TESTING

PSAT

• Boca High offers a School Day PSAT Test annually and is usually administered in October with results available mid-December via the College Board website.

• Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT) is administered to all 9th & 10th-grade students at no cost/FREE. It is open to all 11th-grade students.

• Interested Juniors need to sign up and pay on School Cash Online.

• PSAT scores in 11th grade determine eligibility for consideration in the National Merit Scholarship Program. ($2500 scholarships are awarded by the state to the winners of the program)

• Starting in fall 2019, if you take the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) and you're African American, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, attend school in a rural area, or are from a small town, you may be invited to apply for academic recognition as part of the College Board National Recognition Programs.

SAT

• Boca High offers a School Day SAT Test annually and is usually administered in March/April with results available about a month later via the College Board website. Mandatory and FREE for Juniors. Students do NOT have to register for this test.

• The SAT is an entrance exam that many colleges use to make admission decisions. Each college has its own test requirements on minimum score. Please check individual college websites for more detailed information.

• Cost

  • The SAT test costs $50 (as of 8/25/22). To verify costs, please visit the College Board website.

  • Late fee is $30

  • Fee waivers are available - please contact Ms. Clarke or Ms. Marcus.

• About the test

  • The test consists of a total of 154 questions and an optional essay. The time to take the test is 3 hours 50 minutes (which includes the 50 minutes for the essay).

  • There is NO PENALTY for guessing.

  • The highest SAT score is a 1600 (Average SAT score in 2021 was 1060)

  • No college requires applicants to take both the SAT and ACT.

• Preparation/practice

  • Log in to your CollegeBoard.org account to take a practice test. You may take 8 practice tests and personalized learning for FREE at Khan Academy.

    • Link your College Board account with Khan Academy. (How-to video)

  • You may seek out a paid service/company to help you increase your score.

• Scores

  • Scores will be reported on the College Board account. Log into your account to view your scores.

  • Scores are updated to the SIS system. To find them, log into your account, click on Child Info under your child's picture and choose TEST - National Assessment.

ACT

• ACT Test Dates occur six times a school year (in most states). The tests are administered on Saturdays. The regular registration deadline is approximately one month before the test date.

• Most high school students choose to take the ACT Test during the spring of their junior year and/or the fall of the senior year. Many students take the ACT test twice (once as a junior and once as a senior).

• You may register for the ACT at ACT.org.

• About the test

  • The test consists of a total of 215 questions and an optional essay. The four parts include: English, Mathematics, Reading & Science Reasoning. The time to take the test is 3 hours 35 minutes (which includes 40 minutes for the essay).

  • There is NO PENALTY for guessing.

  • The highest ACT score is a 36

• Cost

  • The ACT costs $63.00 (no writing) or $88.00 (with optional writing test) + $36.00 (if registered late). (as of 8/25/22)

  • Fee waivers are available - please contact Ms. Clarke or Ms. Marcus.

• Preparation and practice

  • ACT Academy™ is a free online learning tool and test practice program designed to help you get the best score possible on the ACT test

  • Free ACT practice test and study guide is available on the ACT website

  • Free ACT practice tests are available at TestGuide.com

• Scores

  • Most scores are available through your ACT account within two weeks after testing (or five weeks for the writing test) but can take up to eight weeks from the testing date.

  • Where can I access scores at a later time? Scores are updated to the SIS system. To find them, log into your account, click on Child Info under your child's picture and choose TEST - National Assessment.