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Testing

What about tests? Getting a handle on the tests your high schooler will need to take is really not that difficult. The five main categories of tests you should be aware of are described below, along with a link to a list of helpful resources. Most of these tests are administered at specific testing locations, but some standardized achievement tests can be administered at home by a certified test administrator or even a parent. Be sure to verify test administration requirements before you begin testing at home.

There are many unknowns in a young person's future, but you can bet that tests are going to be part of your child's life as he matures: driver's license tests, employment questionnaires, employment certification tests, college entrance examinations, or midterms and final exams. While opinions may vary on how effective written tests are in evaluating actual learning, it's important that you begin now to equip your child with practical test-taking skills, preparing him to be as comfortable as possible with the process of taking the tests he will inevitably face.

It is possible to request accommodations for disabilities when taking the SAT test, AP tests, etc. To find out more about how to request accommodations, eligibility, and the documentation required, visit CollegeBoard.com.

Frequently Asked Questions Types of Tests Standardized Achievement Advanced Placement	PSAT SAT/ACT SAT Subject CLEP GED Personality/Aptitude/Career Interest

• What tests do I need to know about?

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Standardized achievement tests
Commonly taken in grades 1–10. Examples include the Stanford Achievement Test, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, and the California Achievement Test. Some states require specific tests, while others have no requirements. You can check your state law on testing in high school here.
Advanced Placement Tests

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are rigorous courses that are taken during high school, but that are taught at a college level. The courses typically require an extensive amount of study, reading, and writing. There are 34 different AP courses across 19 subject areas that culminate in the taking of a standardized AP test for each course given nationwide in the late spring (usually May).

Homeschooled students can study and prepare for these tests, either on their own or by enrolling in online AP courses. Then, they must make arrangements through a local public or private school to register for and take a particular test. These arrangements should be made far in advance of the test date so that the school has time to order a test for your student. (Some public high schools are more accommodating than others in allowing homeschooled students to sit for tests. Contact the public school in your district—as an alternative, you can also try a nearby private school—in December or January to find out their policy for ordering and taking AP tests.)

Besides either completing the course work or studying the subject material on their own, students desiring to take an Advanced Placement test would be wise to also spend time using test preparation materials. A list of AP test preparation materials is provided on the College Board website, along with comprehensive details regarding registering, preparing for, and reasons for considering AP courses. If a student scores high enough on the AP test, he can receive college credit in that subject area, depending on the policy at the institution he is attending. Each college determines the minimum score necessary on each AP test to earn credit and usually posts this information on its website.

College preparatory and scholarship tests: PSAT
At grade 10, college-bound students usually take the Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT / NMSQT), which gives them practice before taking the full-blown SAT and puts them in the running for National Merit Scholarships. Students who take the PSAT test in 10th grade for practice should then take the test again in 11th grade. Only students in the 11th grade qualify for the National Merit Scholarships. If your child qualifies as a semifinalist/finalist for the National Merit Scholarship and you have questions regarding the completion of the application, do not hesitate to call the National Merit Scholarship Corporation at 847-866-5100. They are very happy to give assistance.


For more detailed information regarding the PSAT test, refer to the HSLDA October Homeschooling Thru Highschool email newsletter.


Home School State codes for the PSAT are available from the test administrator on the day of the test. Although you should check to be sure that the codes have not changed, the state home school codes are also noted here.


College entrance examinations: SAT and ACT
As early as the 10th grade (or even earlier), students may take the SAT or ACT. Usually, however, students take the SAT or ACT beginning in the 11th grade. The new 2005 SAT test covers Math, Critical Reading and a new Writing section that includes an essay and multiple choice questions, and is designed to assess their aptitude to handle college-level academics. Students may take the test more than once to improve their score (only the highest score will count). Using SAT practice tests and taking SAT preparatory courses are highly recommended. The College Board website provides a fact sheet concerning the new 2005 SAT. The SAT I home school high school code for the SAT I application is 970000. It is possible to request accommodations for learning disabilities when taking the SAT test, AP tests, etc. To find out more about how to request accommodations, eligibility and required documention, visit this page.


The ACT test is also a college entrance examination test used by colleges for admissions purposes. Most colleges accept either the SAT or ACT tests, but some colleges in the Midwest prefer the ACT. Check with an individual college to ascertain which test they prefer, if any. The home school high school code for the ACT is 969999.


