FAQ Admission Test - IE

FAQs Admission tests
Do I need to take a standardized test for admission to an IE University undergraduate program?
In order to be considered as a candidate, it is necessary to complete an admissions test. You can either take the SAT,
ACT or CAS exams, (international admissions tests that are used by the most prestigious universities worldwide) or
pass the IE University admissions test.
All of these tests measure the basic verbal and mathematical abilities that a student has acquired both in and out
of the academic environment. They test the ability to reason rather than memorization, and they usually do not require
special preparation.
College Board's Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the ACT Assessment Test are designed and organized by
independent, non-governmental companies that provide this service to students and universities. They are not
organized by IE University or any other university. For further information, or to register for these tests online, please
contact The College Board or ACT Assessment. For more information on the CAS exams, please follow this link to
the Specialist Cambridge Admissions Assessment.
What is the SAT Reasoning Test?
The SAT test lasts three hours and has a multiple choice format. It does not assess listening or oral communication
skills. Scores on the critical reading, mathematic, and writing sections range from 200 to 800 points, which are combined
to give the composite SAT score; a maximum of 2400 points can be achieved. The SAT is divided into seven sections,
three of which are verbal and three that are mathematical. The final section is experimental (either verbal or math)
and is used by the test-makers for research purposes only, and does not count towards the final score. The test starts
with five 30-minute sections, and is finished with two 15-minute sections. The verbal exercise includes sentence
completions, analogies, and critical reading, while the math one includes problem solving and quantitative comparisons.
What is the ACT alternative?
The ACT Assessment tests are administered by ACT Inc. of Iowa City, Iowa. It is an alternative to the SAT assessment,
and is taken primarily by students in the American Midwest and Southern states. The ACT Assessment tests are
standardized, multiple-choice tests used as part of the admission process to measure academic achievement in the
four areas of English, Math, Reading, and Science. Together, the four tests last two hours and fifty-five minutes. 45
minutes are dedicated to the English section, 60 minutes to the Math section, and 35 minutes to both the Reading
and Science sections. Separate scores are given for each subject, in addition to the composite score, which is the
average of the four scores. The scores range from 1 to 36, with 36 being the best possible score. The average composite
score is currently about 25 - 30 points. Additional information on the ACT Assessment can be found at www.act.org.
What is the CAS alternative?
Cambridge Admission Assessment has been providing research-led, and evidence based solutions for major higher
education institutions for over 20 years. The organization is currently developing and delivering carefully-targeted
admissions tests to help the university selection process. These developments are in response to requests from the
higher education institutions.
The tests developed by Cambridge are comprised of two distinct formats: Specialist tests and Generic tests.
Specialist tests assess the potential that the individual has to succeed in the particular subject for which they are
applying to study.
Generic tests assess the thinking skills of the individual that can be applied to any subject area.

What happens if I do not have any of these test scores?
In this case, you would have to take the IE University admission test. You can take the admission test in your nearest
IE International Office, on the IE University campus of Segovia, or at our head office in Madrid.
Undergraduate Studies of
We will require you to submit one of the following tests (at your convenience)
IE School of Communication
IE School of Psychology
IE School of Arts and Humanities
IE School of Architecture
IE Law School
IE Business School
IE School of Biology
IE University
Admission
Test
(Spanish or
English)
SAT Reasoning
Test known as
SAT I
ACT®
Or if you are from UK or any
other English speaking
country and you prefer
either the CAS Admissions
Tests (BMAT, ELAT, TSA,
UniTEST) or LNAT if you are
interested in LAW please
contact us at
university@ie.edu
What does the IE University test consist of?
The IE University admission test is similar to the SAT test. It mainly measures the basic verbal and mathematical abilities
that a student has acquired both in and out of the academic environment. It tests the ability to reason rather than
memorization, and it usually does not require special preparation.
This test consists of 5 different sections with a 10-15 minute time limit for each one: Attention, Verbal Reasoning,
Numeric Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning, and Spatial Ability. The questions are formatted so that only one of the
options is valid, and incorrect answers are penalized.
It is possible to take the IE University admissions test in Spanish or in English, depending on the language in which
you will be studying the Bachelor Degree regardless of your nationality.
You can take our Admissions test at our Segovia campus (Spain), our head office in Madrid (María de Molina, 13),
or in any of our 20 international offices worldwide.
When should I take this test?
You can take your admission test (SAT, ACT, CAS) before starting the IE University admission process, or you can start
the admission process and then take the IE University admissions test.
All information must be reviewed by the admissions committee before deciding if you will pass on to the personal
interview stage, and no file will be evaluated until each and every required part of our application is processed by our
admission staff; this includes the admission test.
All applicants with international admission assessment test preferences (SAT, ACT, CAS) must complete it as early as
possible, and long before their admission process begins at IE University. This helps to ensure the successful completion
of the application process so that a thorough evaluation may be done. We recommend that all potential students
take the SAT, ACT or CAS exams no later than the fall of their final year of secondary school. If expecting to enter IE
University in our fall semester of say 2010 (end of August), then it would be common to take these tests in the spring
or fall of 2009.
If you prefer to take the IE University admissions test, you will have to successfully complete it in one of our IE
International Offices, or at one of our IE university campuses in Segovia and Madrid (Spain).

If I am a non-native English speaker, and I have already done an English proficiency test like the TOEFL or
Cambridge Language Exam, do I still have to take an SAT, ACT, CAS or the IE University Admissions test?
Yes, definitely. These standardized exams test for reasoning skills and not for English language abilities needed for
university study. Tests like the TOEFL are solely used as an indication of English proficiency, and therefore do not
replace the admission test.
Despite being native English speakers, tens of thousands of American students take standardized tests each year in
order to support their admission applications to universities.
If I “pass” the SAT, am I automatically admitted to IE University?
No. This test represents only one component of our admission process, just like with standard American admissions.
Our admission committee evaluates academic achievement in terms of secondary school performance, the admissions
test results, extracurricular achievements, recommendations, essays, and the personal interview. After a thorough
evaluation of all the above mentioned information, the admission committee will make a decision on admission.
Can I prepare for these admissions tests? Does IE University provide such training?
These tests assess basic reasoning skills, and therefore should not require any special preparation; however, some
students find that they are able to improve their scores substantially by taking exam preparation courses or practicing
exam questions that are provided in a variety of different study guides. In certain American or international schools,
university guidance departments may provide insight sessions to familiarize students with the test structure.
IE University does not provide such services. In order to get a better idea of what the tests may look like, you may
consult The College Board, ACT Assessment, and the Specialist Cambridge Admission Assessment. A simple
internet search for the latest preparation guides may also provide an example of certain ways to possibly improve
results.
Applicants may add English proficiency score reports or diplomas to demonstrate their aptitude, but this is optional,
as they have to pass both the admission test and the personal interview in English.
What are the most common English language proficiency tests?
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Paper based
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Computer based
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Internet based
MELAB (Michigan Test )
British Council IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
ELPT (English Language Proficiency Test)
GCSE (British General Certificate of Sec ndary Education )
Cambridge EFL Examinations - Certificate of Proficiency in English
Cambridge EFL Examinations - Certificate in Advanced English
International Baccalaureate in English Higher & Standard Level A1, A2
SAT Critical Reading