Academic Departments

Guidance

Testing Dates and Information

High School CEEB Code: 334 385 

Test Center Codes:

• SAT Code:33744

• ACT Code:223740

PSAT Test Date:                 

• October 18, 2008

SAT Test Dates:                                Registration Deadline:

• October 4, 2008                        September 9, 2008 @OBHS

• November 1, 2008                  September 26, 2008 @OBHS

• December 6, 2008                                     November 5, 2008

• January 24, 2008                                     December 26, 2008

• March 14. 2009                                        February 10, 2008

• May 2, 2009                                March 31, 2008 @OBHS

• June 6,2009                                                     May 5, 2008

ACT Test Dates:                                Registration Deadline:

• September 13, 2008                           August 12, 2008

• October 25, 2008                        September 19, 2008

• December 13, 2008                       November 7, 2008

• April 4, 2009                                     January 6, 2008

• June 13, 2009                                        May 8, 2008

All ACT Exams will be offered at OBHS

Attention Juniors:

Are you planning to take the SAT? If so, registration material is available in the Guidance Department or you may register online at http://www.collegeboard.com/sat-achieve-more/ 

SAT/ACT Optional Schools: 

List of schools that do not use SAT or ACT Scores for admitting substantial numbers of students into Bachelor Degree Programs. http://www.fairtest.org

Attention Athletes: 

The NCAA now requires all SAT scores be sent directly from the College Board. www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/

PSAT:

The Preliminary SAT^®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a co-sponsored program by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

PSAT/NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It's a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test™. It also gives you a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs.

The PSAT/NMSQT measures:

• critical reading skills
• math problem-solving skills
• writing skills

You have developed these skills over many years, both in and out of school. This test doesn't require you to recall specific facts from your classes.

The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are:

• to receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. You can then focus your preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice.
• to see how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college.
• to enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (grade 11).
• to help prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT.
• to receive information from colleges when you check "yes" to Student Search Service.

SAT:

The SAT I measures verbal and math reasoning abilities that you've developed throughout your school years. The multiple-choice test, developed by the not-for-profit Educational Testing Service, is intended to let students demonstrate their verbal and math abilities without regard to the kind of schooling they've had. According to the College Board, the test looks for a student's ability to understand and analyze written material, to draw inferences, to differentiate shades of meaning, to draw conclusions and solve math problems -- all skills that are necessary for success in college and the work world.

SAT II:

The newer SAT II: Subject Tests, formerly the College Board Achievement Tests, are intended to measure a student's knowledge of a particular subject, such as English (writing or literature), history and social sciences, mathematics (various levels), sciences, and languages (Chinese, French, German, modern Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Spanish, English). Some colleges require one or more SAT II tests, but even if they aren't required, SAT II tests scores can help you present a more personalized portfolio that illustrates how well you would fit at a particular school. Most colleges use SAT II scores not for admission purposes but for program placement and counseling. SAT II tests are given on a slightly different schedule from the SAT I. Generally, SAT II tests are one hour long and consist of multiple choice questions. There are exceptions. For example, the Writing Test has 40 minutes of multiple-choice questions and a 20-minute writing sample.

ACT:

The American College Testing (ACT) Assessment, which was introduced in 1959, is an alternative to the SAT that virtually all colleges and universities now accept. Developers of the test tout it for its curriculum-based questions, saying that their test is more directly related to what is actually taught in high school.  The ACT examination consists of subject area tests in:

The ACT Plus Writing includes the four subject area tests and a 30-minute Writing Test.

The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete with breaks (or just over four hours if you are taking the Writing Test). Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 30 minutes if you are taking the Writing Test). The ACT is administered on five test dates—in October, December, February, April, and June. In selected states, the ACT is also offered in September.