Throughout your school career, you have all had experience taking standardized tests before: MCAs, NWEAs, etc. There is, however, a whole different category of tests that high school students take: college readiness tests. It can be confusing to keep them all straight at times, so here is a guide to help you understand each different test.
ACT
The ACT is a test that most of you probably have heard of, and many of you (seniors and some juniors) have likely already taken. The ACT is required for admission to four-year colleges and universities. Most colleges and universities in the Midwest prefer the ACT as opposed to the SAT (which is covered next). ACT scores can also be used for placement at two-year colleges and technical colleges. All juniors at Owatonna High School will be taking the ACT for free on April 28, 2015 as a part of Minnesota's statewide college and career readiness testing program.
You may be interested in taking the ACT at another time as well. To see national test dates and register for the ACT, you can visit www.actstudent.org. The cost for the ACT + Writing is $54.50, and the cost of the ACT without Writing is $38.00. There is a fantastic free ACT online prep course at www.mncis.intocareers.org that you can take to help you get ready for the ACT. Students who prepare for the ACT and know what to expect tend to get higher scores than students who go into the test without any preparation and prior knowledge.
SAT
Like the ACT, the SAT is another test that is required for admission to four-year colleges and universities. Whereas the ACT is typically used for colleges and universities in the Midwest, the SAT is preferred for schools on the East coast and West coast. You can see SAT test dates and register for the test at http://sat.collegeboard.org/register. There is a free SAT online prep course at www.mncis.intocareers.org that you can take to prepare for the SAT as well, which is highly recommended.
For both the SAT and the ACT, it is recommended that students take them during the spring semester of their junior year (or in the summer before senior year). It gives you time to take core classes during junior year that will cover material on the tests, allows you to have a score on file before applying to colleges in the fall of your senior year, and also gives you time to retest if you'd like to try for a higher score.
Accuplacer
The Accuplacer is a placement test that is used by several two-year colleges in order to determine if a student is ready to handle college-level courses, or if they will need to enroll in developmental or remedial courses before they can enroll in college-level courses. Typically, it is taken after students have applied to a two-year college and prior to registering for college courses. Two-year colleges also will accept an ACT test score in place of the Accuplacer. There is no fee for taking the Accuplacer. To learn more about the Accuplacer, you can visit their website: http://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/students
ASVAB
The ASVAB is a career planning test that measures traditional academic skills in verbal, math, and science, but it also measures career aptitudes in electronics information, auto and shop information, mechanical comprehension, and assembling objects. It can also help students identify career strengths and interests. The ASVAB is also used by the military as a qualifying exam for entrance into different branches and career paths in the military. The ASVAB is free for students to take. You can learn more about the ASVAB here: http://official-asvab.com/applicants.htm
PLAN
The PLAN test is like a pre-ACT exam. It measures students' level of college readiness, includes a survey to identify career interests, gives an estimate of how students will do on the ACT, and gives feedback o nwhat to work on and how to prepare for the ACT. All of the sophomores at Owatonna High School will be taking the PLAN test on November 12th, on the morning of our College and Career Day. This is a part of Minnesota's statewide college and career readiness testing program, and it is free for students to take on November 12th. If you are a 10th grade student, you will be learning how to interpret your PLAN scores in TMM once the scores are in. You can learn more about the PLAN test at their website: www.act.org/planstudent/
PSAT
The PSAT is like a pre-SAT exam. It measures how students might do on the SAT, gives feedback about what to work on and how to prepare for the SAT, provides links to career and college planning resources, and is the gateway exam for the National Merit Scholarship program. Typically, students need to score in the top 1-2% on the PSAT nationwide to become semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship program. Our juniors will be taking the PSAT tomorrow. Cost is $14, and there is a limited number of tests available. You can learn more about the PSAT at their website: www.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt
Is your head spinning yet? There is a lot of information out there about college readiness tests, and it definitely can get overwhelming at times. It is recommended for students to learn about these tests early on in their high school careers so that they know what to expect when it comes time for them to take them. If you have questions about any of these tests, please contact your counselor.
No comments:
Post a Comment