Testing

The PSAT/ NMSQT 

The College Board offers the PSAT in the fall. The Shoreline School District administers it to students who sign up for the exam.  It costs about $20 to take the PSAT; fee waivers may be available. 

The PSAT is essentially a practice test for the SAT. The vast majority of colleges are test-optional, and many, like UW, are essentially test blind and will only consult scores for a small number of applicants. 

Took the PSAT and want to access the scores? 

Look them up in your collegeboard.org account. The steps below assume that the student has not set up an account.

1. Try to find your code: 
   1. Look for an email from the College Board sent a few weeks after you take the exam with a unique code. This will be sent to the email address provided by the student at the beginning of the exam. 
2. On the College Board, click Sign up. Fill out the information.
3. If you have the code, you should be prompted to enter it. If you are not prompted, log out then log back in, go to the Score Reporting Portal and enter the code.
4. If you do not have the code, call PSAT Student 1-866-433-7728 and they will help you. 

Who takes the PSAT and why? 

10th grade students can take it for practice. When test scores were required, the district administered it to all sophomores. 

11th grade students as practice for the SAT and to try for National Merit Qualification. 

For National Merit, the test only "counts" if students take it as juniors. It counts in a few ways:

• if students elect to share their information, schools will get an idea of your range of score and may reach out;
• the National Merit Scholarship Competition is based on 11th grade scores/ we typically have 1-5 top scorers who prequalify 

How do students sign up? 

Students will receive an email from the school district directing them for signup and payment. Please note that this is the only time that students will sign up to take a college admissions-type test by signing up at school. Sign up for the SAT through CollegeBoard.org and for the ACT through ACT.org. 

What is the NMSQT part of the test name? 

The PSAT is also the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. If students who take the test as 11th graders meet a certain index score--which varies by state--then they may be considered for National Merit Semi-Finalist or a National Merit Commended Scholar status. For details, see: 

• National Merit Scholarship Program 
•  National Merit Scholarship Student GuidePDF Download
• College Board's Scholarships and Recognition page 

Should students prep for the PSAT?

Preparation is not necessary, but students will have an easier time with the test if they are at least familiar with the content and format. Students can pick up a test booklet that provides an overview of the test, or can use the free College Board/ Khan Academy materials. See the Test Prep page or the College Board's PSAT Practice page. There are also many commercial test prep options. 

The SAT is the most-frequently taken college admissions test on the West Coast. It is typically given seven times during the school year. Though Shorewood is usually a testing site, the SAT is administered by the College Board. 

Registration

Students will register for the SAT online through the College Board. If students took the PSAT in 10th and/ or 11th grade, then they have a College Board account. 

Registration will take a while--the College Board asks lots of questions--and you will need a photo of yourself that you can upload. 

If you qualify for free & reduced lunch, you will be eligible for a fee waiver to help pay for the test. See your counselor or Mrs. Hurley. 

If you are requesting testing accommodations, you must register even earlier than the standard deadline. There is a limit to the number of seats for students with accommodations, so you must register very early to get your requested test date and site. 

Exam Sections

Links lead to the College Board's pages describing that section

• Reading and Writing section 
• Math section

How Colleges Get the Scores

Shorewood does not send test scores. When you sign up for the SAT, you may request that free test reports be sent to particular colleges.

If you wish to see their test scores before sending them, take the test early enough to do so. This is why we recommend testing during Junior year. 

Colleges accept the scores a few ways, and you must look up the college's policy if you plan on applying to that school. Each college will ask you to do one of the following:

• Self-report your scores as the college directs. This may simply be filling in your scores on your application. Or, colleges may instruct you to submit a screen shot or submit a pdf of the score report. 
• Send official reports through the testing agencies: the College Board for the SAT and ACT.org for the ACT. These reports will cost you about $12/ college. Fee waivers can be used if students are on Free & Reduced Lunch. Talk to your counselor. 

Test Prep 

There is excellent test prep via the Khan Academy. There are also many commercial, for-profit test prep companies. Only spend $ if your colleges require scores and a higher score will make a difference. 

The ACT is given five times during a typical school year. 

