PSAT  vs.  SAT  vs.  ACT  vs.  New  SAT   Which  Test  Should  I  Take?      

Prep  smarter,  score  higher—guaranteed  or  your  money  back!   1-­‐800-­‐KAP-­‐TEST  |  kaptest.com/college  

Today s  Goals   •  What  College  Admission  Counselors  See   •  Get  to  know  the  PSAT,  SAT  &  ACT  and  New   SAT   •  Discuss  Your  Timeline  to  Test  Day   •  Prep  smarter,  not  harder  with  Kaplan  

 

Top Factors in College Admissions 1)  Grades  in  College  Prep  Courses   ü Advanced  Placement   ü InternaMonal  Baccalaureate   ü Dual-­‐enrollment  Courses   ü Rigor  of  Curriculum     ü Relevance   Source:  NaMonal  AssociaMon  of  College  Admissions  Counseling,   2010  State  of  College  Admission  

Top  Factors  in  College  Admissions   2)  Admissions  Test  Scores   ü SAT   ü ACT   ü AP  &  Subject  Tests  

Source:  NaMonal  AssociaMon  of  College  Admissions  Counseling,   2010  State  of  College  Admission  

Top  Factors  in  College  Admissions   3)  High  School  GPA/  Extracurricular   ü Overall   ü Don t  fall  behind   ü Don t  lose  focus   ü Stay  AcMve  and  Involved  

Source:  NaMonal  AssociaMon  of  College  Admissions  Counseling,   2010  State  of  College  Admission  

Let s  get  to  know   the  exams!  

Why  Take  the  PSAT?   1.  PracMce  Run  for  the  Real  Thing  (SAT  –  Top  Factor  in   College  Admissions)   2.  Get  a  Higher  Score  on  the  SAT   •  Students  who  take  the  PSAT  junior  year  score,  on  average,   146  points  higher  on  SAT   •  Students  who  take  the  PSAT  their  sophomore  and  junior   year  score,  on  average,  222  points  higher  on  the  SAT    

3.  Scholarship  OpportuniMes   •  NaGonal  Merit  Scholarship  Program,  Corporate       Scholarships,  NaGonal  Achievement  Program   Source:  College  Board,  2010  NaMonal  State  Reports  

National Merit Scholarship
 •  Based on total PSAT score from Junior year. •  Selection Index – varies year to year, state to state – somewhere between 201 to 229 (96th percentile) •  Previously a PSAT score of 223 was required in California to qualify. •  9,200 winners every year for National Merit and 9,200 scholarship opportunities(incl. corporate) •  Around $50 million awarded each year Source:  NaMonal  Merit  Scholarship  CorporaMon,   NaMonal   Merit  Scholarships  

PSAT-at-a Glance SECTION

CriMcal   Reading   Math  

TIMING

2  SecMons   2  SecMons  

Question Types MulMple  Choice  

MulMple  Choice   Grid-­‐Ins  

13 NATL AVG

SCORE

Juniors:    47  

20–80  

Sophomores:    43   Juniors:    49   Sophomores:     44  

20–80    

WriMng  Skills  

1  SecMon  

MulMple  Choice  

Juniors:    46  

20–80  

 

Sophomores:  41    

5  test  secMons  

2  hours  and  10  minutes  

SelecMon   142   Index  

Let s Get to Know the SAT/ACT

SAT vs. ACT SAT

ACT

Length

3 hours, 45 minutes

3 hours, 25 minutes (including the 30-minute optional Writing Test)

Sections

10 Sections: 3 Critical Reading, 3 Math, 3 Writing (incl. the Essay), 1 Experimental (not scored but included as a regular section)

5 Test Sections (5 with the optional Writing Test): English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing (optional), Experimental (sometimes added and clearly labeled)

Scoring

Total score out of 2400 (3 scores 200-800 for each section)

Total composite score of 1-36 (based on average of 4 tests)

Wrong Answers Penalty

1/4 point subtracted per wrong answer (except for Math Grid-In questions)

No wrong answer penalty

Test Contact Information The College Board

1-866-756-7346 www.collegeboard.org

ACT, Inc. 1-319-337-1270 www.actstudent.org

SAT vs. ACT – Key Differences SAT

ACT

Question Style

Reasoning Based

Content Based

Format

10 random sections

5 chunked sections

Length

3 hours and 45 minutes

3 hours and 25 minutes

Science

No

Yes (reasoning)

