What Tests Should My Student Take?
What kind of testing should be done, and when should it start?
There are many different types of testing to determine your student’s academic development level. Some states have an annual testing requirement for homeschoolers. Check with your state’s department of education to see if they requires this.
When it comes to college preparation and standardized testing, the first test your student should consider taking is the PSAT. It is generally taken during the sophomore year of high school, and is also used to determine National Merit Scholarship Award winners. I would definitely recommend taking this, even if your student doesn’t have National Merit aspirations, as it’s a great way to prepare for the more difficult ACT & SAT. You can learn more about the PSAT here. An excellent list of review and study questions can be found here.
The two most important tests to be taken for both scholarships and college admissions are the ACT and the SAT. Most schools accept both tests, but one may be preferred over the other, depending upon what area of the country you live, and what school your university is applying to.
Although both tests are similar, they differ in their testing philosophy. For instance, the ACT strives to assess the knowledge your student has acquired, meaning that the test focuses on subjects and skills taught in high school. The SAT tries to assess “innate ability.” It does so using tricky and confusing phrasing to determine the student’s test-taking skills (i.e., performance under pressure and ability to identify what’s being asked). Because of these differences, I always recommend students take both, as they may perform on one better than the other.
Something to remember when taking both tests is that on the SAT, only those questions which you are confidant of the answer should be answered, as points are deducted for wrong answers. For the ACT, all questions should be answered, as you are not penalized for wrong answers.
To learn more about test preparation materials, see my article on test taking.
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