General Scholastic Ability Test
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| Acronym | GSAT, 學測 |
|---|---|
| Type | Entrance exam |
| Administrator | College Entrance Examination Center |
| Skills tested | Multiple, Optional, Handwritten questions |
| Purpose | Applying to colleges |
| Year started | 1994 |
| Duration |
|
| Score range | 0～15 |
| Score validity | This school year |
| Regions | Taiwan |
| Languages | Chinese、English |
| Annual number of test takers |  116,465 (2022)[1] |
| Prerequisites | N/A |
| Fee |
|
| Used by | Every college[2] |
| Website | www |
The General Scholastic Ability Test (traditional Chinese: 學科能力測驗)[3] is the Taiwanese university entrance exam and is organized by the College Entrance Examination Center (CEEC). The test is administered over two days and five subjects:
- Chinese language and literature
- English language
- Mathematics
- Social studies (including History, Geography, and Civics)
- Science (including Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Earth Science)
The materials cover the first two years of Taiwanese senior high school (10th and 11th grade).
Before GSAT
In 2002, the General Scholastic Ability Test (GSAT) replaced the Joint College Entrance Examination (JCEE), and changed Taiwan's primary university admission test since the 1970s. The goal was to reduce the academic pressure by basing it only on JCEE to promote more diversified admission pathways. After these changes, the GSAT became the primary examination to connect with other selections, such as Recommendation and Screening, and Application Admission. It allows universities to consider broader abilities of students beyond only on exam performance. These changed Taiwan's educational policy to multiple evaluation criteria.[4]
Student stress and test anxiety
The GSAT has heavy psychological pressure on high school students because of its role in shaping Taiwanese students' academic futures. The study by Chao, Sung, and Tseng found that Taiwanese students experience high levels of anxiety related to high-stakes testing.[5]Their research shows that the long preparation for the GSAT can affect students' motivation negatively. Many students spend years attending cram school programs to improve performance, and this causes a more serious competitive atmosphere.[6]
