THE SAT AT HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL

1. THE SAT AT HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL Mrs. Jan Bornstein, Counselor Mr. Pat Crouse, Instructional Team Leader, Mathematics Mr. Tom Knox, Instructional Team Leader, English

2. HHS Number of test-takers 2010: 309 (Class size: 379) 2011: 328 (Class size 369) 2012: 345 (Class size 383)

3. Test Snapshots • There are two major college entrance examinations administered in the United States today: the SAT and the ACT. Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT are designed to allow college admissions officers to judge all students by a common measurement. Scores on these tests can compensate for differences in high school curriculum, grade inflation, and quality of teaching. In addition, they serve as a reliable predictor of how you will perform academically in your freshman year of college.

4. SNAPSHOT: SAT The SAT is the most widely taken college entrance examination. Takes three hours and 45 minutes Consists of 10 separately timed sections: Three sections test critical reading (70 minutes total) Three sections test mathematics (70 minutes total) Three sections test writing (60 minutes total) One variable (unscored) section tests critical reading, mathematics, or writing (25 minutes total) Assesses subject matter learned in high school and problem solving skills in three areas: Critical reading Mathematics Writing Includes three kinds of questions: Multiple-choice questions Student-produced responses (mathematics only) Essay question Is machine-scored, except for the essay .

5. Fast Facts • The SAT writing section lasts one hour and is scored on a scale of 200 to 800.• The SAT writing section includes multiple-choice questions and an essay.● Students have 35 minutes to answer 49 multiple-choice questions, which accountfor 70 percent of their writing score. These multiple-choice questions test students’ability to improve sentences and identify sentence errors.● Students have 25 minutes to write an essay, which accounts for 30 percent of theirwriting score. The essay tests students’ ability to articulate a coherent argument,supporting a point of view on an issue specified on the test.

6. Why is it important to take the SAT? • All colleges accept the SAT as an objective measurement of students' college readiness. • Used with GPAs and high school transcripts, SAT scores allow colleges to fairlycompare applicants. • Taking the SAT gives students access to scholarship opportunities. • Most colleges require an admission test like the SAT. • Community colleges use SAT scores for placement. • The SAT provides students with the most comprehensive performance feedback of any admission test.

7. My child is going to a community college or technical school. Why should he/she take the SAT?

8. SAT or ACT? • You might wonder why you have to choose between the SAT and the ACT--maybe one of the two is favored by the students in your school. Ten or 20 years ago, choosing which test to take wasn't even an issue. Until recently, the ACT was traditionally required by colleges in the midwest, and the SAT was the test of choice in the northeast and on the east and west coasts. But now an increasing number of students are taking the ACT, and the majority of schools in the United States now accept both SAT and ACT test results. • Information provided by www.kaptest.com

9. The Power of PredictionWhile the SAT and ACT are very different tests, they both fulfill the same role in the admissions process. • What's the Difference?Admissions officers and educators often describe the difference between SAT and ACT in these terms: the ACT is a content-based test, whereas the SAT tests critical thinking and problem solving

10. Some factors that make the SAT and ACT very different: • The ACT includes a science reasoning test; the SAT does not. The ACT math section includes trigonometry. The SAT tests vocabulary much more than the ACT. The SAT is not entirely multiple choice. The SAT has a guessing penalty; the ACT does not. The ACT tests English grammar; the SAT does not. • Remember, both the SAT and ACT are important parts of your application, but they're only one of several factors--from your courses and grades to recommendations and your personal statement--that colleges consider.

11. SAT vs ACT Until recently, the ACT was required by colleges in the Midwest, while the SAT was the test of choice for schools in the Northeast and on both coasts. Now, however, most schools accept both. This increased acceptance of both exams gives students a strategic advantage. The ACT is a content-based test, whereas the SAT tests critical thinking and problem solving skills. Depending on your particular strengths and weaknesses, you may perform significantly better on one test than the other. Regardless, you should check with each of your target schools before taking either exam. • For more information on the SAT or ACT, visit www.kaptest.com/college

12. SNAPSHOT: ACT The American College Testing Assessment (ACT) is designed to test your skill levels in English, math, reading, and science reasoning. On the test, you will have 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete a variety of multiple choice questions divided into four sections � one for each tested subject area. The English, reading, and science sections each include several reading passages with anywhere from 5 to 15 questions per passage. The math section includes 60 questions � each with 5 possible answer choices.

13. You will actually receive 12 separate scores on the ACT: 1 composite, 4 subject scores, and 7 subscores. However the composite � or scaled � score is the most important. It ranges from 1-36. Nearly half of all test takers fall in the 17-23 range.

14. SAT No science section No trigonometry questions Vocabulary emphasized Non multiple-choice questions asked Guessing penalty  No English grammar Math accounts for 50% of your score  Questions go from easy to difficult ACT Science reasoning section Math includes trigonometry Vocabulary less important Entirely multiple-choice No guessing penalty English grammar tested Math accounts for 25% of your score Questions are mixed up ACT or SAT, What’s the Difference?