Registration

Register for the ACT online through ACT.org. In recent years, the ACT has not been hosted at Shorewood. 

Registration will take a while and you will need a photo of yourself to upload. 

If you qualify for Free & Reduced Meals, you will be eligible for a fee waiver to help pay for the test. See your counselor. 

If you are requesting testing accommodations, you must register even earlier than the standard deadline. There is a limit to the number of seats for students with accommodations, so you must register very early to get your requested test date and site. 

Test Prep 

See the official ACT Test Preparation page for free resources. 

Subject Areas Tested

The ACT has four subject areas:  English, Math, Reading, and Science. Please note that the Science test is more like a reading test that includes data. Students are not expected to demonstrate scientific knowledge. 

Scores

The ACT is scored on a 1-36 scale. Each section receives a 1-36 score and students receive a composite score, which is the average of the subject areas. 

Please remember that scores on college admissions tests are not like scores on school tests. A 30 on the ACT isn't like getting 83% on a test. A 30 is in the 93rd percentile nationally. 

How Colleges Get the Scores

Shorewood does not send test scores. When students sign up for the ACT, they may request free test reports (up to four) be sent to particular colleges.

If students wish to see their test scores before sending them, they should take the test early enough to do so. 

When students apply to colleges, they should: 

1. decide whether to submit the scores
2. research how the colleges would like the scores and follow their instructions

Fee waivers can be used for official score reports if students are on Free & Reduced Lunch. Talk to your counselor. 

ACT.org

Test Differences

Nearly all colleges accept either the SAT or ACT and do not express a preference. 

Which test is taken more often? 

The ACT and SAT are taken in roughly equal numbers. More students in the Midwest take the ACT and more students on the West Coast & East Coast take the SAT. 

How are the tests different? 

The tests are structured differently, have different scoring, and have slightly different subject coverage.

Is it true that the ACT is better for students who like Science & Math? 

That is not a defining factor, despite the Science section on the ACT, which is more a reading section. 

The single most important factor for which test is better for which students...

In my experience, the single most important factor is reading and processing speed. In general, students who are fast readers and quick processors may find that their percentile on the ACT is higher than on the SAT. Students who are not fast readers/ quick processors may run out of time on the ACT. 

If and How Much Test Prep? 

Please review our To Test or Not to Test? slideshow with the latest information from colleges regarding score requirements.

There is not an easy answer since most colleges are test-optional and goals, testing baselines, and colleges' emphasis on scores all vary widely. When deciding, families should consider:

• Whether the colleges a student is targeting require scores. Scores could be required for: 
  • admission
  • scholarships
  • honors college admission
• If a college does require scores, investigate the test score ranges of those colleges and compare to your own if you have already taken the PSAT or an SAT.
• Strength of other elements of a student's application.
• Student schedule and well-being
• Student tolerance of test prep (please take this seriously--for some students, the test prep would be onerous and stress-inducing)

If students are going to take a college admissions test, we do recommend familiarity so that they know:

• sections on the exam
• length & format of each section
• types of questions in each section
• scope of math section
• type of passages in the reading & writing sections

When to do Test Prep? 

Again, the answer to this depends on the student and how particular the college goals are. If students are aiming for military academies or one of the highly competitive colleges that still require scores, then test prep may be advantageous. 

Options for Test Prep

Self-Study

There are excellent low-or no-cost options available. Familiarity with format and content is a first step, and if a student has limited time, may be enough. 

FREE Check out an SAT or ACT book from the Career Center given to us by our generous Shorewood PTSA. Come into the Career Center to inquire. The books will be checked out just like a book from Shorewood's main library. 

FREE and PAID options  Official College Board (SAT) and ACT practice questions and tests. The testing companies have free materials available that essentially tell you what is going to be on the test and give you a chance to practice with actual test questions. 

SAT Practice has links to official practice tests, a daily practice app, and the Khan Academy as well as sections with guidance for setting goals and creating study plans. 

