In this section we offer an overview of the tests students may encounter, information about registration, score reports, general scheduling, and test preparation. It is important to review specific college application requirements and recommendations in order to meet the testing requirements. For example, many colleges outside of the Midwest require current seniors (the class of 2006) to submit the results from one SAT I (including the writing test) and two or three SAT IIs— usually math and another non-math subject—in order to complete the application process.

Registering for Tests

Marshall School Code = 240640

Test Center Codes
Denfeld High School = 206890 (ACT); 24-125 (SAT)
University of Minnesota-Duluth = 021570 (ACT)
Superior High School = 157650 (ACT)
University of Wisconsin-Superior = 046820 (ACT)

ACT and SAT Test Dates:  2007-2008

 

Spring 2008

 

DATE	TEST	Registration Deadline	Late Deadline
March 1, 2008	SAT I only	January 29, 2008	February 7, 2008
April 12, 2008	ACT	March 7, 2008	March 21, 2008
May 3, 2008	SAT I and SAT II	April 1, 2008	April 10, 2008
June 7, 2008	SAT I and SAT II	May 6, 2008	May 15, 2008
June 14, 2008	ACT	May 9, 2008	May 23, 2008

 

Where to Register: Students can register for the ACT, SAT I or SAT IIs via the paper registration forms available in the College Guidance Office, or online at www.actstudent.org or www.collegeboard.com. Both testing agencies prefer students register online. Students should receive a registration ticket directing them to a particular test center.

Cost of the Tests: Once a student has taken a test, it is possible to register for future tests over the phone in addition to online or the paper registration form.

The cost to take the SAT I is $43.00, which includes the Writing section; the SAT IIs cost $8.00 to $18.00 each with an aditional $17.00 Basic Registration Fee. An additional fee of $22.00 is required for late registrations. Students can view an unofficial report of their test date scores on the Web free of charge.

The cost for the ACT is $30.00 or $44.50 for the ACT Plus Writing. The late registration fee for ACT is an additional $19.00. Students can view an unofficial report of their test date scores on the Web free of charge.

Fee Waivers: The College Board provides a very limited number of test fee waivers for students with extreme financial need. Please contact the College Counseling Office if you would like to request a fee waiver, which must be done well in advance of the registration deadline.

Test Results: Scores are sent to the student’s address between four to six weeks after the test date. It is possible to retrieve scores earlier for a fee. The majority of colleges request that a student's SAT I and SAT II or ACT scores be reported to them directly from the College Board or ACT. There is a fee for this service unless the student requests that the scores be sent directly to up to four colleges when initially registering for the test, since four complimentary score recipients are included at that time. Colleges receive scores approximately four to six weeks after a score report has been requested online, over the phone, or after a paper request has been sent to the College Board or ACT. For an additional fee, scores can be rushed to colleges, but many colleges discourage this method and should be asked before any such action is taken. When students request score reports to be sent to colleges from the College Board, the colleges receive a list of all results from a student's SAT I and SAT II testing. It is a student’s responsibility to confirm that campuses receive all scores. Unlike College Board, ACT will send colleges only the scores you request to be sent.

Special Testing:  Please contact the Upper School Counselor to request special testing.  Please note that it is very rare for students to qualify for special testing.  The request process is lengthy, requires weeks for review, and requires all documentation to be within the last three years.

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SAT I & SAT II

SAT I : The “New SAT,” launched in March, 2005, will incorporate a number of changes. Now three hours and 45 minutes long, the test will have three sub-scores, rather than two, for a total of 2400 points versus the previous 1600. The three sections will be Writing, Mathematics, and Critical Reading, and each is outlined below. Free preparation booklets are also available in the College Counseling Office.

Writing section: The Writing section lasts 60 minutes and incorporates grammar, usage, and word choice testing through 35 minutes of multiple choice questioning and 25 minutes of essay writing. This new section is designed to closely parallel the former SAT II Writing exam, which tests students’understanding of the rules of standard written English by asking them to identify sentence errors, make improvements to sentences, and make improvements to paragraphs. The essay, again similar to the essay portion of the SAT II, focuses upon a student’s ability to develop a clear point of view on a specific issue. They may formulate an argument based upon their own personal experience or upon other readings or observations. Scored specifically from 1-12 points, the essay—which the College Board acknowledges as a short first draft, rather than as a finished piece of writing—will also be available to colleges receiving score reports. Note that the College Board provides excellent resources for practicing the essay; students wanting to get ahead can visit www.collegeboard.com.

