Preparation for ACT and SAT

For admission to baccalaureate colleges and universities, students must take either the ACT or SAT. Community colleges do not require either, but give their own placement tests prior to registration for classes.

One of the best preparations for the SAT is the Preliminary SAT National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The PSAT is a national test offered once a year on the 3rd Saturday of October. Top scorers in their junior year may qualify for National Merit Scholarship consideration. Sign ups begin two weeks prior to the test at Skyline.

Regarding other preparation for SAT and ACT, there are many resources: Every local library and bookstore has lots of books about SAT and ACT prep. Some local public libraries occasionally sponsor SAT or ACT classes. Check www.kcls.org for information. The College Board, which sponsors SAT, has its own prep materials at www.collegeboard.com and ACT has prep materials at www.actstudent.org Our local Skyline and Issaquah PTSA groups often sponsor weekend classes usually in the fall and spring. Look for the dates in Skyline parent newsletters. These practice sessions or mock tests are different from the actual PTSA/NMSQT test. Some other local school districts offer classes through satprep.org. Then there are lots of expensive prep classes available from a variety of local private school/tutoring agencies like Sylvan, Huntington Learning Center, Tutoring Club or national companies like petersons.com, princetonreview.com, kaplan.com and many others.

Washington Assessment of Student Learning

WASL - Overview of WASL - OSPI website