UNDERSTANDING YOUR PSAT/NMSQT RESULTS & REVIEW OF AP POTENTIAL Presented by Avon Grove High School Guidance Department Monday, December 22, 2014

4 Major Parts of Your PSAT/NMSQT Results Your Scores Your Skills Your Answers Next Steps 3 Test Sections Critical Reading Mathematics Writing Skills

Score You can see your projected SAT score online in My College QuickStart ( Your Scores

Score Range Your Scores (cont.)

Percentile If you are a junior, your scores are compared to those of other juniors. If you are a sophomore or younger student, your scores are compared to those of sophomores. Your Scores (cont.)

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Information

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Information (cont.) The Selection Index is the sum of your critical reading, mathematics and writing skills scores. If it has an asterisk, you do not meet all of the eligibility requirements for the competition.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Information (cont.) The Percentile compares your performance to that of other college-bound juniors.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Information (cont.) The Entry Requirements section displays information you provided on your answer sheet.

Your Skills

Your Skills (cont.) See how you did on each skill. The same skills are tested on the SAT. You can try hundreds of practice questions, organized by skill, online in My College QuickStart (

Your Answers

Your Answers (cont.) You will get your test book back with your PSAT/NMSQT results, so that you can review the questions. You can also review each test question in My College QuickStart.

Your Answers (cont.) You will get your test book back with your PSAT/NMSQT results, so that you can review the questions. You can also review each test question in My College QuickStart.

Your Answers (cont.) You will get your test book back with your PSAT/NMSQT results, so that you can review the questions. You can also review each test question in My College QuickStart.

Your Answers (cont.) You will get your test book back with your PSAT/NMSQT results, so that you can review the questions. You can also review each test question in My College QuickStart.

Your Answers: Student-Produced Responses

Your Answers: Student-Produced Responses (cont.) Some of the math problems required you to grid in answers instead of selecting an option. For these questions, you will see the correct answer(s) written out.

Next Steps

Next Steps (cont.) What’s next? Use the access code on your report to log in to My College QuickStart, a personalized college and career planning kit. There you can: Search for colleges Get a personalized SAT study plan Take a personality test to find majors and careers that fit you See your AP Potential

My College QuickStart

My Online Score Report Projected SAT® score ranges

My College QuickStart My Online Score Report State percentiles

My College QuickStart My Online Score Report You can filter questions

My College QuickStart My Online Score Report Questions and answer explanations

My College QuickStart My SAT Study Plan™ Personalized skills to improve

My College QuickStart My SAT Study Plan™ SAT practice questions

My College QuickStart My SAT Study Plan™ An official SAT practice test

My College QuickStart My Personality Personality test Description of your type Tips for success Majors and careers that might be a good fit for you

My College QuickStart

My College Matches Starter list of colleges Criteria to customize search Ability to save searches

My College QuickStart My College Matches Starter list of colleges Criteria to customize search Ability to save searches

My College QuickStart My Majors & Career Matches Major you chose Related majors Related careers

My College QuickStart

My AP Potential Courses you’re likely to succeed in Courses that match majors you’re interested in Courses that were offered at your school last year

My College QuickStart The shading of the steps icons illustrates your potential

My College QuickStart Choosing a major puts a checkmark in the Matches Major column next to appropriate courses

My College QuickStart This column tells you if this course is likely offered at your school

My College QuickStart Look for courses where you have “potential”, it matches your major, and it’s offered at your school

My College QuickStart Log in to your personalized account at

+ AP stands for Advanced Placement. + AP courses are the highest level courses that Avon Grove offers (higher than an honors course). + At the completion of an AP course, a student can opt to take an AP Exam and the score on the AP Exam can result in college credit depending on the particular university. What is an AP Course?

+ Due to the rigorous course load of AP courses, there are many factors that contribute to student success in these classes. -Motivational level -Previous experience (has the student taken an Honors class?) -Student strength and ability in a particular subject -Passing the qualifying test (if applicable for that course) -PSAT Scores and AP Potential What factors contribute to success in AP Courses?

+ AP Potential is a tool that may be incorporated into the course selection process by teachers. + Web-based tool developed by CollegeBoard that helps high schools find potential AP students among their school’s PSAT test takers. + It analyzes current PSAT student score data and generates a roster of students who are likely to score a 3 or better on a given AP exam. What is “AP Potential”?

+ This tool, used by the school, is designed to help incorporate student access to the AP courses and ensure that students who have an opportunity to succeed in an AP course are aware of their potential. + AP potential should never discourage a motivated student from registering for an AP course because it accounts for only some of the factors that contribute to successful AP exam results. What is “AP Potential”?

