The exam your child will actually sit

What it decides. A provincial check on Grade 6 English Language Arts and Mathematics. It does not decide a place anywhere, and it does report how a child is doing against the whole province.

What it covers. English Language Arts and Mathematics, with Science and Social Studies in some years.

The thing candidates lose marks on. It is written to the Alberta programme of studies exactly, so past-paper practice maps onto it more closely than for almost any other test here.

What it decides. The last PAT before high school. Results feed into course placement conversations in Grade 10, which is where it quietly matters.

What it covers. English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The maths paper has a no-calculator section. Mental arithmetic that has gone rusty is where marks go, not the harder topics.

What it decides. Used by many boards to identify children for gifted and enrichment programmes. It tests reasoning rather than what has been taught.

What it covers. Verbal, quantitative and non-verbal reasoning: analogies, number series, figure patterns.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Nothing on it is on the school syllabus, so familiarity with the QUESTION TYPES is most of the preparation. That is what the Reasoning subject here is for.

What it decides. Independent and specialist schools set their own papers for entry, usually in the year before joining.

What it covers. Typically English, Mathematics and a reasoning paper.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Every school sets its own. Ask the school for the format and a past paper before spending a term preparing for the wrong thing.

What it decides. Written at the end of Grade 12 in the core subjects, and counted as part of the final grade in each of them rather than sat separately. Universities see the blended mark.

What it covers. English 30-1 or 30-2, Mathematics 30-1 or 30-2, Social Studies 30-1 or 30-2, and Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Physics 30 or Science 30 where taken.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The diploma counts for 30% and the schoolwork for 70%, so a strong year is worth more than a strong day. Released items from earlier sittings are published and are the closest thing to the real paper.

What it decides. Sat by Canadian students applying to universities in the United States. Canadian universities do not ask for them.

What it covers. The SAT tests reading, writing and maths; the ACT adds a science-reasoning section.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Many American universities went test-optional and a number have since reinstated the requirement, so check each one for the year of entry rather than trusting anything general.

What it decides. Offered by some Alberta schools alongside the diploma, and recognised for credit or advanced standing at many universities.

What it covers. Subject by subject for AP; a full six-subject programme with an extended essay for the IB.

The thing candidates lose marks on. They are extra rather than instead: the diploma still has to be sat. Take them for the subject you mean to study, not for the count.

What it decides. End-of-term and end-of-year papers set by the school, which decide promotion to the next class.

What it covers. Every subject on the timetable, including Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning.

The thing candidates lose marks on. These are the papers where exam habits are built. A child who learns to read the question twice at Primary 3 carries it to Common Entrance.

What it decides. Sat in Primary 6 for entry into Federal Government Colleges (unity schools). Places are competitive and cut-offs vary by state.

What it covers. English, Mathematics, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and General Studies.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning are half the paper and are barely taught in class. They are also the most learnable part, because the item types repeat year after year.

What it decides. State-run and private secondary schools set their own entrance papers alongside Common Entrance.

What it covers. Usually English, Mathematics and Reasoning, in the same shape as Common Entrance.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Preparation overlaps almost entirely with Common Entrance, so it is one body of work, not two.

What it decides. Sat at the end of JSS 3. It certifies the end of basic education and decides progression into senior secondary.

What it covers. English Studies, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology, National Values, a Nigerian language, and the other JSS subjects.

The thing candidates lose marks on. It is the first exam where objective and theory papers are marked to a national standard, so showing full working in the theory section starts to carry real weight.

What it decides. The National Examinations Council version of the junior certificate, taken in place of or alongside the state BECE depending on the school.

What it covers. The same JSS syllabus as the BECE.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Same syllabus, same preparation. Confirm with the school which one the class is entered for.

What it decides. The certificate that ends senior secondary school and the one every Nigerian employer and university asks to see. Five credits including English and Mathematics is the bar almost everything else stands on.

What it covers. Eight or nine subjects, compulsorily English Language and Mathematics, with the science, arts or commercial subjects of the chosen stream.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Credits in English and Mathematics are not negotiable and are where most re-sits come from. Past questions repeat in shape year on year more than in any other exam here.

