counter
College Resources
PSAT
The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test was created by the College Board and the Educational Testing Services for students to “practice” the SAT Reasoning Test. The test is offered at First Lutheran on Wednesday. October 13, 2010. It can also be taken on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at various locations (see www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html) Once taken, the student has access to the free personal My College Quickstart. It projects SAT scores and provides strategies to improve those scores.
 
Juniors taking the PSAT are eligible for scholarships offered through the National Merit Corporation. They must score in the 96th percentile nationally.
 
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test measures critical thinking skills needed for academic success in college. It is an aptitude test. Therefore practice does make perfect! All the hard work spent on My College Quickstart and SAT preparations definitely improve one’s score.
 
The 3 hour and 45 minute test covers the following:
 
  • Critical reading – including sentence completion and passage based questions
  • Mathematics – algebra and geometry
  • Writing – multiple choice questions and a written essay. The essay presents a topic in which there is no right or wrong answer. The purpose is to evaluate how the student presents a point of view (thesis), expresses supporting evidence from subject matter and personal experiences, and illustrates mastery of grammar and vocabulary.
Students should plan to take their first test in May or June of their junior year. Two more tests should be completed by December of their senior year. Most colleges take the highest score from the various tests.
 
Request for the test online at www.collegeboard.com. Bring the admissions ticket, an official photo ID, two No. 2 pencils, a soft eraser, and a scientific or graphing calculator to the test site. First Lutherans CEEB code is 052906.
 
SAT II
Many universities require one or more SAT Subject tests for admissions. All of the UC’s and several private institutions require specific SAT Subject tests to be completed by the December testing date. The subject tests are one hour multiple choice tests. These tests are given the same time as SAT I tests, but only in specific months. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully plan a test taking schedule.
 
ACT
The ACT is another college admission test that assesses a high school students ability to do college level work. I f a student takes both the SAT and ACT, the college will take the higher of the scores. The ACT encompasses English, mathematics, reading, and science. It offers a writing test to satisfy the University of California’s eligibility requirements. You can visit http://www.actstudent.org/  for more information, test dates, and to register.
 
 
Each college/university is specific in which test they require (SAT, ACT, two SAT subject tests). It is important that the student know of these requirements and testing deadlines.