Counselor commentary: For the first time, colleges will be able to easily access, should they wish to, copies of each student’s writing sample if the student has submitted an application with SAT scores. We believe that this authentic element of the college application—namely a sample of spontaneous writing done by each student under comparable circumstances—is a smart and effective way for colleges to have access to student work that is guaranteed to be the student’s own. Because colleges have complained of excessive editing and even plagiarism in regard to student essays, this move by the College Board reflects admission offices’ desire to see honest work from all students.

Mathematics section: Timed at 70 minutes, the new math section will incorporate two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section. Topics covered will include number and operations; algebra and functions; geometry; statistics; probability and data analysis. The questions will still be multiple choice (five answer options) and will include student-produced responses. Note that the Quantitative Comparisons section that formerly existed will be eliminated, and that the level of math tested will be raised to include such elements as linear functions, manipulations with exponents, and the properties of tangent lines. This section essentially absorbs the former SAT II Math IC test.

Critical Reading section: Also timed at 70 minutes, the new critical reading section will incorporate two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section. Skills tested will include reading comprehension, sentence completions and paragraph-length critical reading (500-800 words), replacing the former SAT’s use of analogies and longer reading passages. There will also be short reading passages of approximately 100 words in length. The questions will remain multiple choice (five answer options).

SAT II: The traditional SAT II Subject Tests are one-hour, multiple-choice tests covering specific subject areas, scored from 200 to 800. When students register for a sitting of the SAT II, they may choose to take up to three such tests on a given test date, but cannot take both SAT Is and SAT IIs on the same date. The decision about which tests to take can be left until the day of the test, except in the case of foreign language listening tests (offered only in November). SAT IIs differ from the SAT I in that they measure a student’s knowledge of particular subject material. Ideally, a student takes an SAT II just after completing the relevant course of study, when the material is fresh. Some colleges do not require SAT IIs, while others require specific combinations. For example, for the class of 2005, the University of California system required three SAT IIs: one Writing, one Mathematics (Level I or IIC), and a third that is not mathematics. The booklet Taking The SAT II Subject Tests is available in the College Guidance Office and provides sample questions. Note that the last administration of the SAT II in Writing was January 22, 2005, because it was discontinued once the new SAT I launched in March 2005.

NEW POLICIES ON SAT II for the Class of 2006 and beyond:
Because the New SAT I, starting in March, 2005, will incorporate a formal, timed writing section, the SAT II Writing will be formally discontinued. Therefore, the College Counseling Office recommends that while students still plan on pursuing SAT II testing (two to three SAT IIs still recommended), they focus their energies toward specific subjects outside of math and writing, such as language, history and the sciences. It is likely that most colleges will reduce the number of required/recommended SAT IIs to one or two rather than three, and families will be alerted as changes are announced.

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ACT

ACT: The American College Test is accepted by most colleges and universities as an alternative to the SAT I. Like the SAT I, the ACT is administered at test centers. It is a required or preferred test for admission to certain colleges in the midwest, west and southwest (e.g. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities). The ACT is composed of four multiple-choice tests that measure academic achievement in major curricular areas: English, Math, Reading and Science. Each section, and the test as a whole, is scored from 1-36: English, a 75-item, 45-minute test measuring understanding of standard written English punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, strategy, organization, and style; mathematics, a 60-minute test of mathematical reasoning skills; reading, a 40-item, 35-minute test measuring reading comprehension using texts commonly encountered in first-year college curricula across fiction prose, humanities, social studies and natural sciences; and science reasoning, a 40-item, 35-minute test measuring interpretation, evaluation, analysis, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required in the study of the natural sciences.

