Palmer Trinity School

palmertrinity.org 13 Standardized testing is an important factor in admission decisions, especially at most of the "highly selective" colleges and universities. Many institutions have downplayed the importance of scores, and some have eliminated test requirements entirely. Standardized testing still matters at most colleges especially the State University system of Florida. We want you to understand testing requirements and, just as important, to keep them in perspective. 1. PSAT/NMSQT – Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is test is given in October to the entire sophomore and junior classes. Scores from the junior year are used for National Merit Scholarship Qualification (NMSQT) and for student and counselor use only. ese scores are not sent to colleges. 2. SAT » THE DIGITAL SAT EXAM WILL BE COMPUTER ADAPTIVE – Essentially put, students will each get an SAT that is customized to their performance. e better they do on the first section, the harder the questions they'll get for the second-but also the more points each one will be worth. (ere's still no penalty for guessing, but it behooves you to answer as accurately as possible on that first section so that you can maximize your opportunities on the second.) » THE TEST WILL BE SHORTER – Testing fatigue is real, and we know that it's tough to stay focused for three hours. Well, yours dreams have been answered: the new version of the test will be closer to two-ish hours. Less time will be needed overall for exam setup and time-consuming preamble, currently done by an in-person SAT monitor. In addition, the new exam will have shorter reading passages and more direct questions. » CALCUL ATOR USE IS EXPANDED, AND YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN – In fact, the "no calculator" portion of the test is being removed. And all students will have access to a built-in graphic calculator (though they can still bring their own). 3. ACT – American College Test e ACT is an alternative standardized exam including four sections: English, reading, mathematics, and science reasoning. Each section is scored separately and a composite is then determined. e composite scores range from 1 to 36 with the National average being a composite of 21. Tests are offered in October, December, February, April, and June. e ACT, is accepted without reservation by colleges. For more information access their website at: www.actstudent.org. 4. AP – Advanced Placement Exam ese tests are three-hour exams measuring mastery of a predefined curriculum in a single subject area and are given in May at school. ey are scored from 1 to 5. Normally a 4 or 5 corresponds to an A in a college class; a 3 a B; a 2 a C; and a 1 indicates little mastery. Often, colleges will give course credit toward graduation for scores of 4 or 5 in some subject areas. ese exams are not required for college admission but colleges may look favorably on strong results if available. Some colleges may allow students to submit AP scores in place of other tests. 5. TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language Used to evaluate English proficiency, most American colleges require the TOEFL of students whose native language is not English, or for students who have not been instructed primarily in English for the entirety of their high school career. For more information, access their website at: www.toefl.com. 6. Duolingo – Test of English Proficiency e Duolingo English Test is an English proficiency assessment used to evaluate your ability to read, write, speak and listen to English. As you progress through this computer-adaptive test, the question difficulty increases or decreases based on your answers to previous questions. In addition to multiple-choice questions, you answer open-ended questions to assess your spoken and written English skills. e computer grades all of the questions you answer. You also have an opportunity to record a video interview and writing sample: https://englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants. SECTION 4 TESTING FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION

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