On Wednesday, October 8, 12th graders take the SAT and 11th graders take the PSAT on campus. Read below for details about this option, which is free to students.
These exams are offered to our students at no cost to families each fall to ensure every student can fully participate in the college application process. Please read more about these tests on the College Board site.
Although we have encouraged our 12th graders to take advantage of this free and convenient SAT option, seniors are still welcome to opt out. Any senior who does not plan to take the SAT on Wednesday, October 8 should email both the testing coordinator, Ms. Amy Brock, (abrock@latinpcs.org) and their college counselor. Any student who opting out of the test should NOT report to school on October 8th.
Testing Day Information
- Students DO NOT have any classes on Test Day, whether they are taking these tests or not.
- Students taking the PSAT/SAT need to arrive at the building no later than 8:00 am SHARP for a prolonged advisory, they will be marked late at 8:10. Students cannot be admitted into testing already in progress, so anyone who arrives late may not take the test. Starting on time will ensure students will be dismissed earlier.
- We will bring all testing seniors to the gym when it is time to begin except for those students who have testing accommodations approved by the College Board (see below).
- Seniors will not be allowed to leave until standard time for the test ends. This will be at approximately 12:45 pm for Seniors, 12:00 for Juniors. Neither grade will have classes on Wednesday and may leave campus after testing is complete or after lunch.
- The PSAT will be conducted on school-issued Chromebooks. Students must fully charge their Chromebooks the night before. Please ensure they bring their charger to school on the day of the test.
- The testing program contains an on-screen calculator, but students may additionally bring their own physical calculators if they wish. We do not have enough physical calculators to provide one to each student, so please contact me to reserve one if needed.
- Students with College Board-approved testing accommodations will test on campus and will be assigned to separate classrooms.
What to wear, what to bring, etc.
PSAT/SAT School Day Student Guides will be given to all testers. Highlights are below:
- Students do NOT need to wear a school uniform on Test Day. The gym may be chilly, so we strongly encourage testers to bring a sweater or sweatshirt.
- There are strict rules about what is allowed in the testing room that Latin must follow. Only pencils and a calculator are allowed. We will provide additional pencils.
- Students should bring their own calculators. If your child needs to borrow a calculator, please email me. Please consider that we have a limited number of calculators available to loan for the day. See a list of College Board approved calculators here.
- Students should carry menstrual products in their pockets as they will not be able to access their bags throughout testing (free tampons, pads, and liners are additionally provided in Latin’s bathrooms).
- Cell phones will be collected as students enter the building and kept in a secured place during testing. They may not serve as calculators during the test.
- Students will be provided snacks and water during one of the breaks. Lunch will be served after the test. Students may also bring their own lunch.
Additional SAT Testing Details
- On Digital Readiness Day (Friday, September 26), students will be asked to provide basic personal information on their answer sheet to score the test, including name, mailing address, date of birth, and the codes that appear on the test booklet. OSSE provides this basic data to the College Board for the sole purpose of registering students for the SAT; it will not be used for any other purpose.
- The answer sheet also includes survey questions about the student’s interests, activities, grades, etc. in order to connect students with opportunities (including financial aid and scholarships). These questions are optional and completing them has no impact on any student’s participation in the SAT.
- Note that the College Board has eliminated the student essay portion of the SAT, so testers will not be writing an essay on Test Day.
Score Information
Approximately two to six weeks after any SAT administration, students and their parents/guardians will get their scores. If you want results to be sent to colleges or universities, you must explicitly request a “score send” from College Board.
- Students who take the SAT on October 8 have the option to send four score reports at no cost to colleges, universities, or scholarship programs of their choice. They may make these selections on their SAT answer sheet. To send additional scores, students must register a College Board account. Additional score sends require the student to pay a fee UNLESS the student qualifies for a fee waiver (read about the waiver details on the College Board site).
- Students who take the SAT on multiple occasions have the option of using Score Choice to choose which of their scores to send to colleges or universities. Please note that not all colleges accept that policy.
- While it is up to students to investigate college or university policies regarding admission procedures related to SAT scores to determine which scores are needed, Latin seniors are encouraged to speak with Ms. Toews or Ms. Johnson about the SAT overall and sharing scores with colleges and universities during their Q1 one-on-one meeting.