Math Level

Up to Algebra II

Up to Trigonometry

Essay

First and required

Last and optional

Vocabulary

Emphasized

Less important

Scoring

Totaled: 600-2400

Averaged: 1-36

Penalties

-1/4 point for incorrect

No penalty for guessing

Test  Score  Comparison   75th*  PercenMle   ACT  Composite  Score  

75th*  PercenMle     SAT  Score  CR+M+W  

Schools  

32–36  

 2080–2400  

Harvard  and  other  Ivy  Leagues   Stanford   Duke,  Johns  Hopkins,  Cal  Tech   UC  Berkley,  UCLA,  USC  

27–31  

1800–2070  

UC  San  Diego,  UCSB,  UCI   Pepperdine  

22–26  

1610–1790  

UCR   Cal  Poly  Pomona,  SLO  

17–21   *25 percent of students scored above.

1210–1600  

CSUF,  SDSU,  CSULB   Chico  State  University,  CSULA  

What  Do  Colleges  Think?   Facts:     •  Nearly  all  schools  accept  the   SAT  or  ACT.   •  88%  of  schools  use  SAT  or   ACT  test  scores  in  making   admissions  decisions*.  

How  Do  I  Decide?   Check  out  the  Facts!   •  NaGonal  PracGce  Test  Day:  Nov  15th/Cal  State  East   Bay  kaptest.com/whichtest   •  Enroll  in  Kaplan s  Unlimited  Prep   •  Save  $200  by  10.16.14  with  Code:  UP200    

College  Prep  Timeline   4   3   2   1  

Sophomore  Year  

•  Take  the  PSAT  exam  –  for  pracMce   •  Take  AP  and  SAT  Subject  Tests  a_er   compleGng  courses   •  Summer  prep  for  PSAT      

Test Change Timeline

PSAT

October 2014

October 2015

Class of 2016 takes final administration of old PSAT

Class of 2017 takes first administration of new PSAT*

2014

SAT

* Details about the changes to the PSAT not yet released

SAT Test Changes

2016

2015

January 2016

March 2016

Final administration of old SAT

Class of 2017 takes first administration of new SAT

New Test Overview Category

Features §  No wrong-answer penalty §  Scored on a scale of 1600

                               Scoring

ü  800 points for Math ü  800 points for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

§  Test, Cross-, and Sub-scores reported §  Optional Essay scored separately                                Timing

§  3 hours + 50-minute optional essay

SAT Test Changes

New Test Overview Category

Features Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Test

§  65-minute Reading section §  35-minute Language and Writing section §  All multiple-choice questions have only 4 answer choices

Math Test                                Structure

§  §  §  § 

55-minute section with calculator 25-minute section with no calculator Includes grid-ins and multiple choice questions All multiple-choice questions have only 4 answer choices

Essay

§  Optional §  50-minutes long

SAT Test Changes

College  Prep  Timeline   4   2   1  

3  

Junior  Year  

•  PSAT  in  October  for  NaMonal  Merit       •  Focus  on  academics—this  is  the  criGcal   year!   •  Research  admissions  requirements  for   chosen  schools   •  Prepare  for  and  take  the  SAT  and/or  ACT   •  Take  required/recommended  SAT  Subject   Tests    

SAT Registration 2014 – 2015 Test Dates Test Date

Registration Deadline

October 11, 2014

September 12, 2014

November 8, 2014

October 9, 2014

December 6, 2014

November 6, 2014

January 24, 2015

December 29, 2014

March 14, 2015

February 13, 2015

May 2, 2015

April 6, 2015

June 6, 2015

May 8, 2015

Test Registration Fees Basic Test Fee: $52.50 Late Registration: $80.50

http://www.sat.collegeboard.org

ACT Registration 2014 – 2015 Test Dates Test Date

Registration Deadline

September 13, 2014

August 8, 2014

October 25, 2014

September 19, 2014

December 13, 2014

November 7, 2014

February 7, 2015

January 9, 2015

April 18, 2015

March 13, 2015

June 13, 2015

May 8, 2015

Test Registration Fees Basic Test Fee: $38.00 (without writing) $54.50(with writing) Late Registration additional $24 http://www.actstudent.org/regist/

College  Prep  Timeline   4   3   2   1  

Senior  Year  

•  Take  the  SAT  and/or  ACT  for  the  last  Mme   •  December  for  regular  admission,  October   for  EA/ED     •  Take  required  SAT  Subject  Tests  (Private)   •  Request  leders  of  recommendaGon   •  Fill  out  FAFSA  and  research  scholarships   •  Visit  schools    

Prep  Smarter,     Not  Harder.  

Prep  smarter,  not  harder.   How  do  you  learn  best?  

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Robert Reimer 510.239.9313 [email protected]