What it decides. The National Examinations Council sitting of the same certificate, taken alongside or instead of WAEC. Most students sit both, because a weak result in one can be made up in the other.

What it covers. The same subject structure as the WASSCE, examined separately.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Sitting both in the same year is normal and is the cheapest insurance available against one bad paper.

What it decides. The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, which decides which university, polytechnic or college of education a student may enter, and often which course.

What it covers. Four subjects: Use of English, plus three chosen to match the intended course. Computer-based and strictly timed.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The subject combination must match the course requirements exactly. Every year students score well and are refused because they sat the wrong three.

What it decides. Sat by Nigerian students applying to universities outside Nigeria, at British Council or Cambridge centres and at private schools.

What it covers. IGCSE at around Grade 10 and A level at Grade 12 for British and Commonwealth entry; the SAT for the United States.

The thing candidates lose marks on. These run to a different calendar from WAEC and NECO, and the clash between them is the commonest reason a strong student ends up under-prepared for both.

What it decides. Every state tests reading and maths in Grades 3 to 8. Results feed school reporting and sometimes placement.

What it covers. English Language Arts and Mathematics, plus science in selected grades.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Most are computer-adaptive: the questions get harder as you get them right. Slow, careful work early on the paper is worth more than speed.

What it decides. Adaptive tests many districts run two or three times a year to measure growth rather than to pass or fail.

What it covers. Reading and Mathematics.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Nobody passes or fails these, and treating them as high-stakes is the main way children go into them anxious for no reason.

What it decides. Reasoning tests used for gifted and talented placement in many districts.

What it covers. Verbal, quantitative and non-verbal reasoning.

The thing candidates lose marks on. None of it is on the school syllabus. Knowing the question types is nearly all the preparation there is, which is what the Reasoning subject here covers.

What it decides. The first test in the SAT Suite, sat in Grades 8 and 9 on the same scale as the SAT. It is a practice run with a real score.

What it covers. Reading and Writing, and Mathematics.

The thing candidates lose marks on. It is digital and adaptive in two stages: how you do on the first module decides the difficulty of the second. Finishing the first module carefully matters more than most people expect.

What it decides. Sat in Grades 11 and 12 for college admission. It is above this app’s range and is listed so a Grade 9 student knows where the PSAT leads.

What it covers. Reading and Writing, and Mathematics.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Everything on the PSAT 8/9 is the same shape as the SAT. Nothing about starting early is wasted.

What it decides. Used in admission to many American universities, usually sat in Grade 11 and again in Grade 12.

What it covers. Reading and writing, and maths. Digital and adaptive since 2024.

The thing candidates lose marks on. A large number of universities are test-optional and several have reinstated the requirement, so check each one for the year of entry. Where a score is optional, submit it only if it helps.

What it decides. Accepted in place of the SAT everywhere that takes the SAT, and preferred by some students for its shape rather than its difficulty.

What it covers. English, maths, reading and science reasoning, with an optional writing section.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The science section is reading graphs under time pressure rather than recalled science. Sitting one practice paper of each is the fastest way to find out which of the two suits a student.

What it decides. Subject exams sat in May that can earn university credit or advanced standing, and that show a transcript carrying real difficulty.

What it covers. One exam per AP course taken, scored 1 to 5.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Which scores earn credit is decided by each university, not by the College Board. Look it up for the specific institutions before choosing which to sit.

What it decides. A two-year programme offered at some American schools and recognised worldwide, including by universities outside the United States.

What it covers. Six subjects, a theory of knowledge course, an extended essay and creativity, activity and service.

The thing candidates lose marks on. It is a programme rather than an exam, and it cannot be picked up late. The decision is made at the start of Grade 11.

What it decides. A national check on literacy and numeracy in four years of school. It does not decide anything about a child individually, and schools take it seriously because their results are published.

What it covers. Reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The writing task is marked against a published rubric. Reading the rubric once is worth more than a month of extra practice.

What it decides. Entry to selective high schools and scholarship places, which varies by state.

What it covers. Reading, mathematical reasoning, thinking skills and a writing task.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Thinking skills is the section least like school work, and the one where practice moves the mark most.

