SAT Registration

U.S. Registration Deadlines
2009-10 Test Dates	Test	Regular Registration Deadline (postmark/submit by)
October 10, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	September 9, 2009
November 7, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	October 1, 2009
December 5, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	October 30, 2009
January 23, 2010	SAT & Subject Tests	December 15, 2009
March 13, 2010	SAT only	February 4, 2010
May 1, 2010	SAT & Subject Tests	March 25, 2010
June 5, 2010	SAT & Subject Tests	April 29, 2010

ACT Registration

Test Date	Registration Deadline	(Late Fee Required)
September 12, 2009*	August 7, 2009	August 8 – 21, 2009
October 24, 2009	September 18, 2009	September 19 – October 2, 2009
December 12, 2009	November 6, 2009	November 7 – 20, 2009
February 6, 2010**	January 5, 2010	January 6 – 15, 2010
April 10, 2010	March 5, 2010	March 6 – 19, 2010
June 12, 2010	May 7, 2010	May 8 – 21, 2010

SAT vs. ACT: How do the Tests Compare?

What is the difference between the SAT and ACT? They’re both standardized tests and they both factor into the college admissions process. To learn about the differences between the two tests and how they compare, take a look at the chart below

	SAT	ACTACT
When is it administered?	Seven times per year	Six times per year
What is the test structure?	Ten-section exam: Three Critical Reading, three Math, three Writing, and one Experimental. The Experimental section is masked to look like a regular section.	Four-section exam: English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning. An Experimental section is added to tests on certain dates only, and is clearly experimental.
What is the test content?	Math: up to 9th grade basic geometry and Algebra II. Science: none. Reading: sentence completions, short and long critical reading passages, reading comprehension. Writing: an essay, and questions testing grammar, usage, and word choice.	Math: up to trigonometry. Science: charts, experiments. Reading: four passages, one each of Prose Fiction, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science. English: stresses grammar.
Penalty for wrong answers?	Yes	No
How is the test scored?	200-800 per section, added together for a combined score. A 2400 is the highest possible combined score.	1-36 for each subject, averaged for a composite score. A 36 is the highest possible composite score.
Are all scores sent to schools?	Yes. If a student requests a score report be sent to specific colleges, the report will include the scores the student received on every SAT taken.	No. There is a "Score Choice" option. Students can choose which schools will receive their scores AND which scores the schools will see.
Are there other uses for the exams?	Scholarship purposes.	Scholarship purposes. Certain statewide testing programs.
Best time to register?	At least six weeks before the test date	At least four weeks before the test date
Need more information?	Educational Testing Service (ETS) (609) 771-7600 www.ets.org The College Board www.collegeboard.com	ACT, Inc.: (319) 337-1000 www.ACT.org

SAT/ACT Practice Tests: http://www.number2.com/

Number2.com's online test preparation courses are totally free!

By creating an account you can access a customized course that includes user-friendly tutorials, practice sessions that dynamicall adapt

to each student's student's ability level, a vocabulary builder, and more.

The PSAT/NMSQT http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

The Preliminary SAT^®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a co-sponsored program by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship

Corporation (NMSC). It is a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test™. If they qualify, Juniors are eligible

to enter the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs.

The PSAT/NMSQT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills, and writing skills, which you have developed over many years.

This test doesn't require you to recall specific facts from your classes.

The most common reasons for taking the test are:

§ To receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. You can then focus your preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice.

§ To help prepare yu for the SAT by familiarizing yourself with the kinds of questions and directions you will see on the SAT.

§ To see how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college.

§ To enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (grade 11).

§ To receive information from colleges when you check "yes" to Student Search Service.

What's on the Test?

The whole test requires two hours and 10 minutes. The PSAT/NMSQT includes five sections:

Ø Two 25-minute critical reading sections

Ø Two 25-minute math sections

Ø One 30-minute writing skills section

Critical Reading: Two 25 minute critical reading sections = 48 questions

§ 13 sentence completions

§ 35 critical reading quesitons

Math: Two 25-minute math sections = 38 questions

§ 28 mulitple choice math questions

§ 10 student-produced responses or grid-ins

Students are advised to bring a calculator with which they are comfortable. Students should have basic knowledge of 4 math categories:

§ Numbers and operations

§ Algebra and Functions (but not 3^rd yearl level math that may appear on the new SAT)

§ Geometry and Measurement

§ Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probality

Writing Skills: One 30-minute writing section = 39 questions

§ 14 Identifying sentence errors

§ 20 Improving sentences

§ 5 Improving paragraph questions

These multiple-choice questions on writing skills measure a student's ability to express ideas effectively in standard-written English, to recognize faults in usage and structure, and to use language with sensitivity to meaning.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND RECOGNITION

By taking the PSAT/NMSQT, you may qualify to enter the competitions for prestigious scholarships and participate in recognition programs. As co-sponsor of the PSAT/NMSQT, NMSC receives all students' scores. If you do not want your scores released to other recognition programs, contact them.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC)

Students in the eleventh grade of high school enter NMSC competitions by taking the PSAT/NMSQT, which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.4 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry and/or participation requirements. NMSC uses the Selection Index score (CR + M + W) on the PSAT/NMSQT as an initial screen of program entrants and to designate groups of students to be honored in the competitions it conducts. For more information about NMSC, visit www.nationalmerit.org.

National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP)

The College Board's NHRP was initiated in 1983 to identify outstanding Hispanic high school students and to share information about these academically well-prepared students with subscribing colleges and universities. In order to be eligible, students must be at least one-quarter Hispanic. Each year the NHRP identifies approximately 3,300 of the highest scoring students from a nationwide total of 124,000 high school juniors who took the PSAT/NMSQT and designated themselves as Hispanic, as well as approximately 125 of the top scoring PAA students from Puerto Rico. For more information about NHRP, please email nhrp@collegeboard.org or call (800) 626-9795.

NHRP Eligibility Requirements

Qualification for recognition is based on the student's combined critical reading, mathematics, and writing skill scores on the PSAT/NMSQT when taken in the eleventh grade of high school. PSAT/NMSQT score cut-offs vary each year by state. Students must also self-identify themselves as Hispanic on the PSAT/NMSQT answer sheet. A minimum grade point average (GPA) is established for the program and academic information is requested directly from the high schools.

To qualify for this program, the student must be at least one-quarter Hispanic, according to the following definition: A person of Mexican-American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish cultures or origins. For purposes of this program, this does not include persons from Brazil or Portuguese culture/origin, or persons from the Philippines. Hispanic is an ethnic category not a racial category and Hispanics may be of any race.

NHRP Dates and DeadlinesOctober: High School juniors take the PSAT/NMSQT and self-identify as Hispanic on the answer sheet.

National Scholarship Service (NSSFNS)

The NSSFNS offers a free college advisory and referral service for students who plan to attend two-year or four-year colleges. Scores are sent for students in eleventh grade who indicate that they are African American. (Note: This program is not conducted by NMSC.)

For more information, write to:

National Scholarship Service
980 Martin Luther King Drive, SW, PO Box 11409
Atlanta, GA 30310

The Telluride Association offers scholarships to gifted juniors for summer seminars in the humanities and social sciences. (This program is not conducted by NMSC.) For more information, visit www.tellurideassociation.org or write to:

Telluride Association
217 West Avenue
Ithaca, NY 1485

SATs, ACTs & PSATs