PSAT, SAT, ACT
Colleges and scholarship programs use scores from the major test services as one of several tools to evaluate the academic preparedness of applicants. A schedule of testing dates for this year appears below. It is important to register early to avoid late fees and insure assignment to your first choice test center. It is imperative that students know the location of the SAT/ACT test that they sign up for. Delaying registration may mean driving longer distances to a test site. Specialized tests such as the SAT II Language Tests are for students who are not native speakers, and extended-time testing for students with professionally diagnosed disabilities is offered on specified test dates only. Be aware of your individual circumstances before following the rest of the crowd!
| SAT | ACT | |||
| Test Date | Registration Deadline | Test Date | Registration Deadline | |
| ................... | ................... | |||
Juniors who take the PSAT in October of their junior year may qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. Students who score well on the PSATs and qualify will begin receiving their first letters of interest from colleges soon after.
SAT tests are administered 7 times a year. It is highly recommended that students take the SAT Reasoning test during their junior year, and the SAT subject tests soon after completing courses of study in subject areas of interest so that the material remains fresh. Seniors who are not satisfied with their junior year scores will have a chance to retake tests in the fall of their senior year. All 4-year college bound students must complete their testing by December of their senior year. Students may also take ACT test, which is accepted by most colleges in lieu of the SAT.
Effective for students entering UC as freshmen for Fall 2006, each applicant must submit scores on:
- The SAT Reasoning Test (critical reading, mathematics and writing) or the ACT with the ACT Writing Test AND
- Two SAT Subject Tests in two different subject areas: history/social science, English literature, mathematics (Level 2C), laboratory science or language other than English
No matter which test is taken, students should familiarize themselves with the format so that no time is lost reading directions. Students may register online for these tests by visiting the ACT and SAT websites. The ACT Website is www.act.org. The SAT Website is www.collegeboard.com.