College Entrance Exam Information

What does “Test Optional Mean?” Test optional means that you are not required to provide SAT and/or ACT scores to the university as part of your admission file. You must check with the prospective college or university to determine admission requirements regarding test optional. Applying test-optional doesn't hurt your chances if you've got an outstanding application and are as strong as or stronger than the other applicants. If a school or program has a test-optional admissions process, each applicant gets to choose whether or not to submit their ACT or SAT scores. In other words, submitting your test scores is not a requirement for admissions. Usually, this policy applies broadly to all applicants. SOOOOO, should you test or not?  It is recommended that high school students in the class of 2024 still consider taking the ACT or SAT, but whether or not they submit their scores should depend on test availability and personal performance. My advice is that: 1. Students should not sacrifice their mental or physical health to take a test; 2. If your test score does not fall within the upper 50% range of your desired school OR it doesn’t reflect your academic school performance, you have the option not to submit; 3. Remember, if you decide not to submit your test score, everything else will matter more in the admissions process. Rigor and grades continue to matter the most supported by a compelling story.

Students who qualify for the free/reduced lunch program can use a fee waiver for the ACT or SAT tests.  This waiver is a one time use but you are allowed a maximum of TWO during your high school career.

SAT:  Remember, you can only take either the SAT Reasoning test or up to three SAT subject tests in one day.  You cannot do both in the same day.  Find out from the college you plan to attend whether they require subject tests for college entrance.  Some do and some don’t.

 A Master Card or Visa will be needed to register online. 

 If you plan on pursuing athletics in college, be sure to send NCAA an official score report (9999)  as they will not accept the sticker on the back of the high school transcript as “official.” 

** 55% of students who retake the ACT improve their scores (22% score the same and 23% see their scores decrease).

A Master Card or Visa will be needed to register online. The SAT Reasoning Test costs $64.50 and $93.50 for late registration. The essay is now OPTIONAL!  The cost for the SAT test without the Essay is $52.00.  SAT Basic Subject Tests are $26 per registration.  Students are encouraged to register online at www.collegeboard.com

• ACT - English plus Reading = 40; Math = 22
• SAT - Math 530, Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing 480

• You can test only once on a given ACT test date (National, International, State).
• You can take the ACT a maximum of 12 times.

• If you test more than once, you choose which test date or set of scores to send to colleges.
• All scores from a test date are reported as a set.  ACT does not create new records by combining scores from different test dates.
• If you want to report your Writing score, all scores from that test date will be reported.