Testing

Most colleges in Kentucky require you to take some kind of entrance test before you are admitted. The two most common tests are the ACT Assessment and the SAT.

The ACT Assessment is required or accepted at all public and private colleges, community colleges, and universities in Kentucky. For more information, visit www.act.org.

The SAT is accepted at most public and private colleges. For more information, visit www.collegeboard.com.

The ACT and the SAT are the two tests with which you are probably most familiar. Others your college might require include:

The ACT ASSET Program is used primarily at community colleges and is on the Kentucky Community and Technical College Systems (KCTCS) approved list of tests. For more information, visit www.act.org/asset/index.html.

The ACT Computerized Adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System (COMPASS) is a series of tests which helps pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in particular areas. COMPASS is on the KCTCS approved list of tests. For more information, visit www.act.org/compass/index.html.

The Career Programs Assessment (CPAt) measures basic skills in language, reading, and arithmetic. Trade schools primarily use this test. For more information, visit www.act.org/cpat/index.html.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) measures a non-native English speaker's proficiency with the language. For more information, visit www.ets.org.

There are a couple of options available to give you a head start on your college education.

The first is the Advanced Placement (AP) Examination. You must take an AP course in high school to qualify. You can earn college credit and/or be eligible for advanced placement if grades are satisfactory. For more information, visit www.collegeboard.com.

The College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP®), offers tests for many subjects taken during the first two years of college. These scores can be used to award credit or exemption for undergraduate college courses. For more information, visit www.collegeboard.com.