testing is only one of many criteria schools use to evaluate prospectivestudents. Some schools rely heavily on test scores from applicants who submit them.  \nOther schools don’t require test scores, and some won’t even look at them.Most colleges use a combination of three elements in assessing applicants:  \n• High school performance: which classes did you take and how well did you doin them?  \n• Standardized test scores  \n• Everything else: recommendations, extracurricular activities, written or creativework (including application essays), etc.  \nAt every level of selectivity, from the most competitive universities to those with minimaladmissions requirements, you will find yourself in a large pool of applicants with acceptablehighschool GPAs and standardized test scores. Getting in will almost never depend onscoring even higher. Harvard rejects about 80% of applicants with perfect scores every year.  \nDo your best and keep in mind that good test scores are an asset but not sufficienton their own.  \nWith so many choices, any meaningful effort you make will help you get into a great school.The secret of college admissions is that, after all the drama, everyone who tries ends up, forthe most part, very, very happy.  \nAt worst, standardized testing becomes an obsessive, self-esteem destroying distractionfor students and a money pit for parents. At best, tests either confirm academic abilitiesand accomplishments or provide feedback for needed improvements.  \nWWW.ZINC.NYC  \nWhat is required?  \n WHAT IS REQUIRED?  5   \n## A SNAPSHOT OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TESTS\n\nThe Pre-Tests  \nThe PSAT and the PreACT act as predictors for how a student may do on the SAT or ACT  \nwithout further preparation. They can serve as a useful tools in creating a test prep plan.  \nThey’re also good practice, getting students accustomed to taking standardized tests and  \nthe format of the SAT and ACT.  \nColleges will never see your PSAT or PreACT scores during the admissions process.  \n\n| THE TEST    |  | THE PSAT 1  \u003Cbr>   | THE PreACT   |\n","cbCaiax2RyukH4bv","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiax2RyukH4bv","pdf",5219882,53,"English","# What is required?\n## A Snapshot of College Admissions Tests\n## Testing and the College Admissions Timeline\n## Testing Policies and Fees\n## Repeat Testing\n## Test Optional, Test Flexible, and Test Blind Schools\n## By the Numbers\n## Testing Accommodations\n# What are these tests?\n## The Main Tests: The SAT and the ACT\n## Other Tests\n## AP Exams\n# Where do I stand?\n## What do my SAT/ACT scores reveal about me?\n## On Reading\n## On Math\n# What should I do?\n## The SAT vs. the ACT\n## Test Preparation\n## Resources and References\n## The Zinc Approach\n## Our Services\n## About Us\n## Notes","[{\"question\":\"What other factors besides test scores matter in college admissions?\",\"answer\":\"Admissions typically combine high school performance, standardized test scores, and everything else such as recommendations, extracurricular activities, and written or creative work including application essays.\"},{\"question\":\"Do colleges see a student’s PSAT or PreACT scores?\",\"answer\":\"Colleges generally never see PSAT or PreACT scores during the admissions process.\"},{\"question\":\"How do the SAT and ACT differ at a high level?\",\"answer\":\"The guide positions them as different main tests and discusses key differences such as content focus and pacing so students can choose the better fit for their strengths and schedule.\"}]","THE ZINC GUIDE TO COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS - Admission Tests Overview | PDF",134]