The SAT is the college entrance exam in the United States administered by CollegeBoard (visit our SAT page at this link for more information). It is a test required only in the United States, however there are numerous countries and/or universities outside the United States that accept it and value it as an entrance exam or as part of your academic curriculum.
If your idea is to apply for admission to any country in the world including the United States, then you should definitely take the SAT unless you want to apply to universities that do not require it for international students (there are many) or a community college (see this link for more information about what a community college is). On the other hand, if you rule out the United States as a destination country then you will most likely not need to do the SAT except in some circumstances detailed below:
- The university itself requires you to take it as an entrance exam.
- The university itself will value it in your academic curriculum.
- The university itself gives you the option of submitting it in place of your entrance test
- The university itself requires you to prove your level of mathematics by means other than school courses.
- You do not have an English language certificate and the SAT R/W is accepted as a means of certifying your level of English.
- You are applying to top-ranked universities and want to stand out from the rest of the applicants.
More and more universities in Europe are accepting the SAT as an entrance test instead of their own test. This means that if you submit the SAT and it is above a certain range, you may not have to take their own entrance exam. As a general rule (though not in all cases), the SAT test is usually easier than the college test itself, so we generally recommend choosing the SAT if possible. In addition, the SAT offers an advantage over a college-specific entrance test in that you know in advance what you will be asked, how you will be asked, and the format of the test. There are also numerous training platforms (some free) that allow you to prepare for the SAT. For a particular university exam, there is usually no specific training (except for standardized tests for Oxbridge, Medicine or similar).
If you are going to study Business and Management, Engineering or you are applying to top-ranked universities, it is advisable to prepare for and take the SAT no later than August of the year before you start college. The main Business Schools in Europe and some universities that offer all types of engineering courses usually accept it as an entrance exam. In addition, the most TOP European universities, although they do not have it as a requirement, they do value it as part of your academic curriculum.
What SAT score is required in Europe?
As explained in our SAT section, this test measures Reading and Writing in English and Mathematics. The score range is from 400 points to 1600 points in total. An average score for a mid/high-ranked university in the United States starts at 1200 points, with 1500 being the minimum for TOP universities. In Europe, the range of scores is very similar, with 1200 being the minimum for some universities. In the case of the leading Business Schools in Europe, a minimum qualification of 1350 is estimated to be eligible. For the TOP universities in Europe it is necessary to be above 1450.
The strategy to follow when applying for admission to a European university that accepts the SAT is to prepare the test in advance, take it at least 2 times a year before the beginning of the university and if the score obtained is above the limits mentioned in the previous paragraph then use it, if not, take the university’s own test.
At Five Lands International Education we offer you the most appropriate SAT training for your academic goals and we advise you on the strategy to follow in European universities. Visit our programs or contact us through this contact form or by phone +34 689 027 598.
