READING EVIDENCE: LESSON 11

ACHIEVING MY COLLEGE AND CAREER GOALS

SERGIO CARRILLO OSORIO 4BB
Should I stay or should I go?
Should you study abroad or stay closer to home? Your career begins with this choice.
It’s useful to keep an open mind and consider both options. There are advantages
and disadvantages to both and figuring them out will depend on the career path you
have developed in previous lessons, along with other personal factors. If I would like
to do both, there is a domestic program to study abroad for a semester or a year.
Data-driven decisions
College ranking organizations give universities numbered positions in a list. These
systems take a variety of datasets into account. Surveys are often used, which are
better at determining perceived status and prestige.
The three most widely read ranking organizations are:
• Times higher education world university rankings
• QS world university rankings
• Academic ranking of world universities
Dreams, targets and safeties
The dream, target, and safety method are a popular way of categorizing potential
school choices. Dream schools have a great reputation and data for their specific
area of study, but the qualifications necessary are very high. Target schools are more
realistic and consider financial or cultural barriers. Safety schools are sure to get into
but may be a bit below your standards. This is the school choice you will go for in
case your dream and target schools don't work out. The necessary scores and tests
for domestic and international admissions will also play a part in which university you
can choose from.
General admissions exams
The EXANI-II is a general knowledge test created and administered by the National
Center of Evaluation (CENEVAL). It is divided into two parts: EXANI II Admission,
which has 110 multiple-choice questions and evaluates mathematical reasoning,
analytical thought, reading, and writing, and takes about two and a half hours to
complete, and EXANI II Diagnostic, which has eleven sections that are specific to
each field of study and also evaluates a candidate's English level. The test was
created in the 1990s in response to the growing number of higher education
institutions and the need for a standard measure of student achievement and
knowledge when graduating high school. Each university in Mexico has the freedom
to decide whether they require this exam, or if they will require their applicants to
take another test.
The SATs
The Scholastics Assessment Test (SAT) is the most required test in the US to apply
for a college or university. It was founded in the 1920s as a variation to an IQ test
used by the US Army. The SATs consist of three areas: reading, writing, and math,
and are usually taken by seniors in high school. In 2016, The College Board began
working with Khan Academy to provide free SAT preparation and mock exams. If
your university or college of choice is in the US, you should create an account with
the College Board as soon as possible and figure out where you can take the SATs
in Mexico.
The ACT
It has four sections with an optional fifth writing selection:
• English
• Math
• Reading
• Science
• Writing (optional)
It is important to take sample tests for both the SAT and ACT, and that some
universities may require you to take the writing section. Additionally, the SAT Subject
Tests (sometimes known as the SAT IIs or Achievement Tests) are administered
separately from the SATs and are standardized tests created to measure your
abilities in specific academic subject areas. If you are a biology whiz, you may
consider taking one of the biology exams in ecological or molecular biology.