1. College Admissions Testing: What You Need to Know

2. What Do Colleges Want? Application(essays, extra curriculars, etc.) Standardized tests Transcript (grades, and what classes you take)

3. The PSAT CriticalReading 25 minutes Writing 30 minutes Critical Reading 2 25 minutes Math Math 2 25 minutes Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

4. Understanding PSAT Section Scores Score range is the most accurate measure Percentile rank can be a useful comparison

5. Total Score (Selection Index) Simply the sum of all three section scores To estimate how this would convert to an SAT score, multiply score by 10

6. Answer Breakdown Incorrect answers lose points! You can learn from the E/M/H breakdown Use key on left hand side to understand notation Useful for reviewing answers, but there’s a better tool…

7. Online PSAT Resource : QuickStart Can view every question from the test An interactive way to use the custom “Improve Your Skills” information Also has a good college search function, as well as information about different majors and careers

8. National Merit Scholarship Competition Based on total PSAT score Semifinalist – varies year to year, state to state – somewhere between 201 to 221 Requires a “qualifying” SAT score (2000+) by fall of the senior year Almost all Semifinalists become Finalists Roughly half of Finalists receive monetary awards

9. Going from the PSAT to the SAT Length is the biggest difference – over 4 hours for the SAT Essay section that wasn’t present on PSAT A handful of new Algebra 2 topics in Math

10. The SAT : Format and Scoring The SAT has three sections : Math, Critical Reading, and Writing The SAT has three sections : Math, Critical Reading, and Writing Each section is scaled from 200-800 Each section is scaled from 200-800 The national average for each section is roughly 500 The national average for each section is roughly 500 Scoring Scoring One raw score point gained for each correct answer One raw score point gained for each correct answer 1/4 raw point taken away for each incorrect multiple choice answer 1/4 raw point taken away for each incorrect multiple choice answer No penalty or gain for omitted questions or incorrect answers on grid-ins No penalty or gain for omitted questions or incorrect answers on grid-ins

11. The SAT Reasoning Test Critical Reading 1 25 minutes Math 1 25 minutes Essay Critical Reading 2 25 minutes Math 2 25 minutes Writing 1 25 minutes ExperimentalSection Writing 2 10 minutes Critical Reading 3 20 minutes Math 3 20 minutes Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

12. SAT Math Math Topics on the SAT Math Topics on the SAT Basic math concepts through Algebra II Basic math concepts through Algebra II There is no difficult math on the SAT, but the test itself can be difficult There is no difficult math on the SAT, but the test itself can be difficult Important Tips Important Tips Never leave an easy question blank Never leave an easy question blank Hard problems have hard answers! Hard problems have hard answers! Accuracy is more important than speed Accuracy is more important than speed

13. SAT Writing Multiple-Choice Grammar (~70% of score) Multiple-Choice Grammar (~70% of score) Improving Sentences questions test ability to correct sentences with mistakes Improving Sentences questions test ability to correct sentences with mistakes Error Identification questions test ability to identify common grammatical errors Error Identification questions test ability to identify common grammatical errors Improving Paragraphs questions test understanding of proper diction, usage, organization, and grammar Improving Paragraphs questions test understanding of proper diction, usage, organization, and grammar Essay (~30% of score) Essay (~30% of score) Looks for strong opinion and good organization Looks for strong opinion and good organization State your position, then back it up with relevant examples State your position, then back it up with relevant examples

14. SAT Critical Reading Passage-based Reading Passage-based Reading Long and dense passages Long and dense passages Best way to improve skill is through repeated practice with an active reading strategy Best way to improve skill is through repeated practice with an active reading strategy Sentence Completions Sentence Completions Process of elimination is key! Process of elimination is key!