Check our list of resources below.

For more detailed information regarding the SAT or ACT tests, refer to the HSLDA October Homeschooling Thru Highschool email newsletter.


College Board SAT Subject Tests (formerly called SAT II tests)

The College Board administers SAT Subject Tests which are used by some colleges either for admission or placement purposes. The SAT Subject Tests are one hour tests, and can be taken in a variety of subject areas including English, History, Math, Science, and Foreign Language. The homeschool high school code for the SAT Subject Tests is 970000.

These SAT Subject Tests are in addition to, and should not be confused with, the general SAT Reasoning test which most colleges require for admission. Elite colleges which are selective in their admissions may require applicants to take up to three SAT Subject Tests. Check with a particular college to see if it requires SAT Subject tests.

Subject Tests are offered on various test dates throughout the year, and the tests are best taken soon after a course is completed usually in the junior year or fall of the senior year at the latest. The College Board also provides test taking tips and strategies for taking the Subject Tests.

College-Level Examination Program

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests are an evaluation of a student's achievement of college level work. Check out CollegeBoard.com for information regarding how to receive college credit for what your child already knows. CLEP registration, preparation, exam descriptions, and the benefits of CLEP testing are explained in detail on the website.

GED

The GED is a test designed to evaluate whether an individual who has not graduated from high school has achieved the "academic skills and knowledge typically developed in a four-year program of high school education." Special GED preparation classes are available.

The GED was designed for students who did not finish high school. Colleges and employers generally believe that only students who did not earn a high school diploma get a GED. Having a GED, therefore, carries a kind of stigma.

Some parents have the erroneous impression that they cannot issue a diploma to a student who has finished a home education program. With rare exceptions, parent-issued high school diplomas are accepted as proof of completion of high school by colleges, employers, and the military. In fact, a parent, and only a parent, is in the position to know if a student finished the program of secondary education the parent prescribed. It is the parent, therefore, who should sign the diploma.

If your student has finished the high school program you designed for him, he deserves the recognition of a diploma that says he finished the race, not a GED.

Don't settle for second best. GED.

Personality/Aptitude/Career Test

What does your child want to do when he grows up? What would she be good at? Perhaps your child isn't really sure what he wants to do with the rest of his life. He may benefit from taking a personality/aptitude/career test to find out what fields his personality and gifts are suited for. There are many resources available.

Bob Jones Testing and Evaluation
Variety of nationally recognized tests. Testing services approved by test publishers.
Seton Home Study School
California Achievement Test (CAT)
The Sycamore Tree
Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills
Bayside School Services
CTB McGraw-Hill's TerraNova and Test of Cognitive Skills (TCS), CAT/5 and TCS

AP Course and Test info

Collegeboard.com
Articles on preparing for the PSAT/NMSQT and to a directory of upcoming test dates and sites.

ACT Information for Life's Transitions
ACT online registration, test dates, locations, and codes.
Collegeboard.com
Information on SAT and college admission resources.
Chalk Dust Company
SAT math review video package.
For Such a Time as This Ministries
Resources for SAT preparation.
Get It! Independent Tutorial
www.getsatprep.com.
The Princeton Review
SAT Power Prep
SAT preparation software on DVD.
SAT Prep Plan
Homeschooling Thru High School Newsletter
For more details regarding the SAT or ACT tests, refer to the October, 2005 Homeschooling Thru High School email newsletter.

College-Level Examination Program
Your student can study for these subject tests on her own and earn college credit. (Check with your student's college of choice for the number of credit hours granted for these tests.)
Verity
CLEP and DANTES preparation and testing.
More CLEP Test Preparation Info

American Council on Education: General Educational Development Testing Service
GED tests "assess academic skills and knowledge typically developed in a four-year program of high school education." Find out when and where GED tests are offered in your area. You can also check with your local school district for procedure and location of test.
Free practice tests
GEDonline

The Call—A Career Assessment tool recommended by Focus on the Family
Career Direct
Buy on CD and take at home.
Highlands Company
College/career feedback; tests online with two-hour feedback in person or over the phone.

Recommended Resources

• Highlands: The Right Choice by Leslie Martin and Kathleen T. Danelo
• Don’t Waste Your Talent by Bob McDonald, Ph.D. and Don E. Hutcheson

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