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Standardized
Testing
Testing Requirements
Virtually all
four-year colleges and universities require students to take either the ACT
or the SAT I Reasoning Test. However,
specific testing requirements vary from college to college. It is
important that you are aware of the testing requirements for all the schools
that you are considering. Contact each college or visit all of their web
sites to be sure that you know what is required and when.
Which Test(s) Should I Take?
Most colleges will accept either the ACT or SAT I. Additionally, most will take the
highest scores from different test dates.
Some
colleges require SAT II: Subject
Tests in addition to the SAT. Some schools will accept the ACT in lieu
of SAT II Subject Tests. SAT II Subject Tests are like multiple-choice
finals, so it is helpful to study for them and to take them as soon as
possible after completing the appropriate course.
Some colleges make standardized test scores
an optional requirement.
When Should I Take the ACT and/or SAT?
Juniors should take the ACT or SAT I in the spring between
February and June. Make plans to retake the one on which you do better during
the Fall of your senior year. As you plan for test dates, take into account
factors such as athletic commitments, family travel, scholarship priority
deadlines, and any other obligations you might have. When you plan a sequence
of testing, consider the following:
· Some schools will accept
the ACT in lieu of SAT II: Subject Tests.(check ACT Testing
Schedule)
· You cannot take SAT I
and SAT II: Subject Tests on the same day.
· You can take up to three
SAT II: Subject Tests on the same day.
· Not all SAT II: Subject
Tests are offered on all testing dates (check SAT
Testing Schedule for details).
· Some schools require or
recommend particular SAT II: Subject Tests. Find out from the colleges on
your list if any SAT II: Subject Tests are required or recommended.
How Do I Register?
Registration
for any and all of the tests you plan to take is your responsibility.
Registration materials are available in the Guidance Office, or you can
register online at The College Board and ACT Web sites. Registration deadlines are
important and are well ahead of the test dates, so plan ahead.
Many
colleges require students to have all scores sent directly from the testing
agency, and you must request that your scores be sent to the colleges of
your choice. Score reporting should include SAT, ACT, and SAT II: Subject
Test scores.
What are the Tests and Their Differences?
The following descriptions were taken directly from The
College Board and ACT web sites:
ACT Assessment
The ACT is a national college admission
examination that consists of tests in: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science
Reasoning. The ACT Assessment tests are curriculum based. The ACT Assessment
is not an aptitude or an IQ test. Instead, the questions on the ACT are
directly related to what you have learned in your high school courses in
English, mathematics, and science. Because the ACT tests are based on what is
taught in the high school curriculum, students are generally more comfortable
with the ACT than they are with the traditional aptitude tests or tests with
narrower content. The ACT includes an optional writing
assessment that is a position paper.
The ACT is the only test that is accepted by all 4 year colleges
nationwide. You may now view your
scores online on the ACT website for FREE 3-4 weeks after the test is
taken. You may also print your admission
tickets from their website.
SAT I
The SAT I measures verbal and
mathematical reasoning abilities that students develop over time, both in and
out of school, which are related to successful performance in college. The
test consists of seven sections, each timed separately. SAT scores are
intended to supplement the secondary school record and help admission
officers put local data - such as course work, grades, and class rank - in a
national perspective. The SAT I includes a mandatory
writing assessment.
SAT II: Subject Tests
SAT II: Subject Tests are
designed to measure knowledge, and the ability to apply that knowledge, in
specific subject areas, such as: English, history and social studies,
mathematics, science, and language. The tests are independent of any
particular textbook or method of instruction. The content of the tests
evolves to reflect current trends in high school curricula, but the types of
questions change little from year to year. It is
crucial that you consult the web sites or contact the admissions office of
colleges that require or strongly recommend the SAT II tests to find out
which subject areas you should take. Also be aware that if you
need to take SAT IIs, the time to do so is immediately as or after you are
finishing the highest level of study in that subject, so that it is fresh in
your mind. So, in some rare cases, advanced students may take an SAT II as
early as their sophomore year, i.e. if they complete an AP class as a 10th
grader.
Do I Need to Take the Writing Assessment?
Some colleges/universities require students to also
submit results from a writing assessment—a short essay that students write in
response to a prompt. SAT I’s writing assessment is required; if you
take the SAT I, then you must take the writing assessment. ACT’s writing
assessment is optional, meaning that students have the choice to
register to take it or not. At this
time the only college in the state of Alabama that requires the writing
portion of the ACT is AUBURN. This
requirement will begin with the class of 2009.
The key is for students to research the colleges’
individual admission requirements. Find out from the colleges you are
interested in whether or not they are requiring a writing assessment—and if
so, what scores they require. Find a list of which colleges will require a
writing assessment online at www.collegeboard.com/newsat/colleges/require.html or http://actrs19.act.org/app3/writPrefRM/.
PLAN
The PLAN
is the pre-ACT, which students may take as sophomores in the Fall. It gives
an indication of how students may perform on the ACT, as well as offering a
career interest inventory.
PSAT/NMSQT
All students are strongly encouraged take the PSAT
both as sophomores and juniors. The PSAT is a standardized test that provides
practice for the SAT I. For juniors, taking the PSAT is the only way to enter
National
Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs. The
PSAT will be given on October 17, 2007.
You
should take the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year. Students should also take it
in their sophomore year for practice. The test is administered on a school
day each October, and test prep classes for the PSAT and SAT I are offered
each Fall. Contact the Guidance Office for additional information.
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