Education

Test Dates are October 1, 2011, November 5, 2011',December 3, 2011 January 28, 2012, March 10, 2012, May 5, 2012, June 2, 2012. Regular Registration Closes-September 9, 2011, October 7, 2011 November 8, 2011, December 30, 2011, February 10, 2012, April 6, 2012, May 8, 2012. Verify these dates with your High School guidance counselor.

The four-hour test consists of four sections, each measuring one of the basic language skills (while some tasks require integrating multiple skills) and all tasks focus on language used in an academic, higher-education environment. Note-taking is allowed during the iBT. The test cannot be taken more than once a week.

2012 ACT Test Dates are 2/11/12 and 4/14/12 and 6/9/12 & Registration Deadlines are 1/13/12 and 3/9/12 and 5/4/12. Verify these dates with your High School guidance counselor.

The ACT Assessment is a standardized college entrance examination that measures knowledge and skills in English, Math, Reading and Science. The exam consists of 4 multiple choice tests. Here's an overview of the past ACT tests: English included 75 questions and allowed 45 minutes. It included punctuation, grammar and usage, strategy, sentence structure, organization and style; Math included 60 questions and allowed 60 minutes. It included Pre-Algebra, Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, Plane Geometry and Trigonometry; Reading included 40 questions and allowed 35 minutes. It included Humanities, Prose Fiction, Social Studies, and Natural Sciences; Science Reasoning included 40 questions and allowed 35 minutes. It included Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Physical Science. Students are not penalized for incorrect responses. The composite score is the average of the four scaled scores.

the SAT is the benchmark standardized assessment of the critical reading, mathematical reasoning, and writing skills students have developed over time and that they need to be successful in college. Each year, more than two million students take the SAT. Nearly every college in America uses the test as a common and objective scale for evaluating a student's college readiness.

The PLAN test is a test for Sophomores to help guide them in post-secondary planning. It can be considered a pre-test to the ACT test. The PLAN test provides the student with an estimated ACT composite score range. The test measures the same academic skills as the ACT assessment test. Past tests included an achievement section with 120 questions, and allowed 2 hours to complete. It included a non-academic section of 120 items allowing 5 minutes.

The PSAT test is a practice test for the SAT examination. It is also used as a qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program , The National Scholarship Service, Fund for Negro Students, and the Hispanic Scholar Recognition Program. The PSAT includes a writing skills section of multiple choice questions that does not appear on the SAT. Past PSAT tests included: a Verbal Reasoning section of 50 questions allowing 50 minutes; The verbal section included sentence completion, critical reading passages and analogies; The Math section included 40 questions allowing 50 minutes including regular Math, Quantitative Comparisons and student produced response sections; The writing skills included 39 questions allowing 30 minutes, including an improving sentence, improving paragraph and an identifying sentence errors' sections. Students receive a score in each content area ranging from 20 to 80. The total score ranges from 60 to 240.

Start a conversation with your child early in High School. Do not wait until December of his or her Senior year. Have your child gather information at the guidance counselor's office in his or her Junior year. Research colleges on the Internet. Go to college fairs in your child's Junior year. Parents and students should visit college campuses during the summer prior to their Senior year.

Some of the characteristics to consider when selecting a collge are: Costs, Financial Aid; Academic Environment including: majors offered, student-faculty ratio, faculty teaching reputation, instruction by professors vs assistants, libraries, facilities, and internships available; Size and Student Body; Location; Time needed to commute to and from home; Housing; Admissions; Activities; Athletics and Specialized Programs.