1 / 17

Preparing for College

Preparing for College. College Tests: AP, PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, ACT, & Placement. College Entrance Exams: Overview. Quick overview of the different tests Look at the different individual tests Discuss how the SAT and ACT are scored Bring attention to the “fee waiver” opportunity

valin
Download Presentation

Preparing for College

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Preparing for College College Tests: AP, PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, ACT, & Placement

  2. College Entrance Exams:Overview • Quick overview of the different tests • Look at the different individual tests • Discuss how the SAT and ACT are scored • Bring attention to the “fee waiver” opportunity • Quick look at the different test dates and times • College Placement Exams • Short question & answer period

  3. The Different College Entrance Exams • AP Exams: • Advanced Placement • Course specific tests • PSAT/NMSQT: • Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test & National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test • Practice for the SAT • Required for scholarships and Governor's Honors Program • SAT: • Scholastic Aptitude Test • Considered to be the standard for college/university admissions • ACT: • American College Test • Considered to be an alternative to SAT

  4. Advanced Placement Examinations • Designed for advanced high school students • College freshman courses in high school • Course specific • Test students in early May • Layout of test • Multiple Choice section • Free Response section(s)

  5. PSAT/MMSQT • Test is an aptitude test • Considered to be a practice and/or predictor for the SAT (same basic format) • Also used by different scholarship programs for qualification • Is the test for National Merit Scholarships • State of Georgia uses test for qualifying for the Governor's Honors Program

  6. SAT • Purpose: • Assess college readiness & potential success • One aspect of college admissions criteria

  7. SAT • Format: • Lasts 3 hours & 45 minutes • Divided into 8 sections • Each section lasts 20 to 35 minutes • Question format • Multiple choice (all 3 skill-areas) • Sentence completion (critical reading) • Student-produced responses (math) • Essay (writing)

  8. SAT • Skills Tested: • Critical Reading • Literary skills • Relationships • Cause & effect • Readings from sciences, humanities, social sciences, and literary fiction • Mathematics • Numbers & operations • Algebra I and II, Geometry, and Statistics • Writing • Recognition of errors and writing improvement • Essay development and writing on an issue

  9. ACT • Purpose: • It is an achievement test • Measures knowledge & skills • Only one portion of the criteria for college admissions

  10. ACT • Format: • Test lasts 2 hours and 55 minutes (without writing) • If take the writing test, add 30 minutes • Four major sections • Each section lasts 35 to 55 minutes

  11. ACT • Skills Tested: • English • Grammar • Rhetorical skills • Mathematics • Basic math skills through grade 11 • Basic formulas & computation skills • Reading • Direct & indirect meaning • Reference & reasoning • Science • Earth science, physical science, &/or biology • Use of data, summaries, conflicting viewpoints • Application of the scientific method

  12. Test Scoring • SAT: • Based on number of correct answers minus ¼ point for each incorrect answer • Scale of 200 to 800 for each section • Essay scores 0 to 12 • Based on 1600 (old test) or 2400 (new test) • Use bell curve with each section close to 500 • ACT: • Based on number of correct answers • Each section scored from 1 to 36 & then averaged • Language Arts = 2/3 English & 1/3 for Writing • Essay scored by two readers range = 2 to 12, then averaged • Average scores 17--23

  13. Fee Waivers • Must be eligible: • US citizen • High school student • In financial need • Must register: • Contact appropriate testing service • www.actstudent.org/faq/answers/feewaiver.html • www.collegeboard.com • On-line or mail • Must go through guidance department

  14. Test Registration • SAT: • Paper Packet from Guidance • Online at www.collegeboard.com • Use “Register Now for the SAT” box • ACT • Paper Packet from Guidance • Online at www.act.org • Use the box titled “The Test”

  15. PSAT October 18,2006 (during school day) ACT Registration Dates January 5, 2007 March 9, 2007 May 4, 2007 Test Dates February 10, 2007 April 14, 2007 June 9, 2007 SAT Registration Dates November 1, 2006 December 20, 2006 February 2, 2007 March 29, 2007 April 27,2007 Testing Dates December 2, 2006 January 27, 2007 March 10, 2007 May 5,2007 June 2 2007 2007 Registration &Testing Dates

  16. College Placement Tests • Purpose to assess skills and abilities of entering undergraduates • SAT or ACT test performance may exempt student from placement test(s) • Used to enroll new undergraduates in appropriate courses: • Remedial courses • Higher level courses

  17. Q & A • Any concerns? • Any questions?

More Related