But if your finances are such that paying for the SAT would be a stretch, then the sheer cost of higher education in the USA might daunt you. Scholarships are not as common as one might think, and most of them only cover part of the basic costs. For many students, textbooks alone cost over $1000 per year (and in some academic disciplines, over $1000 per semester!).

Also, be aware that many colleges require the ACT, which is the SAT’s main competitor. Only in America would there be two competing tests, neither of which is better than a weak predictor of success and then only for the first academic term, and 90% of our bastions of knowledge require one of them.

Your best course of action would be to look hard for specific colleges/universities where you’ll apply, and follow their guidelines.