More on High School Planning

Just a couple of thoughts as I am working through listing all the things that need to be done for Connor as he enters his Senior year.

Tests that need to be taken:

Fall of 9th or 10th - PSAT
 You must sign up through a local school by August or early Sept.  Go to collegeboard.org for info.

Fall of 11th - PSAT which makes them eligible for the National Merit Scholarships and preps them for SATs and ACTs.

Spring of 11th - ACT, SAT, and AP and SAT Subject Tests

The SAT may be taken up to 3 times and the ACT multiple times as well but you need to start taking then as a a Junior in order to give your student enough time to take them multiple times.  Early Admissions to colleges usually end in December so give your student enough time to take them in the Spring of the Junior year and Fall of their Senior year.

AP - Advanced Placement Tests can be taken even if they haven't taken an outside AP class as long as they know the info.  For instance, Connor is taking the AP Comp Sci at the end of the year by working through a AP Comp Sci prep book bought through Amazon.  Test Prep books are vital for APs, SATs, ACTs and SAT a Subject Tests.

SAT Subject Tests - these are generally taken by students who are going into Ivy League level schools.  Certain schools (like MIT) ask for them as part if admissions.  Connor is taking a SAT Math2 Subject Test and a Physics test.  Read admissions pages to colleges carefully.

CLEP exams can be taken at any time if the student has mastered the info.

To find out about APs, SATs, SAT Subject Test and CLEPs, go to collegeboard.org.

To find out about ACTs go to act student.org.

Start looking at colleges early.  Their websites are a fount of info.  A friend of mine and I, looked into or talked to 25 different colleges when our kids were in 7th and 8th to make sure we were on track and it was very helpful.  I probably spend 2 hours a week looking at college websites

The motherlode of Info from the Well Trained Mind Forums (my favorite place to find out info from a Moms who really know their stuff).

Well Trained Mind


Categories: parenting, homeschooling