ACT*
The ACT is a national college admission test that consists of the following subject areas:
- English
- Math
- Reading
- Science
The test is accepted by all 4 year collges and universites in the US. The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, including a short break (or just over four hours if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing). Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 30 minutes if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing). The ACT is administered on six test dates within the United States, U.S. territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada—September, October, December, February, April, and June. The basic registration fee includes score reports for up to four college choices, if you list valid codes when you register. For further information and registration, go to the ACT website.
*Every junior in Marshall High School will take the ACT in late February or early March as part of the state of Wisconsin's testing program.
SAT
The SAT is a college admission test that tests your knowledge of reading, writing and math.
- The reading section includes reading passages and sentence completions.
- The writing section includes a short essay and multiple-choice questions on identifying errors and improving grammar and usage.
- The math section includes questions on arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, statistics and probability.
The SAT and other College Board tests are offered several times a year. Most students take the SAT for the first time during the spring of their junior year and a second time during the fall of their senior year.
For further information and registration, go to the SAT website.
PSAT/NMSQT
The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test & PSAT 10 (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It's a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT®. It measures what students learn in school, determine if sutdents are on track for college success, and open doors for opportunities to prepare and pay for college. It is open for 10th and 11th graders in the fall. It also gives you a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools.
The PSAT/NMSQT includes five sections:
- Two 25-minute critical reading sections
- Two 25-minute math sections
- One 30-minute writing skills section
The whole test requires two hours and 10 minutes.
You must sign up for the PSAT/NMSQT at your high school or at another high school in your community. This test is administered by high schools, not through test centers. Online registration for the PSAT/NMSQT is not available.
If you would like to take the PSAT/NMSQT, contact Mrs. Schneider find out about registering for the test, paying the test fees, and learning time, and location that your school will give the test in October. The fall test dates for 2021 are: Wednesday, October 13, Saturday, October 16, and Tuesday, October 26. Also, contact your guidance office for a copy of the Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT to help you prepare before test day.
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