1. Amy Piazzon Collegiate Counselor March 19, 2015 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

2. Why are we talking about standardized testing? It accounts for approximately 10% of a holistic admission review….but generates 90% of counseling questions. 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

3. ACT/MME/ Promise Award in Michigan – MME - 3 day standardized test sequence mandated in Michigan public schools. – Day 1 of MME: Free ACT – Prior to 2011, Promise scholarship made MME appealing to private and parochial schools – 2011 Promise reward was revoked resulting in most parochial/privates withdrawing participation. 15 Freshman Parent Knight

4. MME at Shrine – 2011-2014- Shrine continued to proctor the MME for the free ACT and opportunity to simultaneously test the entire class – Negative of the MME - 3 days of missed instructional time and 120 minutes of pre-testing “bubbling” for registering – Spring of 2014, Shrine decides to forgo MME due to increased lost curriculum time and gut feeling that something was awry with the “free standardized test.” 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

5. What this really means for you – Responsibility shifts to the family to register for standardized tests. You are quite capable! ACTstudent.org Collegeboard.org – Testing proctored on a Saturday-not a school day. – Accommodations are solicited by the family and verified by a school official 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

6. ACT vs SAT – Both are standardized admissions tests accepted universally and interchangeably by colleges and universities ACT – Comprised of 4 subsections and a writing section English, Math, Science, and Reading Composite score is an average of the subsections High score is 36 in each section/ 12 in the writing section There are 6 test dates annually: Sept*, Oct*, Dec, February*, April, and June* - * proctored at Shrine High School 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

7. SAT Multiple smaller sections, but main scoring divisions are critical reading, math and writing. Scoring ranges from 200-800 for a max score of 2400, but the primary evaluable scores are the critical reading and mathematics sections which have a combined max score of 1600. SATs are offered in: Jan, March, May, June, Oct, Nov, and December Currently Shrine is not a national testing site for the SAT 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

8. SAT – Recent Announcement by the press that the State of Michigan is now an “SAT State” has no bearing on your cherub’s standardized test options. This is a reference to the free SAT offered as part of the MME. – Change was a financial decision. Rumors are circulating that SAT underbid ACT by $15 Million. ACT actually tried to appeal the decision. – Business decision for the state: war for market share within a multi-million dollar industry – Rumor has it that it is a one year contract 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

9. Shrine Standardized Test Schedule 8 th HSPT 9 th Aspire- ACT’s newest pre-ACT format 10 th PSAT 11 th PSAT-National Merit Scholarship consideration Thus, our students are exposed to both test platforms prior to the Junior/Senior testing window 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

10. Launch Dates March 2015- Free PSAT available on line May 2015-Khan Academy will have free PSAT, review and lessons for the new SAT October 14, 2015- National Test Date for New PSAT (which is the evaluable test for the National Merit Awards) November 2015- KHAN academy offers free customized SAT practice and review for students who upload their PSAT scores into their system March of 2016 –1 st administration of new SAT 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

11. Test Fees ACT+ Writing- $54.50 ACT No Writing-$38.00 SAT+ Writing-$54.50 SAT No Writing $43.00 Both ACT and SAT offer fee waivers for students who meet NACAC requirements 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight

12. Summary  -The standardized testing environment is rapidly changing and will continue to change.  -The best recipe for success is a challenging college preparatory curriculum  -Shrine students will continue to be exposed to both test platforms  -Students can take either or both tests for college admission consideration. THEY ARE VIEWED EQUALLY, but some students test more favorably on one of the formats  -The Class of 2017 will all experience the new PSAT and SAT- Burden of assessing those scores will fall to the Collegiate Admissions Counselors- concordances are being developed.  Standardized tests are only one factor in a holistic admissions review. 3/5/15 Freshman Parent Knight