Standardized Test Information: Sample Letter

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As your student begins the college selection process, it is vital that we all stay informed about what is happening and why. An extremely important part of the college selection process is standardized tests. The first test that most students take is the PSAT, or Preliminary SAT. Some students take it as sophomores, but most students take the test in the fall of their junior year. The scores are reported to the students and their guidance counselors in December, so students have time to study and practice for the SAT I in the spring. The PSAT is also the qualifying test for National Merit Scholarships, a national award program.

Depending on the colleges to which students choose to apply, they may be required to take either the SAT I (formerly the Scholastic Aptitude Test) or the ACTAssessment. The ACT Assessment is an all multiple-choice test that assesses students' understanding of the following:

• the basics of standard written English;
• their course work in pre-algebra, elementary and intermediate algebra, coordinate and plane geometry, and trigonometry;
• their reasoning skills through a reading test using materials in the social sciences, natural sciences, fiction, and the humanities; and
• their reasoning and problem-solving skills using readings and questions about biology, chemistry, and physical, earth, and space sciences.

The SAT I is mostly multiple-choice questions but now has a section in which students must solve math problems and mark in their answers on the answer sheet. The test is divided into verbal and math sections. The test does not assess what students learn in their classes as much as how they reason.

Depending on the colleges they choose, students may also need to take some SAT II Subject Tests. These twenty-two tests assess how well students know and can perform work in subjects such as writing, American history, physics, chemistry, and a number of world languages such as French, Korean, and Hebrew.

Students who are enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses here at school are also preparing to take their AP tests in the spring. Depending on the policy of the colleges to which these students apply, the students may receive college credit for high school AP courses. Your guidance department has been working with students to help them find out which tests they need to take, when they should take them, and how to register for them. If you are interested in learning more about these tests, you might check out the Web sites for the College Board (www.collegeboard.com), who administers the SAT I and II and the Advanced Placement tests and ACT for the ACT test (www.act.org).

Sincerely,
Guidance Counselor