Admission Testing 2018-19 Promoting Successful and Sane Approaches to Testing Compass Education Group compassprep.com
Flexibility & Complexity PRACTICAL TACTICAL Do I need to take admission tests? Should I take the SAT, ACT, or both? Is the SAT or ACT essay necessary? Are Subject Tests required or expected? What should I expect from test prep? If optional, should I submit my scores? When should I begin/end my testing & prep? How many times should I test? Which colleges require reporting all scores? Do colleges combine scores across dates?
Application Testing Guidance Bubble The Compass Guide to College Admission Testing: Available for free download Ø compassprep.com/guide
Compass Prep in app stores
Role of Standardized Testing Today Page 4 of Guide
Why Standardized Tests?
Tests Resist Inflation
Test Requirements ACT in lieu of Subject Tests 7 Test Optional/Flexible 50 (1000+) Subject Tests 77 SAT or ACT Required 1,300
Subject Test Options Literature U.S. History or World History Math Level 2 or Math Level 1 Biology (E/M), Chemistry, and Physics Languages: French, Chinese, German, Spanish, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin
2008: 44COLLEGES REQUIRED THE SAT SUBJECT TESTS AMHERST COLUMBIA HAVERFORD UC DAVIS UVA BARNARD CONNECTICUT COLLEGE HOLY CROSS UC IRVINE VASSAR BOSTON COLLEGE CORNELL MIT UCLA WASHINGTON & LEE BOSTON UNIVERSITY DARTMOUTH POMONA UC MERCED WELLESLEY BRANDEIS DUKE PRINCETON UC RIVERSIDE WESLEYAN BROWN FRANKLIN OLIN RICE UC SAN DIEGO WILLIAMS BRYN MAWR GEORGETOWN SWARTHMORE UC SANTA BARBARA WPI CALTECH HARVARD TULANE UC SANTA CRUZ YALE CARNEGIE MELLON HARVEY MUDD UC BERKELEY UPENN
2018: 4COLLEGES REQUIRE THE SAT SUBJECT TESTS CORNELL MIT CALTECH HARVEY MUDD
Subject Tests: Require or Recommend Page 64 of Guide
SAT vs ACT: Length and Structure SAT READING 65 minutes 5 Passages, 52 Q s BREAK Writing and Language 35 minutes 4 passages, 44 Q s Math No Calc. 25 minutes 20 Q s BREAK Math with Calculator 55 minutes 38 Q s Testing Time: 3 Hours 50 minutes Optional Essay 50 minutes ACT English 45 minutes 5 passages, 75 Q s BREAK Math 60 minutes 60 Q s BREAK READING 35 minutes 4 Passages, 40 Q s Science 35 minutes 7 Passages, 40 Q s Testing Time: 32 Hours 35 55 minutes Optional Writing 40 minutes
PSAT Score Interpretation
PSAT Score Interpretation
National Merit Funnel See page 60 of Compass Guide
ACT or SAT?
SAT vs ACT Comparison
App Feature: Comparing Scores Compare Compare SAT and ACT Scores Look up equivalent ACT scores from P/SAT scores (and vice versa) Review similarities and differences in test length, structure, and content
Why Might I Favor the SAT?
What Is Good Test Prep/Practice? Content Knowledge Emotional Control Command of Strategies Optimal Test Management
ACT Math: Structure & Pacing Structure: 60 questions in 60 minutes Content breakdown 23% Pre-Algebra 17% Elementary Algebra 15% Intermediate Algebra 15% Coordinate Geometry 23% Plane Geometry 7% Trigonometry Pacing Concerns: Average 1 minute per question* Difficulty escalates steadily throughout Problems at the end are much harder but worth same points Rushing and cherrypicking can be dangerous
ACT Math: Difficulty Distribution Data reflects performance of several thousand first-time ACT takers on eleven different tests. See Compass Guide page 45
ACT Math: Where to Invest Effort Student Accuracy Per Question 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1 3 5 7109 11 13 15 1720 19 21 23 25 27 30 29 31 33 35 37 40 39 41 43 45 47 49 5051 53 55 57 59 60
Optimal Testing Windows SAT: < 900 ACT: < 17 SAT: 900-1200 ACT: 17-25 SAT: > 1200 ACT: > 25 1 in 3 juniors 1 in 2 juniors 1 in 6 juniors PSAT & ACT practice tests
Optimal Testing Windows SAT: < 900 ACT: < 17 1 in 3 juniors SAT: 900-1200 ACT: 17-25 SAT: > 1200 ACT: > 25 PSAT & ACT practice tests 1 in 2 juniors 1 in 6 juniors February/March 11 th grade October 12 th grade Test Begin Prep First Sitting Second Sitting SAT ACT Late Summer or Fall March May/June February/April June August October July September
Optimal Testing Windows SAT: < 900 ACT: < 17 1 in 3 juniors SAT: 900-1200 ACT: 17-25 1 in 2 juniors SAT: > 1200 ACT: > 25 1 in 6 juniors November 11 th grade June 11 th grade Test Begin Prep First Sitting Second Sitting PSAT & ACT practice tests SAT ACT Summer or Early Fall November December December February March May/June April June
Optimal Testing Windows SAT: < 900 ACT: < 17 SAT: 900-1200 ACT: 17-25 SAT: > 1200 ACT: > 25 1 in 3 juniors 1 in 2 juniors 1 in 6 juniors Test Begin Prep First Sitting Second Sitting SAT ACT May/June 11 th grade Summer or Fall + Winter or Spring Refresher May June April June December 12 th grade August/October November July/September October/December PSAT & ACT practice tests
Super-scoring April ACT English 26 Math 27 Reading 27 Science 23 Composite 26 September ACT English 29 Math 25 Reading 24 Science 27 Composite 26 Super-scored ACT English 29 Math 27 Reading 27 Science 27 Composite 28
App Feature: Testing Timelines Plan Customize a testing roadmap Check off items to keep track of progress Review what has been done and what needs to happen next Link to more background info on any event or issue as it arises
Individual Support How we can help: One-on-one tutoring Proctored practice tests Evaluation by director Blog and newsletter How to connect with us: Return card w/ contact info Call 800.685.6986 Email info@compassprep.com Visit compassprep.com
How Online Tutoring Works
How Online Tutoring Works
How Online Tutoring Works
Selectivity: A Two-Way Street Enrollment by Admission Rate 3% 1% 16% 80% > 50% 25-50% 10-25% < 10% Admit Rate: 70% Yield: 33% Stanford (<5%) denied 70% of applicants with perfect test scores
Q & A 800.685.6986 info@compassprep.com