College Admission Testing

Most colleges require one of the standardized tests as an admission requirement. It is recommended that you take these tests in the late spring of your junior year and/or early fall of your senior year.

No test can predict with one-hundred percent certainty what your grades will be in college. That’s because many factors, including personal motivation, influence your college success. However, colleges use SAT I and ACT scores to help estimate how well students are likely to perform in college. For example, if a college tracks the grades of the freshman class and finds that students who scored between 980 and 1100 on the SAT I and maintained a “B” average in high school are students who perform well at its school; then admission counselors are likely to admit students with similar scores and CPA in the future.

Information Below:

SAT I	ACT
• 3 hours long	• 2 hours 55 minutes long
• 138+ questions	• 215 questions
• Score between 400-1600	• Score between 1-36
• No science section	• Science reasoning section
• No trigonometry questions	• Trigonometry questions
• Emphasis on vocabulary	• Vocabulary less important
• Includes non-multiple choice questions	• Entirely multiple choice questions
• Penalty for guessing	• No penalty for guessing
• No English grammar	• English grammar
• 50% of score is math-based	• 25% of score is math-based
• Questions go from easy to difficult	• Easy and difficult questions are mixed in

SAT II

Some colleges require two or three SAT II Subject Tests for admission, while other schools will ACCEPT your scores without REQUIRING them. The subject tests fall into five general areas: English, history and social sciences, mathematics, sciences, and languages. They help colleges compare academic achievements of students from different schools where course preparation and academic backgrounds may widely vary. Depending on the college, your scores may also be used to place you in freshmen or higher-level coursework.

The different subjects available include:

• Writing	• Chinese
• Literature	• German
• U.S. History	• Modern Hebrew
• World History	• Italian
• Math I	• Japanese
• Math II	• Korean
• Biology	• Latin
• Chemistry	• Spanish
• Physics	• French

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) measures the ability of non-native speakers of English to use and understand English as it is used in college and university settings.

PSAT Tests - October 20, 2007 7AM EHS Cafe -
  Registration is Sept. 10 through Sept. 24
  $20 payment - cash or check payable to EHS at time of registration
  sign-up with Ms. Murphy, Guidance, room A139

SAT TESTS - 2005-06 basic fee is $41.50 - for additional fees, testing dates and additional information, see CollegeBoard website

Test Date	Registration Deadline
October 16, 2007	September 10, 2007
November 3, 2007	October 2, 2007
December 1, 2007	October 30, 2007
January 26, 2008	December 26, 2007
March 1, 2008	January 29, 2008
May 3, 2008	April 1, 2008
June 7, 2008	May 6, 2008

College Board brochure - Everything you want to know about the SAT (.pdf format)

College Board brochure - The Basics - the NEW SAT (pdf)

College Board Website

ACT Website

How important are my scores? NHHEAF website

Test Prep - the range of choices in test-prep options means you can find the style and method of prep that will work best for you (from most extensive and expensive to the least):

• private tutoring (very expensive)
• six-week cram courses (offered by Kaplan and Princeton Review - cost $800-$1200)
• online classes ($50-$100)
• self study books
• self study software
• Check your town library for access to practice test preparation software online - they will provide you with the web address and login codes required
  • Exeter offers ACT, SAT, PSAT (and GED, GRE) and the ASVAB
  • Stratham offers SAT
• Make sure you at least read the brochures on taking the tests and run through a few sample exams. This kind of preparation can make a big difference in your being comfortable and prepared. Make sure you get plenty of rest and eat a good breakfast before the exam so you are at your best.
  
  College Board - Test Prep Site
  College Power Prep
  
  Online SAT Practice tests - FREE

 Reporting Your Test Scores to Colleges

When you register for the SAT I or II, you are allowed four free reports to colleges. If you are taking either test for the last time, the score report for this administration will be the most complege and should be the one sent to all colleges to which you plan to apply. Remember that many colleges use the best scores they see, so having all your scores included usually works to your benefit.

If you are taking the SAT II: Subject Tests and have decided to exercise "Score Choice" and hold your scores, this gets trickier. Your goal is to release any scores you want to go to colleges before taking either the SAT I or II for the last time. Then the four free reports from that administration will be complete.

Students who have taken SAT II tests prior to senior year should send the releast form in before taking their final SAT test(s). That way, the four free reports will be complete.

A senior who holds SAT II scores during his or her last testing will be forced to send additional reports to any college where this student wants the scores considered. At the same time, doing so will delay the receipt of these scores. Since this will involve additional fees, and since deadlines may be missed, it is suggested that seniors not exercise "Score Choice" unless they can afford both the fees and the time delay.

Students should also be aware that "Rush Reporting", which costs $20, is not effective unless a student would like to send previous test scores as soon as possible. For current tests that have not yet been scored, this service does not have any appreciable effect on when scores arrive at the colleges. It is recommended that students always consult with their counselor before selecting this option.