Class of 2021 Parent Meeting Professional School Counselors Karla Chustz – (Fo-J) Darrell Peoples – (R-Sr)

Agenda Snapshot of Junior Year College Placement Testing AP Exams Test Prep College Exploration

Snapshot of Junior Year 1. Get comfortable with the coursework and set up a routine for success 2. Prepare to take the PSAT (only Junior year scores are considered for National Merit Scholarships) 3. Register for AP Exams - Please note the deadline has changed to November 1st! 4. Start forming a list of colleges you may be interested in. 5. Make a plan/schedule to prep for AP Exams and the SAT/ACT 6. Schedule a date to take the SAT/ACT in the Spring 7. Start working on your college application; gathering teacher recommendations & preparing essays 8. Look into visiting colleges over the summer 9. Prepare to take the SAT/ACT again in the fall of Senior year

College Placement Testing During Junior year, students will be taking several assessments to support college placement. TOEFFL AP Exams SAT/Subject Tests PSAT/NMAQT ACT

PSAT/NMAQT - Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test Standardized test administered by the College Board and cosponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Estimates performance on the SAT. Students can: Earn the prestigious award of being a National Merit Scholar or National Merit Semi-Finalist Become eligible for the National Merit scholarship of $2500 awarded during Freshman year. TOEFFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language A test that measures mastery of the English Language. Used for students planning to study abroad. PSAT/NMAQT and TOEFFL

SAT Components: Scores: English, Writing, and Math, in addition to an Essay section that is optional. English and Writing are 50% of test and Math is 50% of test. Type of test: aptitude test testing reasoning and verbal abilities When to register: 2nd half of Junior year Retest, if needed the following Fall. How to register: Online is best, but mailing is an option. Plan to register as soon as you select the dates. Dates can be found online. Scores: Total scores range from 400-1600. Student can choose which scores to be sent to colleges otherwise ALL score will be submitted. Essay: Some schools require or recommend it. It is suggested that you take it if the college application list in not final. SAT

ACT Percent of score for each component: Components: Each section is worth 25% of the total score. Questions are based on content learned in most high school classes. Not an aptitude or IQ test Scores: EACH section ranges from 1 - 36 Total score is a rounded composite(average) of each section (Essay is not part of this average). Components: English, Math, Reading, and Science(biology, chemistry, Earth/space science, & physics) Writing is optional. When to take exam: Anytime during the Junior year. Taking the test again will provides opportunity to increase scores. ACT

SAT vs ACT SAT ACT Reading 65 min Writing and language 35 min Math 80 min 2 Sections each worth 50% of score Decision should be based on your ability and preference. Most student take both. Taking a practice test for each may be helpful. ACT Reading 35 min English 45 min Math 60 min Science 35 min 4 sections each worth 25% of score *Calculator can be used on ALL Math questions.

Extremely Well Qualified AP Exams No Recommendation Possibly Qualified Very Well Qualified Extremely Well Qualified Qualified 1 2 3 4 5 At many colleges and universities, a high enough score will earn the student college credit. AP tests are college-level exams on specific subjects Test are administered in early May New: Students MUST register for AP exams by November 1st

AP Exams – FAQ’s What is the Will a low score Are AP Exams needed if college credit is not desired? Will a low score impact college admission? Can students retake AP Exams? What is the difference between AP Exams and SAT Subject Area Test? Not likely. It is the students choice to report scores. However, A score of 3 can indicate a student’s academic ability, in addition to, the willingness to take challenging classes and exams. Yes, colleges may use scores for placement into Honors programs and some scholarship programs use them for consideration. More than 90% of colleges will offer credit for advances classes. Sometimes universities will require SAT Subject area test for admission into the college where AP exam scores are not required for admission. Students can retake exams, but the testing will occur during the following school year.

Important Dates to Remember Test Prep . Important Dates to Remember PSAT – Mid October SAT/ACT – Schedule for Spring AP Exams - May

Test Prep – Tips & Resources Ensure you make a plan to study ahead of time. College Board - PSAT, SAT, AP Exams Khan Academy - PSAT, SAT Princeton Review - SAT, ACT Naviance - SAT Kaplan - SAT, ACT

College Exploration Colleges come visit the school throughout the year Make sure students attend information sessions, ask questions, and follow up with reps if it is a college they are interested in Use Naviance to help determine which colleges best suit their preferences Distance, campus size, type of school, acceptance rate, athletic options, majors, and cost Reviewed websites Niche.com and usnews.com - researched reviews Unigo.com and gradreports.com - student reviewed Once you narrowed down your colleges of interest, contact the school to schedule your visit! D

Thank you!