Standardized Testing Information

PSAT | SAT | SAT Subject Tests | ACT | TOEFL

PSAT

• The Preliminary SAT®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a program co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It's a standardized test that provides practice for the SAT and also enters participants in the NMSC scholarship programs.

• Wyoming Seminary juniors are automatically registered for the PSAT, which is administered in mid-October.

• More information can be found at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

SAT     www.collegeboard.com

• The SAT is a measure of the skills you'll need for academic success in college. The SAT assesses how well you analyze and solve problems—skills you learned in school that you'll need in college.

• Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200-800. The SAT is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors. It is administered seven times a year in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Territories, and six times a year overseas.

• Wyoming Seminary is a test center for the SAT in October, December, January, May and June.  Sem provides transportation to the Coughlin High School test site for boarding students for the November test administration.

• The College Guidance team recommends that students take the SAT for the first time in January or May of the junior year, and again in October of the senior year.  Please consult your college counselor for advice about the most appropriate dates for you. 

SAT Subject Tests     

• Subject Tests (formerly called SAT IIs) are designed to measure your knowledge and skills in particular subject areas like English, history, mathematics, science, and language. Typically, Subject Exams are taken by juniors following the completion of a course related to the subject exam. Sophomores who are completing AP Latin, an advanced mathematics courses, or US History may wish to take these exams in the spring of their sophomore year.  All students should consult their college counselor about the appropriate time to take these exams.

• All Subject Tests are one-hour, multiple-choice tests and one, two or three Subject Tests may be taken on a test administration date.  Colleges that require Subject Tests typically require two, but a few of the most selective colleges require three. Consult the individual colleges’ websites for details about their policies.

• Free practice Subject Exams can be found at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/lc_two/practice_questions.html

ACT      www.actstudent.org

• The ACT assesses high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work.  ACT results are accepted by all 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S.

• The ACT Plus Writing includes four subject area tests (English, math, reading, science) plus a 30-minute Writing Test.

• The ACT is administered on six test dates within the 50 United States and District of Columbia—in September, October, December, February, April, and June.

• The ACT exam is offered locally at King’s College and Dallas High School. 

            Complete a practice ACT test at http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/index.html

Consult your college counselor to discuss which is the most appropriate exam for you.

TOEFL iBT     www.ets.org/toefl

• The purpose of the TOEFL test is to evaluate the English proficiency of people whose native language is not English.

•  Internet-based testing (iBT) allows ETS to capture speech and score responses in a standardized and fair manner.

• Wyoming Seminary will provide transportation to the TOEFL iBT exam on designated dates.  Students must consult with Mr. Raleigh Myers before registering. Sem's TOEFL reporting code is 2230.