Testing and the College-Bound Student
By: Diana Mortlock and Barb Popoff

March 10, 2000

Testing and the College Bound Student

The main college entrance examinations that CVHS students take are the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT), the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), and the Scholastic Assessment Tests II Subject Area Tests (SAT II). Some students take the American College Test (ACT).

The PSAT is administered every October across the country to ninth, tenth and eleventh graders. The PSAT is appropriate for students who have completed at least Math Analysis 2 or Advanced Geometry as the math section of the test covers a fair amount of geometry. Eleventh graders take the PSAT in preparation for taking an SAT and in order to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Competition. Ninth and tenth graders take the PSAT as practice and should be sure to also take the PSAT as eleventh graders. PSAT results are posted on the students transcript unless a students family requests that they not be posted.

Eleventh graders are encouraged to take the SAT in May or June of the junior year and possibly in the fall of the senior year. Many students review for the SAT by taking a review class, studying an SAT review book and/or CD ROM program. The College Board, the organization that administers the tests, sends scores from all testing sessions to colleges at your request.

SAT II tests are subject area tests that are required by a small percentage of highly competitive colleges. Details about these tests are included in the materials from the College Planning Night for Juniors.