Testing season is on at high schools

By Kayla Anderson

For the Frontiersman

Once again, high school testing season has begun. With High School Graduation Qualifying Exams (HSGQEs) being administered in the beginning of April and spring ACTs, SATs and SBA testing all starting within the next few weeks, graduation and college are on many students’ minds.

Valley sophomores will be taking their HSGQEs from Tuesday to Thursday. This is a four-section test including math, reading, writing and the newly added science portion. This will be the first year the science part will be scored, having just been added one year ago. This, along with earning all credits, must be passed in order for students to graduate.

Also close approaching is the ACT, which, along with the SAT, is optional for students; however, it is much needed for college acceptance. Most colleges ask for one of the two tests’ final scores. The ACT is next scheduled for April 10 at Colony High School and again June 12. The ACT is a $32 test (or $47 with the writing assessment) that can be taken as many times as a student wishes. Unlike the HSGQE, the ACT has an optional fifth writing section and all portions are timed. Due to these time limits, this particular test becomes slightly more difficult. The English test alone is 75 questions that must be answered in 45 minutes.

After the ACT there is also the SAT scheduled for May 1 and June 5. The SAT is a more commonly asked-for score for colleges and is slightly more expensive at $45. The test may be taken multiple times as students try to improve scores with each attempt. The SAT is only a three-part test, however, including reading, writing and math. This test, along with the ACT, provides scholarship opportunities, the knowledge of academic strengths and weaknesses, and can also begin the connection between students and colleges. Practice tests, and helpful preparatory information, can be found online at www.collegeboard.com/sat-achieve-more.

Also on the high school testing agenda are advanced placement (AP) exams. These tests, which are specific to each AP class, are scored on a grading scale of 1 to 5 points. Depending on the future college a student attends and their scores, these classes could count for college credit, exempting students from re-taking classes in college. They also count on a 5.0 grading scale instead of the high school 4.0. This means if a student were to take all AP classes and pass with all As he or she would have a 5.0 grade point average. AP classes not only help a student’s GPA, they offer great practice for what college courses are like. Due to their more rigorous and independent studying, AP classes help to prepare students for the challenges of college without actually taking college courses. AP exams will take place in school throughout the month of May.

School counselors can be contacted for more information or to sign up for any of these tests. The College Board website (www.collegeboard.com) is also a great place to find information about planning through high school for college.

For further information on the ACT test ,go to www.actstudent.org.

Kayla Anderson is a sophomore at Colony High School.