Testing Advice for Grade 11

PSAT

All students in Grade 11 will take the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) exam in October.  Students do not need to register for this exam.  Results of this test are not reported to colleges.  The PSAT is used as a practice experience before taking the SAT Reasoning Test later in the junior year.  All junior year PSAT takers are automatically entered in the National Merit Scholarship competition.  PSAT scores from Grade 11 are used to determine which students will go on to compete as semifinalists during the senior year.  Students who take the PSAT will receive a detailed score report that provides important information about strengths and weaknesses in each subject area tested, as well as suggestions for how to improve in each area.  Students and parents should review this information when preparing for the SAT Reasoning Test.

SAT Reasoning Test (formerly SAT I)

The Office of College Counseling recommends that students in the eleventh grade take the SAT Reasoning Test for the first time in spring of the junior year.  Students who observe Shabbat and want to test on Sunday must obtain a letter from a rabbi verifying their observance.  (The Office of College Counseling and the main office have pre-formatted letters signed by Rabbi Bernat-Kunin.)  This letter must be mailed during the initial registration.  Registration materials are available in the college counseling office or at www.collegeboard.com.  The SAT is also offered in May and June of the junior year, and students may take the exam again on either or both of those dates.  The Office of College Counseling recommends that students take the SAT Reasoning Test no more than three times.  There are at least five opportunities between spring of the junior year and winter of the senior year to take SAT Reasoning Test.

SAT Subject Tests (formerly SAT II: Subject Tests)

SAT Subject Tests are specific, one-hour tests required by many selective colleges and the University of California.  The UC system, for example, requires students to submit results from two subject tests in disparate disciplines.  Students should consult with each individual college they are considering to learn about specific test requirements.

Students are encouraged to take two or three SAT Subject Tests by the end of their junior year.  However, some students wait until the fall of their senior year to complete all of their exams.  Since the SAT Subject Tests reflect a student's knowledge of a particular subject, it makes the most sense for students to take the SAT Subject Tests at the end of a yearlong course in the subject being tested.  The Office of College Counseling recommends that students take SAT Subject Tests in May and/or June of their junior year.  Students may take up to three SAT Subject Tests in one sitting, and students may take either the SAT Reasoning Test or SAT Subject Tests on any given test date.

ACT with Writing

The ACT with Writing is a standardized test used primarily by students who live in the midwest.  Colleges and universities in the United States accept either ACT with Writing scores or SAT Reasoning Test scores.  The ACT with Writing tests four subject areas: English, math, reading and science, and includes an additional writing section.  The SAT Reasoning Test, on the other hand, only tests math and English language skills.  Students who are weaker in math sometimes benefit from taking the ACT, since math encompasses only one quarter of the exam as opposed to one third of the exam as on the SAT.  However, there is no evidence to suggest that students who take the ACT receive higher comparable scores than students who take the SAT.  The Office of College Counseling does not maintain a preference of one test over another.  We consult on a case-by-case-basis so that  an informed decision can be made by each student.  It is entirely up to the student.