Testing Information
AP TESTING INFORMATION **SIGN-UP TODAY IN THE BOOKSTORE!**
AP Exams are now on sale. The fee for each exam is $89.00. To register for an AP exam you will need to purhcase an $89.00 fee card per exam at the bookstore. Exams will be sold Monday, March 10th, 2014 thru Friday, March, 21, 2014. For more information pleass see your counselor or Ms. Zamora-Failla in the Guidance Office.
EXPLORE/PLAN/ACT:
Students in 8th through 11th grade will take a series of assessments, including EXPLORE, PLAN and ACT, to ensure students are on track to graduate from high school on time and with the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and challenging 21st century careers. These tests assess student achievement of English, reading, math and science. Students earn a score in each subject and a composite score which reflects all subjects. These rigourous and nationally comparable assessments are a key tool to prepare for Common Core assessments, specifically as they allow for consistency in the measurement of college and career readiness from year to year.
EXPLORE: Students in 8th and 9th grades will take EXPLORE. Willowbrook Students take the EXPLORE test in 8th Grade. This test is scored on a scale of 0 to 25. For more information on the EXPLORE test: http://www.act.org/explorestudent/
PLAN: Willowbrook Students take the PLAN test in 9th Grade. This test is scored on a scale of 0 to 32. For more information on the PLAN test: http://www.act.org/planstudent/index.html
ACT: Students in 11th grade will take the ACT, or American College Test. All Willowbrook students will take an official ACT, as part of the PSAE, in April of their Junior Year. This test is scored on a scale of 0 to 36.
For more information on the ACT test: http://www.act.org/products/k-12-act-test/
To Register for a National ACT test: http://www.actstudent.org/regist/
ACT College Readiness Benchmarks
SAT: The SAT is a measure of the critical thinking skills you’ll need for academic success in college. The SAT assesses how well you analyze and solve problems with skills you learned in school that you’ll need in college. Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200-800, and the writing section will contain two sub scores. Each edition of the SAT includes a Critical Reading, Math, and Writing section, with a specific number of questions related to content. The SAT is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors.
Willowbrook is NOT a testing site for SAT.
For more information on the SAT or to Register: http://sat.collegeboard.org/home
SAT SUBJECT TESTS: These are one hour tests measuring knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge in specific subject areas. Students may register for up to three tests on one date. Some highly selective four-year colleges and universities require two or three SAT subject tests.
The SAT subject tests are usually offered on the same days as the SAT, but there are exceptions-check carefully. Tests given in US History, World History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Literature, Mathematics Level I, Mathematics Level II, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. You should take a specific SAT subject test as soon after completing the course as is possible.
For more information on SAT Subject Tests or to Register: http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-subject-test-dates
What is the difference between the ACT and SAT?
ACT/SAT Conversion Table: http://www.act.org/aap/concordance/pdf/reference.pdf
The ACT may be a better test for you if:
1. You did great on the EXPLORE and PLAN or had a PSAT or SAT score inconsistent with your academic performance in school.
2. Your vocabulary is not as strong as your reading. You read well and relatively quickly and the ACT is comprised of three parts verbal-English, Reading, and Science
3. You are great at writing papers, but haven’t had formal grammar instruction. The English portion of the ACT is more a test of punctuation and sentence and paragraph structure.
4. You prefer to write essays that are argumentative, persuading with ideas even if you lack perfect recall of facts and figures. Or you prefer to answer questions that ask about everyday issues in your life or school.
5. You fear you will choke under pressure. The ACT effectively has “score choice” where you indicate which schools you want to receive which score. On the SAT, all scores will be part of your score report.
6. You are more academic than “test savvy.” The ACT seems to most people to be more curriculum-based and thus more straightforward.
7. All of your friends are doing it. You dread telling people what your scores are, imagining that they are immediately making judgments about how you “stack up.”
The SAT may be a better test for you if:
1. You did great on the PSAT.
2. You have a killer vocabulary. You know "didactic," "sedulous" and other esoteric words (including esoteric) and want to use that comparative advantage.
3. You can ace grammar. In addition to the essay section, the Writing section of the SAT tests the deviation between standard written English and the way we actually speak the language.
4. You find it easier to write essays that use illustrative examples rather than argument.
5. Whether or not you're academic, you consider yourself quick-thinking. At some level, the math section of the SAT is based on reasoning. The reading section is about seeing things the same way as the test-makers. The official name is, after all, the "SAT Reasoning Test." The hardest math questions on the SAT are not about advanced content or formulas that you may have forgotten.
6. You are high-energy or impulsive to the point of being impatient. Comprised of nine sections and an essay, the SAT is 20 minutes longer than the ACT, which is comprised of four long sections followed by an essay. But there are more starts and stops on the SAT — which makes it feel as though it's moving along faster than the ACT.
7. All of your friends are doing it. For many folks, the SAT is a rite of passage and is the common yardstick people use, for better or worse, in comparing their scores to the scores of their friends, parents and siblings.
Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7495614
PSAE:
The Prairie State Achievement Exam is a two day assessment mandated by the State of Illinois to measure the progress of both students and high schools in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards in reading, mathematics, science and writing. Current State Legislation requires all Illinois Public High Schools to administer this exam to all students with junior status as a condition of receiving a regular high school diploma. Additionally, effective with the 2010/2011 school year, no junior will be promoted without PSAE scores.
ACT results from the PSAE test may be sent to as many as four colleges of choice at no charge. Colleges and universities in the United States will accept the ACT scores reported from state testing; NCAA allows the use of state ACT scores in determining initial eligibility for participation in Division I and Division II sports, and WorkKeys scores may be used toward a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC).
The PSAE is comprised of three components:
1. (Day 1) Illinois funded ACT (ISBE has suspended the writing portion for 2012) - this test can be used for college admission purposes
2. (Day 2) ACT sponsored WorkKeys exams in reading for information and applied mathematics
3. (Day 2) ISBE-developed science assessment
Scores from these three components are used to calculate the individual student’s and school’s yearly academic progress.
The PSAE is given every school year in late April. Juniors are expected to be present for both days of testing. Students who miss one or both of these test dates are required to take the makeup tests given two weeks later. The results from the PSAE are recorded on each student’s transcript - students with high scores receive a merit award.
THE PSAE IS MANDATORY FOR ALL JUNIORS!
DATE: April 23 & April 24, 2014
For more information on the PSAE: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/assessment/psae.htm
PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test):
This is a practice test for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the first step in qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship Program. It is given to juniors in October. Preparation programs exist. This is not a college admissions test, however, it helps juniors estimate their ability to do college level work, guides them in making their college plans and familiarizes them with timed multiple-choice tests. Students receive three scores: verbal, math, and writing as well as a fourth titled the “Selection Index” (SI). The SI is used exclusively for the National Merit competition.
This OPTIONAL test will be offered at Willowbrook High School on Wednesday, October 16, 2013. Students will be able to sign up for the test Sept. 9-Sept. 20 in the WBHS Bookstore.
For more information on the PSAT/NMSQT: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html
For More information on the National Merit Scholarship Program: http://www.nationalmerit.org/index.php
TESTING DATES AND REGISTRATION DEADLINES