No College Entrance Exams in the US?
Who Says That?
The US certainly has college entrance exams; it's just a different system from China's. American high school spans four years, and the college entrance exam is offered as many as seven times a year. Starting from the equivalent of China's second year of senior high (Grade 11), students can register for the "gaokao," meaning high schoolers can take the exam at any time over two years.
Because the US college entrance exam is an ongoing standardized test, test-takers can choose any—or even every—administration based on their situation, meaning up to 14 attempts over two years. Since scores remain valid for two years, many high schoolers start taking the test in their junior year and continue until they no longer wish to.
Most American students take the test two or three times, though some take four or five. When colleges review scores, regardless of how many attempts a student made, they will use the best Math and English scores. They believe that the highest score you achieved demonstrates your ability—if you lacked that ability, you couldn't have earned that score—while the lower scores may have been influenced by various factors.
As a result, test-takers don't face excessive psychological pressure, their mindset remains relatively normal, and their scores don't fluctuate dramatically across attempts.
There are two types of US college entrance exams. One is the SAT, short for Scholastic Assessment Test, offered seven times a year. The SAT is divided into two parts: the Reasoning Test (which is the understanding section) includes English and Math questions and emphasizes students' reading volume, analytical, and problem-solving skills; and the Subject Test, covering subjects like English, Math, History, Science, and foreign languages, with the specific subjects chosen by test-takers when registering.
The other is the ACT, short for American College Testing Assessment, offered six times a year. It is more popular in the Midwest and South of the US, with about 1.3 million test-takers annually. The test schedule and purpose are similar to the SAT. The exam covers four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning.
Whether a student chooses the SAT or ACT depends on which test score the colleges they plan to apply to require. If no specific test is mandated, students generally take the one they are best suited for to achieve the highest score.
Harvard University
SAT Score Requirements
SAT Total Score: 1800-2400 (Reading: 600-800, Math: 600-800, Writing: 600-800)
ACT Minimum Scores
ACT Composite: 22, ACT English: 32, ACT Math: 31
Yale University
SAT Score Requirements
SAT Total Score: 2110-2380 (Reading: 700-790, Math: 700-800, Writing: 710-790)
ACT Minimum Scores
ACT Composite: 31
Generally, schools ranked in the top 50 in the US require SAT scores, such as Harvard, Yale, MIT, etc.
Who Said the US "Gaokao" Is Easy?
Chinese college admissions rely solely on gaokao scores, but US colleges consider multiple factors: standardized test scores, high school grades, and the applicant's overall qualities, combining all three. Strictly speaking, academic performance (including test scores and grades) is part of overall qualities, but for the sake of explanation, we're artificially separating them.
Top US Ivy League schools use formulas to calculate an Academic Index (AI) based on standardized test scores and high school grades—these are the visible, quantifiable elements—while overall qualities are the hidden, less quantifiable aspects.
Harvard rejects many "gaokao top scorers" every year; for example, in 1996 it turned away 165 students with perfect SAT scores. The reason? Dissatisfaction with the overall qualities hidden behind those scores.
Top-tier schools like Harvard and Princeton openly state that SAT I, SAT II, and high school grades are very important, but they also look at applicants' overall qualities. An interesting phenomenon is that the higher the school's level, the more emphasis it places on overall qualities.
The Dean of Admissions at Harvard wrote in a letter to prospective applicants:
"There is no doubt that admission to a university like Harvard is extremely competitive. No one can guarantee acceptance, nor is there a magical admission formula. Academic performance—including high school grades, SAT I or ACT and SAT II scores—is very important to the admissions committee. However, other factors such as personal talents, community involvement, and extracurricular activities are also crucial. The committee reads recommendation letters and essays very carefully. In the admissions process, we look for students who excel across the board, ensuring each incoming class is a vibrant community."
The Dean of Admissions at Princeton similarly stated:
"We certainly do not simply rank applicants by GPA and test scores and then pick from the top down. If it were that simple, we wouldn't spend so much time reading applications... Nor do we look for cookie-cutter applicants. Rather, as we review each file, we treat every applicant as a unique individual and examine their specific, comprehensive abilities and achievements."
On the other hand, the US adopts a "wide entry, strict exit" admissions approach.
Even if you get into a top school, whether you can graduate is another matter.
So, it's clear that the US "gaokao" is far from being as simple as many think. Without exam-oriented education and a system where one score determines everything, with holistic development, do you really think you can come out on top?
China's Gaokao vs. the American "Gaokao"
Which one would you pick?