The College Guidance Office can help students determine if they might wish to take the ACT, and the best way to start is by checking ACT's outstanding online resources. Registration booklets for the ACT are available in the College Guidance Office or online. Free preparation booklets are also available in the College Guidance Office.

ACT + Writing: The ACT has also undergone a change in the form of a new Writing Test, which had its first administration in February, 2005. While the 30-minute writing component will be optional, it is required, for instance, of any student applying to the University of Minnesota and Wisconsin systems using ACT scores. Specifically, students will be asked to produce a sample that demonstrates the ability to develop a logical, coherent argument using strong prose.

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PSAT & PLAN

PSAT: Like the SAT I, the PSAT has also been revised. The new PSAT, which had its first administration in October, 2004, will last two hours and 10 minutes, and will reflect changes in the SAT I. It contains three sections—Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing—and will reflect enhanced mathematics (10 student-produced responses; number and operations; algebra and functions; geometry and measurement; and data analysis, statistics and probability) and a 30-minute writing section that is multiple choice but has no essay.

Primarily, the PSAT is still designed to acquaint students with the SAT I, to serve as a diagnostic tool for analysis of students' learning, and to enable students to participate in the National Merit Scholarship competition (junior-year administration only). Marshall juniors are automatically registered for the test and take it at Marshall in October. The PSAT is scored like the SAT, except that scores are reported 20-80.

PLAN: The PLAN program helps 10th graders build a foundation for future academic and career success. It is a comprehensive resource that helps students measure their current academic development, explore career/training options, and make plans for the remaining years of high school and beyond. Marshall uses the PLAN because it can help all students—those who are college-bound as well as those who are likely to enter the workforce directly after high school. As a pre-ACT test, the PLAN is a powerful predictor of success on the ACT. The PLAN is usually administered in the fall of tenth grade. Marshall sophomores are automatically registered and take it at Marshall in October.

EXPLORE:  The EXPLORE helps 9th grade students build a foundation for future academic as well as career success.  It's a comprehensive resource that helps students prepare for the PLAN, and eventually the ACT.  This test is administered in the fall of ninth grade.  Marshall ninth grade students will be registered for the test in October each year.

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Test Preparation

Taking the SAT and Preparing for the ACT are booklets available in the College Guidance Office that include test-taking tips and a complete sample test. Students should read them carefully.

The College Guidance Office also has practice ACT and SAT I tests in CD-ROM format. Students are able to check these out on a short-term basis.

Each year during Mid-Winter break, the College Guidance Office offers test preparation sessions Tuesday through Friday (9:00a.m. - 2:00p.m.) using a video format. The video explains each question on each section of the test preparation workbook. If students are unable to attend these session, students are more than welcome to check out the workbooks and videos on a short-term basis. Please contact the College Counseling Office to register for mid-winter break test prep.

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Advanced Placement Exams

AP: The Advanced Placement Examinations are administered at Marshall each May. Those students achieving highly (usually a 4 or 5 on a scale of 1-5) could receive college credit or be placed in advanced level courses, according to each college's policies.

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TOEFL

TOEFL: The Test of English as a Foreign Language evaluates the English proficiency of non-native speakers. It consists of three multiple-choice sections: Listening Comprehension (measures ability to understand North American English); Structure and

Written Expression (measures ability to recognize language that is appropriate for standard written English) and Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension (measures understanding of non-technical reading matter).

International students may take the TOEFL at Thompson Prometric located at 4815 Burning Tree Plaza (behind Kmart in Duluth/Hermantown). Their phone number is 722-7252.

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Schedule of Tests by Grade

SAT: Marshall students typically take two rounds of the SAT I and two of the SAT II, the first round during junior year, and the second in the summer between junior and senior year or during the first semester of senior year. Since no college or university requires more than three SAT IIs, a student can be discriminating about which to take. Writing and Mathematics (levels I and IIC) are usually among the most often required, whereas the third, as long as it is not another math, is usually up to the student. Students should consult with teachers and college counselors and review sample tests in order to select SAT IIs appropriate to their intended fields of study and on
which they are likely to score well.

ACT: Marshall students usually take two rounds of the ACT in addtion to the SAT. Most students follow the same schedule as the SAT.

