Alphabet soup of tests to win a place

More students are pursuing higher studies overseas, and that means they must be fluent in the language of the host country.

Most Hong Kong students are familiar with public exams including TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and IELTS ( International English Language Testing System).

In addition to language proficiency tests, some universities also require students to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test or Advanced Placement examination, also known as AP.

SAT is an entrance exam recognized by almost all American universities. Students are required to submit SAT results when applying for admission.

Hong Kong students are less familiar with AP.

The US College Board administers the two tests. Wang Xiangbo, the board's vice president of relationship development in Asia, told me that last year 750 students took the AP. Most - 85 percent - were private candidates who came from the mainland just for the test.

In recent years many students planning to study in the United States chose the AP to increase their chances for admission.

Unlike SAT, AP results are not part of American university requirements. Mainland students would generally have to take AP courses after the National College Entrance Examination, but Hong Kong students can take the test immediately after the A-level exams.

Wang said the AP curriculum is mainly that of first year in university, which is more complicated and difficult than that of SAT. But if students get good results, this indicates their excellence and increases their chances of joining an elite institution.

Students getting high marks in the AP's five-point scale may be exempted from some credit requirements at the university they are admitted to, and so are able to graduate earlier.

There have been cases of students graduating one year earlier.

Connie Ku, senior education consultant of the Super Red Education and Training Center, said Hong Kong students are more "down-to-earth."

As AP results are not mandatory and SAT results can satisfy more universities, more Hong Kong students prefer to take the SAT.

Different regions have different requirements on international exam results. For example, the AP is more popular in Britain, while SAT and ACT are mainly entrance exams for American universities.

I suggest that students planning to go overseas should not only consider the background and academic standing of universities.

They should also know whether their academic performance meets the requirements. For some universities, students should find out whether the A-levels or the new Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education exam are accepted. They have to be fully prepared.