november 28, 2018€¦ · sat subject test design all exams are one-hour, multiple choice exams...
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Standardized Testing 101
Purpose: to present an overview of the tests currently used in the post-secondary planning process, and to highlight recent trends and score reporting practices.
Goal: to increase parent understanding in order to assist you in helping your child make decisions related to testing.
Why Now?
Testing options have changed
Admissions requirements have changed
Students are taking more tests
Students are testing earlier
Current Admissions Criteria
The majority of four year colleges and universities require some type of standardized testing as part of the admission process.
However…..
There is a growing number of schools that are “Test Optional”. (more on that later)
PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT – Preliminary SAT
NMSQT – National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
(junior scores only)
PSAT/NMSQTAdministered one (1) time per year, in
October.
Designed for 11th graders (presumed skill levels)
10th graders invited (with advisement)
PSAT/NMSQT Measures:
Evidenced Based Reading and Writing Skills
Math Skills
(No writing sample)
Scores range from 160 to 760 on each of two sections.
Selection Index, drives the NMSQT.
PSAT/NMSQT Facts to Remember
PSAT/NMSQT scores are only reported to the student
and the high school.
Colleges do not receive PSAT /NMSQT scores.
PSAT/NMSQT: How Used?
Three ways:
Helps students evaluate their Evidence basedReading/Writing and Math, Skills.(Score Report)
The National Merit Scholarship program identifies high scoring students to compete for merit based and private scholarships. (11th Grade Scores Only)
Allows colleges to identify and contact students who might be interested in their programs. (Student Search Service)
The National Merit Scholarship Program
Driven by the PSAT Selection Index
Semi-finalist: Selection Index varies each year. For class of 2018 the cut off score was 221. (based on state results, about 16,000 students nationwide)
Class of 2010 5 Finalists Class of 2015 10 Finalists
Class of 2011 7 Finalists Class of 2016 5 Finalists
Class of 2012 4 Finalists Class of 2017 6 Finalists
Class of 2013 5 Finalists Class of 2018 9 Finalists
Class of 2014 8 Finalists Class of 2019 13 Semifinalists
SAT
Intended Purpose
Predict how a student will do in
his/her first year of college.
Class of 2018: 105 test takers(Class size 295)
SAT MeasuresEvidenced Based Reading and
Writing Skills
Math Skills
Essay Writing Skills(Optional)
(Each section score range 200-800)
SAT 2016 and Beyond As of March 2016 the College Board has redesigned
the SAT. More curriculum based than the old test.
Re-design architect: David Coleman, president of the College Board. Also instrumental in the design of the Common Core Curriculum.
Re-designed SAT: Basic Changes
Essay is optional
More relevant vocabulary
No points deducted for incorrect answers
Four (4) multiple choice answers, not five (5)
One math section without a calculator
SAT Administered: 7 times per year
Primary Test Takers- 11th /12th Graders
Most Common Testing Period:
*From Nov. 11th Grade to Dec. 12th Grade
SAT Subject Tests
• Formally known as “Achievement Tests”
• Measure knowledge and skill in particular subject areas
• Required by some colleges for admission, placement
• Gives colleges a reliable measure of how prepared students are for college level work
The Subject Tests
Literature
United States History
World History
Mathematics Level I
Mathematics Level II
Biology E/M
Chemistry
Physics
Korean with Listening
Chinese with Listening
French
French with Listening
German
German with Listening
Spanish
Spanish with Listening
Modern Hebrew
Japanese with Listening
SAT Subject Test Design
All exams are one-hour, multiple choice exams
Students may take up to 3 subject tests per test administration*
Some tests have unique formats
* Biology Environmental/Molecular
* Mathematics I or II (depends on level of math completed)
* Languages with/without Listening
* Can cancel an exam up to the Wednesday following an exam date but, in the
case of the Subject tests, if one is cancelled, all are cancelled.
Who should take SAT Subject Tests?
Students who might apply to more
competitive colleges/universities
With little exception, schools that require Subject Tests require two (2).
When do students take SAT Subject Tests?
It is appropriate to take Subject Tests at the completion of course work related to the specific exam.
Subject Tests can be re-taken.
New August administration date will allow
for a quicker re-take
Which Subject Test should be taken?
Students should test to their strength(s)
Schools do not have a preference for which tests are taken although there are exceptions such as:
Students applying to engineering, architecture, or combined BA/MD programs are required to submit one math and one science exam. Depending on the program, the Level 2 math might be required.
Schools prefer exams in different subject areas
Testing in 8th Grade Test results of students who take any College Board
exam before the 9th grade are purged at the end of the year in which the exam was taken.
Students have a short window of time during which to review a score and decide if they want to keep it.
The College Board must be notified, in writing, if the score is going to be kept.
(Specific information will be provided to all 8th grade
parents)
Advanced Placement(AP) Program AP courses are considered the equivalent of entry level
college courses.
Currently, MHS offers 21AP courses. (30 total)
Manhasset Policy: Students enrolled in AP courses must take the corresponding AP exams and are required to pay the College Board fee.
All exams are administered in May. The College Board establishes the dates and times of testing.