15. The SAT may be a better fit if: • You did great on the PSAT. • You have a killer vocabulary. (You are comfortable with words like “didactic,” “sedulous,” and “esoteric.”)  • You prefer starts and stops when taking tests. There are nine sections and an essay on the SAT.  • You can ace grammar. For example, you are comfortable with the sentence, “On the table, there ARE a pencil and some paper.” • You consider yourself “quick-thinking.” • Students must exercise educated guessing on the SAT because you lose ¼ point for each incorrect answer. If students can rule out one or more answer choices for multiple-choice questions – they should guess. The ACT may be a better fit if: • Your PSAT or SAT score is inconsistent with your academic performance in school. • Your vocabulary is not as strong as your reading. • You read relatively quickly. • You are more academic than test savvy. (The ACT test is more like a test you would take in school.) • You prefer four longer sections (English, Math, Reading, and Science) to having interruptions and breaks during the test.  • You are great at writing papers but do not have formal grammar instruction.   • Students are not penalized for incorrect answers and should answer as many test questions as possible.

16. Impact of Course-Taking Patterns on College Readiness • Students in the class of 2010 who reported completing a core curriculum — defined as four or more years of English, three or more years of mathematics, three or more years of natural science, and three or more years of social science and history — scored, on average, 151 points higher on the SAT than those who did not complete a core curriculum. • Academic Intensity Influences SAT Performance • In addition to course-taking patterns, the rigor of a student's course work also plays a critical role in college readiness. As in previous years, students in the class of 2010 who reported taking the most demanding honors or Advanced Placement® courses performed better on the SAT.

17. Understanding the advantagesStudies have shown that the rigor of a student's high school curriculum is the single best predictor of success in college.

18. The results of a U.S. Department of Education study by researcher Clifford Adelman reveal that students who take rigorous high school classes are better prepared to manage the workload they'll face in college, more likely to receive higher grades, and less likely to drop out than their peers.

19. Implications for admissionsAdmissions officers are not impressed by straight A's when they are all earned in easy courses. Students should take a balanced load,one that allows them to devote the necessary time to each course.

20. Consider PSAT scores • Make decisions about preparation • Advanced level classes • Summer school • Prep classes

21. Signing in to My College QuickStart™ Students can use the access code on their official PSAT/NMSQT® paper score reports to sign in at www.collegeboard.com/quickstart.

22. Express SAT® Sign-Up

23. My SAT Study Plan™ • Improve Your Skills • Based on PSAT/NMSQT® results • Suggestions for improvement

24. Preparation in the classroom • English • Grammar, vocabulary, strategies through 10th grade English classes • 11th grade curriculum

25. Critical Reading Skills and the PSAT • Determining the meaning of Words • Author’s Craft • Reasoning and Inference • Organization and Ideas • Understanding Literary Elements

26. Writing Skills • Manage Word Choice and Grammatical Relationships Between Words • Manage Grammatical Structures Used to Modify or Compare • Manage Phrases and Clauses in a Sentence • Recognize Correctly Formed Sentences • Manage Order and Relationships of Sentences and Paragraphs

27. When should you take these tests? If you are taking • Algebra 2 /Math Analysis • In the Spring of that year • Precalculus GT/Math Analysis • In the spring of that year

28. Mathematics Skills and the PSAT • Number and Operations • Algebra and Functions • Geometry and Measurement • Data, Statistics, and Probability • Problem Solving • Representation • Reasoning • Connections • Communication

29. Test Preparation • Rigorous Coursework • SAT Prep Class offered at Howard High for credit • Free Practice SAT at local high schools • Prep materials available in the HHS Career Center • Collegeboard.com free practice Private programs (fees) There are many private programs, this is not a comprehensive listing of local offerings! • HHS PTSA sponsored program • Dr. Martha Gagnon MarthaGagnon.com • Howard Community College, Kids on Campus • Princeton Review www.princetonreview.com • Kaplan www.kaptest.com • C2 www.c2educate.com • Huntington Learning Center mddcva.huntingtonlearning.com/columbia • Sylvan Learning Center • Private tutors

30. Prepare for Tests • Consider taking SAT Subject Tests in strong strong subjects this spring. Take Subject Tests such as World History, Biology E/M, and Chemistry while the material is still fresh in your mind.

31. Rigorous courses • Honors or AP?Honors classes often offer the same curriculum as regular classes, but are tailored for high-achieving students —covering additional topics or some topics in greater depth.

32. AP courses: Cover the breadth of information, skills, and assignments found in corresponding college coursesMost U.S. colleges have an AP Credit Policy which allowsstudents who have taken AP courses or exams to earn college credit, placement, or both.

33. Advanced-level courses are worth the extra effort. Colleges look for quality, not quantity. According to Dan Saracino, assistant provost for enrollment at the University of Notre Dame: "Nothing is more important than the quality of the course load."

34. College Calendar Plan for the Year Ahead Meet with your counselor to discuss your college plans. Review your schedule with him or her to make sure you're enrolled in challenging classes that will help you prepare for college. Colleges prefer four years of English, history, math, science, and a foreign language. Start a calendar with important dates and deadlines. Get more involved with your extracurricular activities. Use a College Search to find out the required courses and tests of colleges that you might be interested in attending. Go to college fairs in your area. Get free online PSAT/NMSQT practice at collegeboard.org

36. Suggested websites • www.collegeboard.com • www.collegeboard.com/parents/tests/ • www.actstudent.org • www.princetonreview.com