Ninth Grade: Ninth graders take the Explore (this is a pre-PLAN and pre-ACT test) in October.

Sophomore Year: All sophomores take the PLAN (practice ACT) in October.

If sophomores fit any of the following descriptions, they may want to take one or more SAT II Subject Tests at the end of sophomore year: 1) They are completing their third year of language (the third-year curriculum can be especially relevant to the SAT II, which stresses grammar); or 2) They have completed an AP class and would be well prepared for a subject-based test, such as the SAT II in physics or SAT II Math2 after completing AP Calculus.

Junior Year: All juniors take the PSAT in October. Juniors typically take the SAT I in January, March or May, and SAT IIs in May and/or June. (Some students take the SAT II Tests in both May and June to accommodate testing in more than three subjects.) It is usually best if a junior waits until spring to begin taking the SAT I, though any student who feels adequately prepared may test when ready. Normally, however, a student's vocabulary, in particular, is not fully developed in terms of SAT preparedness until the fall of senior year, when there are three more opportunities to take the test (October, November and December). Note that students should plan on taking only as many SAT tests as is reasonable, since the record is cumulative, meaning that colleges will see all tests taken and scores received. Two or three attempts at the SAT I should suffice.

Senior Year: Students have three opportunities to take SAT I or II tests and three opportunities to take the ACT throughout the fall of senior year. It is important to be mindful of college deadlines for receiving scores. This is especially true for recruited athletes and anyone opting for an Early Decision or Early Action application process, as these decisions are typically made in December. Even December SATs will be accepted by the UC system, which has a final application deadline of November 30th, if scores are sent directly. When applying to colleges that require these examinations, seniors must
take the initiative in requesting that scores be sent directly from the College Board's testing office or from the ACT office to each college and in confirming that the scores have been received. Colleges do not accept scores as valid unless they are official score reports from the College Board or ACT. In the case of California public universities, even though seniors may use one application 13 form to apply to several campuses, they must have scores sent separately to each campus desired.

ACT/SAT PREP COURSES
The college counselor strongly believes that preparing for tests can greatly ease the burden of stress and uncertainty that many students feel, and therefore urge students to take advantage of the many cost-free alternatives available for preparation. The first and most available resources come from the College Board itself, and are available both in free test booklets that are kept in the College Guidance Office, and at www.collegeboard.com. Many additional entities also offer free SAT preparation. ACT preparation can be found at http://www.actstudent.org.

The value of SAT prep courses that carry a cost depends upon the receptiveness of the student: increased familiarity with the test and a structured environment in which to practice math and vocabulary can assist in raising scores. Weighing against such courses is their enormous cost (especially one-on-one), the large number of hours they require (often at the expense of schoolwork, extracurricular activities, or much-needed relaxation), and the fact that they cannot guarantee results. For students who do take them, math gains appear to be somewhat more significant than verbal gains. The names and numbers of several SAT prep programs are available in our office, though we do not endorse a particular program.

If a student were eager to do some extra preparation for the SAT on their own, beyond the resources mentioned above, they could purchase any of the numerous SAT prep books, available in most bookstores, or through SAT prep software. It is recommended that students obtain practice books with real SATs in them, published by the College Board, rather than those offering similar or hybrid practice tests. Continuous reading of strong literature remains the very best preparation for excelling when it comes time to take the SAT I Critical Reading section; note that Kepler’s Books has an outstanding summer reading/supplemental reading section. The Marshall Favorites list for the Library is also an excellent resource, as is the summer reading.

A note about the NEW SAT, for March 2005: Although many families will feel (and many test prep companies will suggest) that formalized preparation is crucial to success on the new SAT, the counseling team feels strongly that Marshall students are actually more well-prepared through the Marshall curriculum for the new exam, since it is now more closely aligned with strong high school curricula. Before purchasing any test prep, therefore, we urge students and their families to consult collegeboard.com and use its extensive and excellent resources before making additional decisions.

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Marshall School College Counseling
1215 Rice Lake Road, Duluth, MN 55811
Phone: (218) 727-7266
E-Mail: CollegeCounseling