PSAT (Preliminary SAT)
Purpose: Qualifying test for National Merit Scholarship
When taken: Offered every October. Take during sophomore and/or junior year.
Subjects tested: Math and evidence-based reading and writing
Scoring: Each section is scored on a scale of 160-760. A perfect score is 1520.
Important to know: Colleges don’t see these results unless you make the top 2%.
SAT®
Purpose: Colleges use score for admissions and merit-based scholarships.
When taken: Throughout the year. Take during junior and/or senior year.
Subjects tested: Reading, writing and language, math and essay (optional) Scoring: 400-1600
Important to know: Cannot use a calculator on some math questions.
ACT®
Purpose: Colleges use score for admissions and merit-based scholarships.
When taken: Throughout the year. Take during junior and/ or senior year.
Subjects tested: English, math, reading, science reasoning and essay (optional)
Scoring: 1-36
Important to know: Calculator allowed for all math questions.
WorkKeys
Purpose: For students planning on going straight into the workforce after high school; can be used to qualify for the CTE scholarships.
When taken: During the Junior State Test window in early March.
Subjects tested: Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, Workplace Documents.
Scoring: Level Scores are used in hiring and advancement decisions and are listed as <3-7. Scale Scores are used by educators to track growth in skills over time with a range of 65-90.
Important to know: The WorkKeys test is used to determine workforce readiness.
Without a doubt, the answer is yes! It is recommended that you start studying three to six months ahead of your scheduled test date and to study three to four hours every week. You could break that up into daily sessions of 30 minutes each or a couple two-hour sessions.
Before you start studying, take a practice test and score it. This will help you identify the areas you need to focus on the most. Depending on what year of school you are in, you may want to adjust your class schedule to take another class in an area of weakness to strengthen your knowledge.
There are a number of resources for study materials. Ask your high school counselor for information on the most highly recommended courses and participate in your high school’s ACT® preparation class if one is offered.
There are no restrictions on the number of times you can take an exam, but you need to pay the exam fee every time.
