Boulder Creek High School Pathways

 How will you become a productive, responsible, and contributing citizen?  Who do you want to be? Boulder Creek Mission Statement – The Boulder Creek High School Community will provide a safe learning environment with rigorous academic opportunities for all students to graduate as productive, responsible, and contributing citizens.

 What are the different type of tests?  What are the tests for?  Which test should I be taking?  When is the best time for me to take the test?  How should I prepare?

 Activity 1  Turn to your partner and discuss what you know about the different tests.

 ASVAB  PSAT  Accuplacer  ACT / Explore/Plan  SAT/PSAT  Aims

 A nationally normed, multi-aptitude test  Developed by US Department of Defense Compensation  Developed and designed to help students to increase their level of self knowledge and how it can be linked to civilian occupations and military.

 Video on ASVAB Program Video on ASVAB Program

 The PSAT is 2 hours and 10 minutes long and prepares you for the college entrance exams you will take before you apply to college. The PSAT will be given here on campus on October 16, 2013 you must register at the bookstore or online.

Reading, math reasoning, and writing skills that are important for successful academic performance in college Knowledge and skills developed through years of study in a wide range of courses as well as through experiences outside the classroom Critical thinking—the ability to reason with facts and concepts, rather than the ability to recall and recite them The PSAT/NMSQT has five sections: Two 25-minute critical reading sections Two 25-minute math sections One 30-minute writing skills section

 Not an admissions test  It is a placement test that determines your knowledge in math, reading and writing as you prepare to enroll in college-level courses  It identifies your strengths and weaknesses in your subject area

 It is an untimed, computer-based, adaptive test to identify your skill levels.  Based on your responses, it will increase or decrease in difficulty.  Can be taken twice to get the best score.

 Offered at BCHS  Offered at Maricopa Colleges in Testing Center

 Offered in Fall or Spring at BCHS if registered for dual enrollment classes  Offered all Year long at Maricopa Colleges in testing center

 Both are a National College Admissions Examination  Explore - 8 th or 9 th grade test to prepare for ACT  Plan – 10 th grade test to prepare for ACT  PSAT – 10 th grade test to prepare for SAT

 Includes 215 Multiple-Choice Questions that takes 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete.  4 – Areas which consist of English – 75 questions, Mathematics – 60 questions, Reading – 40 questions, and Science – 40 questions.  Based on the number of correct answers, not penalized for guessing.

 Administered in US and internationally  Administered on six test dates – September, October, December, February, April and June  Best to test in Junior year - scores are received early to plan senior year. Opportunity to retest.

 A multiple-choice test that is based on what you are learning.  It is not an aptitude or IQ test.  It is directly related to what you have learned in high school courses in English, mathematics, reading and science.  Results accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the US.

 The harder you work at school and the more challenging courses you take (AP/Dual), the more prepared you are for the ACT test.  Free online practice tests  ACT online Prep – online test preparation developed by ACT  Books available with practice tests.

 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete.  3 – Areas which consist of Reading, Writing and Mathematics.  10 sections – a 25 min essay, six 25 minutes and two 20 minute sections on mathematics, critical reading and writing, and a 10 minute multiple- choice writing section

 A 25 minute unscored multiple-choice section on mathematics, critical reading or writing to try new questions for future test.  Tests how you think, solve problems and communicate.  All multiple-choice questions are scored the same: one point for correct answer and ¼ point subtracted for a wrong answer. Nothing for answer left blank.

 Administered in US and internationally.  Administered during October, November, December, January, March, May and June.  Best to test in Junior year - completed most coursework, scores early to plan senior year, and opportunity to retest

 The harder you work at school and more challenging courses you take (AP/Dual), the more prepared you are for the ACT test.  Free online practice tests  SAT online course  Books available with practice tests.

 Merit Scholarship for High Honors (AIMS Scholarship)  Qualified students who graduate from high school in 2013 and beyond will receive a 25% in-state university base tuition scholarship.

 Act  An achievement test – measures what was learned in school  5 components – English, Mathematics, Reading, Science and optional Writing portion  Score based only on the number of correct answers and no penalty for guessing.

 SAT  an aptitude test to check for reasoning and verbal abilities  3 components – Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing  Separate Subject Matter Tests  Correction for guessing – means they take off for wrong answers

 Activity 2 1. Discuss in small groups the pros and cons of each test-record in your packet. 2. Which test will you take and why? 3. How will you prepare?

 What are the different type of tests?  What are the tests for?  Which test should I be taking?  When is the best time for me to take the test?  How should I prepare?

Please locate the reflection for today’s session that can be found in your packet and complete the following:  3 ideas from today  2 things you’ll use THIS YEAR  1 thing you want to examine further

 ASVAB Career Exploration (asvabprogram.com)  ACT (actstudent.org) and SAT (sat.collegeboard.org/home)  Maricopa Community College (my.maricopa.edu/checklist/new- student/prepare-placement-tests)