If you are planning to attend college within the next few years, you are probably already thinking about taking at least one standardized test. Most colleges and universities require students to submit their scores from at least one type of standardized test, so it is important that students begin planning early on.

Part of planning means that you need to find out the different kinds of standardized tests there are to choose from and what each of them has to offer. This will allow you to choose the one that will be of the most benefit to you when you start sending in college applications.

Types of Tests

For the most part, there are only a handful of different tests that you will need to consider before planning for college. The most commonly requested test scores, as requested by colleges, are for the SAT Reasoning Test. This is a standardized test that many colleges in the United States use for determining college admission for students. The College Board developed this test, and they claim that it is designed to adequately determine a student’s readiness for pursuing college studies.

The PSAT is the Preliminary SAT test. It is designed to prepare sophomore level students for taking the SAT later on. Some people consider the PSAT to be very important for helping younger students to become familiar with how the SAT tests work so that they will be more at ease when it is time for them to take that important exam.

The CLEP, or College-Level Examination Program®, gives students the chance to receive college credits for the knowledge they already have. There are 34 different exams offered under the CLEP that students may choose to take if they feel like they are good enough in a particular subject area to place out of having to take those classes in college.

Some of the subjects that students can choose from include English Composition, Algebra, Calculus, History, French, German, and business courses such as Management and Accounting. Each of these exams is approximately 90 minutes long. They are designed to replace one or two years of college study, if a student’s scores are high enough.

Testing Dates

The PSAT is usually administered two times in October of each year. Since test dates are restricted, it is important for students to make plans to take this exam well in advance. While no colleges will request a student’s PSAT scores, this exam is considered to be important only because it gives students a chance to practice before they take the SAT.

The SAT exam is offered throughout each year at fairly regular intervals. Upcoming dates for this exam are May 1 and June 5. In order to get the regular registration fee of $45, students must register at least one month in advance of the testing date. Late registration is permitted, but it costs $68.

CLEP exams are $72 each. These tests are given at college and university campuses around the world, so students need to contact an institution that is local to them to inquire about testing dates. This exam is normally administered on a regular, ongoing basis, so it should be relatively easy to schedule a time.