What it decides. Offered by some Australian schools in place of the state certificate, and converted to an ATAR for local university entry as well as recognised abroad.

What it covers. Six subjects, theory of knowledge and an extended essay.

The thing candidates lose marks on. It converts to an ATAR, so choosing it does not close off an Australian university. It does have to be decided before Year 11 starts.

What it decides. The end of school certificate, called something different in each state, feeding an ATAR rank used for university entry.

What it covers. The subjects chosen for the final two years, examined externally and internally.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Subject choice at the start of Year 11 constrains everything afterwards. It is worth a serious conversation early.

What it decides. Sat at the end of primary school. Used to judge the school rather than the child, and secondary schools use the results for setting.

What it covers. Reading, mathematics, and grammar, punctuation and spelling.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The arithmetic paper is thirty questions in thirty minutes. Speed on number bonds and tables decides it more than anything clever.

What it decides. Entry to grammar schools, in the areas that still have them.

What it covers. Verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, mathematics and English, depending on the area.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The format differs by county more than the content does. Find out which board your area uses before practising anything.

What it decides. The main school qualification at sixteen, and the gate to sixth form, college and apprenticeships.

What it covers. Usually eight to ten subjects, examined at the end of two years.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Grades 4 and 5 in English and mathematics are the two that most doors actually check for.

What it decides. Offered instead of A levels at some English schools, and the more portable of the two if a family expects to apply outside the United Kingdom.

What it covers. Six subjects at higher and standard level, with theory of knowledge and an extended essay.

The thing candidates lose marks on. A levels go deep into three subjects and the IB stays broad across six. Which suits a student is a question about them, not about which is harder.

What it decides. The usual route into university, taken in three or four subjects.

What it covers. Two years of one subject, examined at the end.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The step up from GCSE is in the length of the answers, not the difficulty of the facts.

What it decides. Decides which senior secondary school a student attends, and in much of the country that decides a great deal afterwards.

What it covers. Chinese, mathematics, a foreign language, sciences, and physical education in most provinces.

The thing candidates lose marks on. It is provincial rather than national, so the papers and the weighting differ. The local past papers are the ones that count.

What it decides. Sat by students applying to universities outside China, usually alongside an international curriculum rather than the Gaokao.

What it covers. IELTS or TOEFL for English; the SAT for the United States; A levels or the IB where the school teaches them.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The two routes diverge early. A student preparing seriously for the Gaokao and for foreign admission at the same time is preparing badly for both, and the choice is usually made around the start of senior high.

What it decides. The national university entrance examination, and one of the highest-stakes examinations anywhere in the world.

What it covers. Chinese, mathematics, a foreign language, and a chosen combination of sciences or humanities.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Scoring is norm-referenced against the province. The mark that matters is the rank, not the number.

What it decides. An international qualification at sixteen, taught in schools in over a hundred and fifty countries, and accepted in place of a national certificate by most of them.

What it covers. Subject by subject, examined externally at the end of the course.

The thing candidates lose marks on. Papers are tiered in several subjects. Being entered for the right tier matters more than a term of revision.

What it decides. A two-year diploma taken instead of national senior examinations, recognised by universities worldwide.

What it covers. Six subjects, plus an extended essay, theory of knowledge, and service.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The non-examined parts are where diplomas are lost, because they are the parts that can be left too late.

What it decides. Used in United States university admissions, and accepted by universities in many other countries.

What it covers. Reading and writing, and mathematics.

The thing candidates lose marks on. It is a timing test as much as a knowledge test. Sitting whole papers under the clock is the practice that works.

What it decides. English proficiency for study or work abroad, required by universities and by several immigration systems.

What it covers. Listening, reading, writing and speaking.

The thing candidates lose marks on. The speaking test is a conversation with a person on a fixed structure. Knowing the structure removes most of the fear.

What it decides. Used by international schools to benchmark a child against an international standard.

What it covers. English, mathematics and science.

The thing candidates lose marks on. It reports a scaled score rather than a pass, so it is diagnostic. Read the breakdown, not the total.