MHS AP Program AP English Language, English Literature
AP World History, US History, US Government, Macro and Micro Economics, Psychology
AP Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics, AP Computer Science
AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics 1, Physics 2, Physics C Environmental Science
AP French, Italian, Spanish
AP Art
How are AP Scores used? Scores range from 1 to 5. (F to A)
Depending on the college:
*Some will grant course credit towards graduation
for scores of 3 or higher, however, the trend is for
scores of 4 or 5.
*Some will not grant graduation credit but will
allow students to skip core requirements.
*Some will neither grant graduation credit or
allow AP courses to substitute for core
requirements.
ACT
It is a curriculum based achievement test
Assesses students general educational development and their capability to complete college level work
Initially more widely used in the Midwest and the South, gaining much more popularity on the east and west coasts
Universally accepted by all colleges and universities.
ACT Measures
English (language usage) Skills
Math Skills
Reading Skills
Science Reasoning Skills
(Essay is optional and will depend on the college(s) to which a student applies)
ACT Testing
Offered 5 times per year in New York State
2 hours 55 minutes(3. hours 35 minutes with writing)
Register online at www.act.org
Manhasset is not currently an ACT testing center –students test at neighboring districts
ACT Scoring
Students receive a subject sub-score for each section. The range of scores is 1 – 36.
Students also receive a Composite score which is an average of the sections.
The Writing Score is scored on a scale of
1 – 12.
ACTUnique Features of the ACT include:
*Ability to request the essay for review
*Ability to purge the entire score after it has been
reviewed.
ACT Testing Trends
MHS 2008 - 2018
Test takers : 85, 103, 129, 148, 118, 161, 157, 165, 201, 217, 205
New York State 2008: 44,311 Students
2018: 56,340 Students
Pre-ACT
New Exam 2017
Offered last year to the 10th grade.
Being administered this year on 1/12/19
Shorter version of the ACT
Measures the same skills as the ACT(Language, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning)
Test Optional Schools
Some schools do not require either the SAT or ACTAmerican , Bates, Bowdoin, College of the Holy Cross, Fairfield, Colorado: Boulder,
Hamilton, Loyola University, Marist, Middlebury, Sacred Heart, NYU (Test Flexible), Providence, Rochester, Trinity College, Union College, U. Chicago, Wake Forest
In place of the SAT or ACT they may require:
Graded Paper
Interview
Scores may be required for scholarship
consideration
Current Trends in College Testing Requirements
Universal acceptance of the SAT or ACT by all colleges and universities requiring standardized test scores.
A mixing and blending of scores at many colleges and
universities.
More colleges and universities becoming “Test
Optional”
Test Requirements of Colleges(if not test optional)
SAT or ACT only
or
SAT or ACT plus 2 Subject Tests
or
ACT only in lieu of SAT and Subject Tests
0r
Combination of SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests or AP Scores
Score Use PracticesSAT Scores
Based on the Score-Use Practice of each college, students will have to: Submit ALL testing (A, B, and C below) Submit highest scores across all tests (A, and B below , aka “Super-
scoring”)* Submit highest score on one test only (B below)
Score Reporting ExamplesSAT Scores
Test A CR 660 M 590 = 1250Test B CR 620 M 640 = 1260Test C CR 560 M 630 = 1190
Super-score: 1300*At this time almost all colleges will super-score the SAT . A number are
beginning to super-score the ACT.
Score Use PracticesACT Scores
English Math Reading Science Composite
A 27 26 27 32 28
B 29 27 27 29 28
C 31 26 30 29 29
SAT or ACT?
(Reviewed at the 10th Grade Parent Night)
The answer will depend on which of the exams the
student believes he/she will do best on.
Our Recommendation
Take both the PSAT and the PRE-ACT in 10th grade to determine which might be a better fit. Do a bit more practice and then decide which to go forward with, for application purposes.
(Some still take both)
MHS Testing TrendsSAT vs ACT Test-Takers
2008 2018
ACT 85, 103, 129, 148, 118, 161, 157, 165, 201, 217, 205
SAT 198, 159, 172, 202, 180, 194, 136, 146, 133, 117, 135
Class 212, 189, 218, 225, 218, 265, 235, 240, 276, 284, 296Size
Students with Disabilities Both the College Board and ACT have procedures in
place for students with documented disabilities to apply for testing or other accommodations.
The decision to approve accommodations is made by each organization upon a complete review of the student’s documentation.
Testing accommodations are not guaranteed.
Students apply to the College Board in 9th grade.
Students apply to ACT prior to taking their first test.
Free Test Prep College Board/Khan Academy have partnered to provide
free test prep to all students. Students have access to: actual tests, interactive test practice with Khan Academy tutors.
www.khanacademy.org
ACT has partnered with Kaplan to provide free test prep. At
this time, not as extensive as the Khan Academy link.
Method Test Prep is available to all students through their Castle Learning accounts. MTP contains both SAT and ACT practice material and students can design their own self paced prep course or target specific topics for review. Includes 2 full length tests for each exam.
Department Web Sitewww.manhassetschools.org
Schools that Super Score the ACT
SAT Essay Policies (Who requires, recommends)
SAT Score Reporting Policies
SAT Subject Tests Policies (Who requires them)
Test Optional Colleges 2017-2018
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