Home to renowned educational institutions and a most preferred study abroad destination among international students, the United States is a country of advanced education and career possibilities. Because of its numerous undergraduate and graduate courses, the US universities have gained first place in various disciplines.
However, it is not easy to get admission directly into the to universities in US. You are required to pass different exams to study in USA. A high GPA will increase your acceptance into the university, but there are other exams too that you should take. And, this is what are are going to discuss in this blog. Here we will have a comprehensive discussion on what exams are required to study in USA and related aspects.
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Overview of Exam Requirements for Studying in USA
To get admission into any program at the US universities you are required to take some standardised tests as well as proof of language proficiency tests to be eligible. There are various tests that access your compatibility for other programs and compare the students from various educational backgrounds. You need to appear in the exams based on the type of program and the university you are applying to.
Now that we get an overview why exams are needed to study in the USA. Let's discuss what exams are required to study in USA:
What Exams are Required to Study in USA?
There are some significant exams required to study in USA. They are broadly divided into three categories:
- English Language Requirements
- Undergraduate Standardised Test
- Graduate Tests
Let's understand each of the exams needed to study in USA in detail:
English Proficiency Test Exams to Study in USA
There are some simple and uncomplicated procedures in order to apply to US universities. Especially if you are from a non-native English country, you must take a language test to get admission in the universities of the USA. Here we have discussed some English Language exams to write to study in USA:
TOEFL
The Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL test is one of the most often premier tests taken by a larger number of students. The average TOEFL scores ranges between 75 to 80 to be accepted at the universities. However, some top ranked universities ask to have a score of 100 and above.
TOEFL scores won't play a definite role in getting admission to various US universities, such as some universities like Princeton offering English language courses to their students who fail to clear the test or score lesser marks. However, for most of the other universities in US, it is a mandatory requirement.
IELTS
IELTS is another language proficiency test you can opt for to prove your language skills. Its test scores are reported in band scores i.e. 1.0 is the lowest and 9.0 is the highest score. The minimum score you must have to study in the USA varies between 6.5 to 9.0. On the other hand, some universities require students to send band scores in the test. You need an IELTS score at least 6.5 overall band score to be accepted at top US universities.
PTE
Pearson Test of English or PTE has recently gained much popularity among the students. It is accepted in about 785 US universities and colleges. The test is conducted on computer mode giving students a stress free and last minute booking. Moreover, your results will be declared within 48 hours of giving the test. A minimum score of 70 is enough to be eligible for US universities.
Duolingo
Duolingo English Test or DET is a language learning ability tool that has been designed for international students and its institutions. Duolingo acts as a skill tree for tutoring which has various learning exercises, multiple choice questions and flashcards that will help you to learn vocabulary, phrases and sentences.
Now that you know about the language exams to study in the USA, let's look at the entrance exams required to study in USA for undergraduate programs:
Suggested: Why Study in USA?
Exams to Study in USA For Undergraduate Program
To study an undergraduate program in USA, you are required to appear in two most popular standardised tests i.e. SAT and ACT. These scores help the university committee to demonstrate your academic and aptitude skills in higher secondary. Let's discuss each test:
SAT
Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT as the name suggests is an aptitude test taken by higher secondary students for undergraduate courses. It is a three hour long written test for measuring the students' English and Mathematical abilities. Achieving a score between 1,000 to 1,600 is considered to be a good SAT score in the USA. This will help you to get admission in any universities and colleges in the USA.
ACT
The America Language Test or ACT measures your excellence in science, mathematics and English subjects. One of the best part of opting this test is that it's curriculum is based on your high school exam which you are already familiar with. The minimum ACT score for US universities is around 22 which may vary with type of courses.
Now that we know about some undergraduate entrance exams to study in USA. Let's discuss what exams are required to study in USA for masters program:
Exams to Study in USA For Masters Program
There are different graduate test exams based on the program you choose to pursue. Out of many four popular ones to study graduate programs in USA includes GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT test. Here we have discussed each of the test in detail:
GRE
GRE is mainly taken by students who want to study a graduate programs in business management and engineering programs in USA. However, you can also taken some specific subject tests in GRE. The test is designed to measures your verbal, qunatitative and analytical writing skills. Anything above a 250 GRE score paves your way to US universities for masters.
GMAT
If you want to get into a business management and MBA program in the top B-schools of USA, you must have to score good marks in GMAT. The Graduate Management Admission Test or GMAT assess your analytical, quantitative, and verbal reasoning skills for the program. Securing a GMAT score of 600 or 650 and above is must if you are aiming for the top business schools in USA.
LSAT
The Law School Admission Test or LSAT is essential for getting admission to Law Schools of USA. The minimum score for the LSAT exam is around 150, but for securing admission into the top 25 law schools you have to aim for 160 and above.
MCAT
The Medical College Admission Test is a multiple choice based exam. The test is for students who want to seek admission to the medical colleges of USA. It measures your physical science, biological sciences and verbal reasoning skills. The average MCAT score for US is around 510. But for the best medical institutions of USA you have to score more than that.
Suggested: GRE vs LSAT
So these are some entrance exams needed to study in USA at different programs. However, the significant factor in deciding the exam is based on your course or program, college and university you choose. If you score highest marks in exams to write to study in USA, the university helps you to grant leverage from your financial burden. There are various scholarships offered in US universities for international students based on their entrance scores. To know more about what exams are required to study in USA or its benefits, you can connect with our Yocket Professionals now.
