Standardized Tests
Test Planning
Test Preparation
The Tests
Test Planning
The nature of standardized testing may create undue anxiety among students and parents. The High School Counselors have developed a plan to assist students in making appropriate choices regarding when they will test allowing the student to best maximize their potential.
About PSAT/NMSQT (From the College Board website)
The Preliminary SAT®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a co-sponsored program by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).
PSAT/NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It's a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test™. It also gives you a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs.
The PSAT/NMSQT measures:
- critical reading skills
- math problem-solving skills
- writing skills
You have developed these skills over many years, both in and out of school. This test doesn't require you to recall specific facts from your classes.
The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are:
- to receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. You can then focus your preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice.
- to see how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college.
- to enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
- to help prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT.
- to receive information from colleges when you check "yes" to Student Search Service.
You should definitely take the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year. Many students benefit by taking it earlier, typically in their sophomore year. Sophomores will be provided with a sophomore percentile so that they can compare their performance to other sophomores who are also planning on going to college. If you take it earlier, recognize that the PSAT/NMSQT is a junior-level test, so don't get discouraged if your score is low. Your score will usually increase as your years of study increase. If younger students focus on the skills, not the score, they can work to improve those skills. This will help improve performance in high school, as well as better prepare them for college, the junior-year PSAT/NMSQT, and the SAT.
PSAT/NMSQT College Planning Package
The PSAT/NMSQT College Planning Package helps high school students get the most out of the PSAT/NMSQT Score Report to help them prepare for the SAT and to plan for college. At www.collegeboard.com/psatextra students sitting the test will have free access to the following information and tools:
- Complete answer explanations for every question of the PSAT/NMSQT. Students should use these to learn from the questions they answered incorrectly.
- Personalized SAT study plan. Students can see their projected SAT score ranges, higher-level SAT math question practice, and sample student-written SAT essays---all designed to help them do their best on the SAT.
Once students receive their Score Report they should have this along with their test book when they visit www.collegeboard.com/psatextra.
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Test Preparation
Both ISB and The College Board agree that the best way to prepare for the SAT, PSAT and other standardized tests are during regular class time. Test preparation has become big business and ISB supports one company in particular for test preparation at ISB to meet the needs of our students. There are other options available some of which are listed below.
Test preparation is usually a course in test taking strategy and does not remediate students in academic subjects that they should already have learned in school. For some students these strategies are very helpful. There is anxiety about taking tests without taking a preparation courses. We have found that a majority of our students are successful without ever taking an organized preparation course. Students should spend more time on excelling in their coursework and improving their grades than by taking time away from their studies to take an organized preparation course. There are less time consuming options available which are strong choices for honing test taking strategies. These books can be found at The College Board online store, Amazon.com and other test preparation sites.
Visiting Collegeboard.com will provide a number of useful tips, testing information as well as an Official SAT Online Course. One can also find the Official SAT Study Guide: For the New SAT available through the College Board Store.
There are valuable test-taking tips and strategies that you should learn. SAT research from The College Board shows that approximately 20 hours of quality preparation time results in about the same improvement as programs that are considerably longer and more expensive.
Remember, a change in your SAT-I scores may help distinguish you from other applicants; but so will success in an especially rigorous set of courses, involvement in school or community activities, or demonstrating an outstanding talent. If you are attending summer school somewhere and want to also take an SAT preparation course, go ahead. But don’t go to summer school simply to take an SAT course. It is not worth the expense.
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Free Online SAT Preparation
Here are the sites that should be helpful for finding courses and preparation materials:
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The Tests
SAT I
The SAT is a three-hour test that measures verbal and mathematical reasoning skills students have developed over time and skills they need to be successful academically. Many colleges and universities use the SAT as one indicator among others-class rank, high school GPA, extracurricular activities, personal essay, and teacher recommendations-of a student's readiness to do college-level work. SAT scores are compared with the scores of other applicants, and the accepted scores at an institution, and can be used as a basis for awarding merit-based financial aid.
SAT II
Subject Tests, one-hour, mostly multiple-choice tests, measure how much students know about a particular academic subject and how well they can apply that knowledge.
ACT
The ACT is America's most widely accepted college entrance exam. It assesses high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work.
- The multiple-choice tests cover four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science.
- The Writing Test, which is optional, measures skill in planning and writing a short essay.
To get more information regarding the ACT, visit their website: www.actstudent.org
Download Important Test Dates 2008-2009 here. [pdf, 10 KB]
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