ACT Test Overview and ACT Test Preparation have both free and paid options. Start with the current ACT Study GuidePDF Download (pdf) which includes a practice test and overview, sign up for ACT Question of the Day, use the practice for each test section, read the tips, and go over the test section descriptions. Once you use exhaust the free options, consider the paid products & services. ACT now has a partnership with Kaplan. 

FREE Khan Academy, which is now linked to the College Board, customizes to a student's most recent score results (PSAT and/or SAT) and is available whenever the student is available. Please note that though Khan Academy is affiliated with the College Board/ SAT, the benefit will largely carry over to the ACT. We recommend this option since it customizes to you. 

Private Tutoring

We cannot recommend particular tutors, but if students have a particular subject area they want to address, tutoring can be an excellent approach. 

Classes

Outside Test Prep Companies. There are many local test prep companies. Please note:

• We cannot endorse or recommend any company in particular. 
• Very few companies list costs on their website. Be aware that most require you to create an account and then you will receive e-mails, often multiple ones. E-mails may have useful special offers, or emails may become excessive. 
• Many online courses also have local centers that offer classes.
• Many companies offer some free options and other options with costs. 
• Many companies also offer private tutoring at higher cost.

As of November 2020, nearly all colleges are test optional. For fine print on what that means, look at each college's website. Most students will need to decide whether to send their scores on a case-by-case basis. 

If you have scores, then you want to figure out if the scores will give you an advantage or not. If you have been unable to test, don't worry about it. You will be fine! 

For colleges that have a lot of Shorewood applicants, look at the Scattergrams in Naviance.

Look up a college in Naviance > Admissions > scroll down to the Scattergrams. The little blue circle will show how you compare with previous Shorewood applicants. If your averages are better than the dotted line that indicates the average scores from Shorewood, then submit. If you are below that line, then don't submit. 

For colleges with few Shorewood applicants, go to a tool like CollegeData.com. 

Search for a particular college, select Admission, then scroll down to score ranges. If you are on the high end of the ranges, send the scores. If you are not, don't.  

Accepted reporting methods vary by school. Check the fine print on each college's website and refer to:

Where Can you Self-Report SAT & ACT Scores?to learn about Compass Prep list. Check each college's website for its preferred method of submission. 

Please note that you will have to provide official test score reports when requested and during the enrollment process.

Never lie about scores or anything else on college applications. You will be found out and any acceptance will be rescinded. 

Have your Test Scores Sent

Shorewood does not send test scores. For most schools, you must have the testing agencies send your scores. See below for a list of the few schools that accept unoffical scores.

Allow at least three weeks for official score reports. 

If you requested that scores be sent when you took the SAT / ACT (you can choose up to four free reports when you register for a test), then be sure that the colleges have your scores. You may not need to pay to have a separate score report. 

If you did not have your scores sent automatically, you must order score reports from the testing agencies. They will send scores directly to the colleges. 

To send your scores, see Sending SAT Scores and/ or Sending ACT Scores. You must log into your account(s) to be able to send the scores. It costs about $12 to send scores to a school. Note:  If application or score report fees are a problem, talk to your counselor. 

College score reporting policies vary. Some colleges want to see all of your scores from all of the times you have taken a test, and others let you choose the highest score to send. When you order score reports on CollegeBoard.org, the scores will load according to the college's policy.

SAT: see SAT Score Choice FAQs and SAT Score Use Policies by Institution

ACT: on the ACT Help page, select Scores and then scroll down to read the FAQ about the choices you have for score reports. 

Unofficial Reports

A few colleges accept unofficial scores directly from the student. Accepted reporting methods vary by school. Check the fine print on each college's website and refer to:

Where Can you Self-Report SAT & ACT Scores?to learn about Compass Prep list. Check each college's website for its preferred method of submission. 

Your college may let you simply fill in the scores on your application, or they may want a screen shot or the PDF report from the testing agency. Following the college's instructions is an excellent way to demonstrate that you care about their particulars. Submitting things in ways they do not want you to is not a great indicator. 

Even if you are able to submit unofficial report, you may have to provide official test score reports when requested and during the enrollment process.

Never lie about scores or anything else on college applications. You will be found out and any acceptance will be rescinded.