15. ACT The ACT has four sections : English, Reading, Math, and Science. The ACT has four sections : English, Reading, Math, and Science. Each section is scored on a scale from 1 to 36 Each section is scored on a scale from 1 to 36 The national average for each section is roughly 21 The national average for each section is roughly 21

16. The ACT English 45 minutes Math 60 minutes Science 35 minutes Reading Total Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes or 3 hours, 25 minutes with optional essay

17. ACT Math Mathematics skills typically acquired through 11th grade: Mathematics skills typically acquired through 11th grade: Pre-Algebra Pre-Algebra Elementary Algebra Elementary Algebra Intermediate Algebra Intermediate Algebra Coordinate Geometry Coordinate Geometry Plane Geometry Plane Geometry Trigonometry Trigonometry

18. ACT English Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics Long prose passages Long prose passages Punctuation Punctuation Grammar & usage (standard written English) Grammar & usage (standard written English) Sentence structure & formation Sentence structure & formation Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills Writing Strategy Writing Strategy Organization Organization Style Style

19. ACT Reading Reading Comprehension Reading Comprehension Direct statements & statements with implied meaning Direct statements & statements with implied meaning Determining main ideas Determining main ideas Making comparisons Making comparisons Understanding sequence of events Understanding sequence of events Drawing generalizations Drawing generalizations Analyzing author’s/narrator’s voice and method Analyzing author’s/narrator’s voice and method Passage Types Passage Types Prose Fiction Prose Fiction Humanities Humanities Social Studies Social Studies Natural Sciences Natural Sciences

20. ACT Science Science Reasoning Science Reasoning Three passage formats: Three passage formats: Data Representation (graphs & tables) Data Representation (graphs & tables) Research Summaries (descriptions of related experiments) Research Summaries (descriptions of related experiments) Conflicting Viewpoints (expressions of related hypotheses or inconsistent viewpoints) Conflicting Viewpoints (expressions of related hypotheses or inconsistent viewpoints) Passages cover the following content areas: biology, chemistry, physics and earth/space sciences Passages cover the following content areas: biology, chemistry, physics and earth/space sciences Basic knowledge of scientific terms and concepts needed Basic knowledge of scientific terms and concepts needed

21. ACT Essay Writing composition skills: Writing composition skills: Well-developed point of view Well-developed point of view Consideration of counter argument Consideration of counter argument Use of specific examples Use of specific examples Sentence structure Sentence structure Strong conclusion Strong conclusion

22. ACT v. SAT ACTSAT science reasoning section no science reasoning section math includes trigonometry no trigonometry questions entirely multiple-choice non multiple-choice questions included no guessing penalty guessing penalty math accounts for 25% of your score math accounts for 33% of your score easy and hard questions mixed within sections questions go from easy to hard in most sections

23. SAT to ACT Conversion SAT to ACT Conversion 311380 321420 331470 341520 35 1550 361600 ACT OLD SAT NEW SAT 2400 2320 2280 2200 2130 2070 251140 261180 271220 281260 29 1300 301340 ACT OLD SAT NEWSAT 2010 1950 1890 1830 1770 1710 18870 19910 20950 21990 221030 231070 ACT NEW SAT 1600 1540 1480 1420 1360 1300 12590 13640 14690 15740 16 790 17830 ACT OLD SAT NEWSAT 1240 1180 1110 1030 960 880

24. SAT Subject Tests Each test is one hour in length Each test is one hour in length Achievement-based tests, measuring knowledge learned from college-level courses in the following areas: Achievement-based tests, measuring knowledge learned from college-level courses in the following areas:ENGLISH - Literature HISTORY - U.S. History, World History MATH - Mathematics Level 1, Mathematics Level 2 SCIENCE - Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics LANGUAGES - Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Japanese, Korean

25. Testing Timeline Sophomore Year Junior Year Senior Year * If applicable

26. Test Preparation Find the best option for you: 1) Prep on your own 1) Prep on your own 2) Classroom program 2) Classroom program 3) Hybrid program 3) Hybrid program 4) Individual Tutoring 4) Individual Tutoring