+ The AP Potential tool is based on research that establishes meaningful correlations between PSAT scores and AP exam scores. + If you are interested in learning more about the relationship between a student’s PSAT score and their AP exams grades, the following website will provide you with the research done by CollegeBoard and the study they conducted. - Want to learn more about this tool?

+ The tool provides expectancy tables for each of the AP subjects. + The table shows the percentage of students at any given PSAT score range who achieved AP exam grade of 3 or higher and 4 or higher. + This tool can be used as an additional factor in helping a student decide whether or not to take an AP course and which AP courses they may have more strength in. How can AP Potential be used?

+ Avon Grove offers 18 AP courses. + AP courses have been authorized through the AP Course Audit. + Point values for this class are one point higher than the corresponding values for standard courses. -An “A+” in an AP Course counts as a 5.5 on the weighted GPA scale. -An “A+” in a regular class is 4.5. AP Courses at Avon Grove

+ English -AP English Language and Composition  1 credit, 11 th grade -AP English Literature and Composition  1 credit, 12 th grade + Mathematics -AP Statistics  1 credit, 11 th grade or 12 th grade -AP Calculus AB  1 credit, 11 th grade or 12 th grade -AP Calculus BC  1 credit, 12 th grade What AP Courses does Avon Grove currently offer?

+ Science -AP Biology  1 credit, 11 th grade or 12 th grade -AP Chemistry  1 credit, 11 th grade or 12 th grade -AP Environmental Science  1 credit, 11 th grade or 12 th grade -AP Physics 1 and 2  1 credit, 12 th grade -AP Physics C: Electricity, Magnetism, and Mechanics  1 credit, 12 th grade AP Courses (continued)

+ Social Studies -AP World History  1 credit, 10 th grade preference -AP United States History  1 credit, 11 th grade or 12 th grade -AP European History  1 credit, 11 th grade or 12 th grade -AP Economics (Macro and Micro)  1 credit, 11 th grade or 12 th grade -AP Psychology  1 credit, 12 th grade AP Courses (continued)

+ World Languages -AP Spanish Language and Culture  1 credit, 12 th grade -AP French Language and Culture  1 credit, 12 th grade -The AP Potential tool does not apply to the AP World Language courses. + Art -AP Art History  1 credit, 11 th grade or 12 th grade AP Courses (continued)

+ At the end of an AP Course, CollegeBoard offers student’s the option of taking the AP Exam. + An AP exam is a CollegeBoard designed standardized test that assesses the student’s level of mastery of the class. + The exam is graded on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest possible score The AP Exam

+ Each AP Exam costs $91 approx. + The cost of the exam is the responsibility of the student or the student’s family. + This year AP Exams will be administered -Monday, May 4 th – Friday, May 15 th. (Typical timeframe) The AP Exam (continued)

So how did Avon Grove students do?

+ In 2013, 339 Avon Grove students took 523 AP Exams. + 80% of our students scored a 3 or higher on the exams that they took Avon Grove AP Exam Data 54321Total Exams Number of Exams Percentage of Total

+ “31% of colleges and universities consider a student’s AP experience when making decisions about which students will receive scholarships.” + Obtaining a score required by the college or university you attend for a particular AP exam can save you the cost of that class. + “85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admissions decisions.” + Statistics provided by on the CollegeBoard AP page. Why Take an AP Course?

+ Most colleges and universities will accept particular scores on the AP Exam which will exempt a student from having to take that class in college. -Example: If West Chester University accepts a 4 on the AP Psychology Exam and you scored a 4, you will earn college credit for that exam and not have to take Introduction to Psychology at West Chester University. AP Exam Scores and Possible College Credit

+ Information about AP credit and placement policies at many colleges and universities is available at Search by college or university name or by letter of the alphabet. -You will see two things for each school.  A link to the college’s own Web page that details its AP credit and placement policies.  A statement by the college or university about its AP policy. + Each college or university is able to determine their own specific requirements in regards to accepting AP Exams. -For example, West Chester University may accept a 3 in AP Biology, but Penn State University might require a 4. How to figure out what AP score you need?

+ Talk to your teachers. -Ask teachers if they think you can handle the course work of an AP level course based on how you are performing in the current course you are in. + Prepare yourself for the course selection process. -Read through the courses you are interested in. So…What can you do now?

+ Questions? + Comments? + Concerns? Thank you for coming to PSAT / AP Potential Night