PSAT/SAT/ACT
SAT Exam
SAT Administration Details: October 26, 2024
This administration is for 12th-grade SMUHSD students only (no exceptions will be made). Taking the SAT is not necessary for most SMUHSD 12th-grade students. However, some colleges still consider these assessments, and students may benefit from taking them for other purposes. The exam will cost $100/student. This fee, higher than the College Board’s national test fee ($60), covers staffing and facility costs for this specialized administration. If your student needs financial assistance, there is a way to indicate that on the registration form.
All SMUHSD 12th-grade students and families will be emailed a registration link for the exam in late June 2024 and several more times throughout the summer. This is the only way a student can register for the exam. If you are an SMUHSD student or legal guardian, please see your email inbox for an email from the SMUHSD Curriculum & Assessment Department. The deadline for registering for the exam is September 22, 2024, at 5 p.m.
Students requiring accommodations:
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Students with IEP/504 contracts may request special accommodations for testing directly from the College Board at the link here.
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Please note that the College Board takes 6-8 weeks to process special accommodations applications. The College Board makes all accommodations decisions.
PSAT Exam
PSAT/NMSQT Administration Details: October 26, 2024
This administration is for 11th-grade SMUHSD students only (no exceptions will be made). The PSAT is generally considered to be a practice exam for the SAT. This exam is free to all SMUHSD 11th-grade students. Parents/guardians can sign their student up for the PSAT Exam on ParentSquare. The deadline for registering for the exam is September 22, 2024, at 5 p.m.
Students requiring accommodations:
-
Students with IEP/504 contracts may request special accommodations for testing directly from the College Board at the link here.
-
Please note that the College Board takes 6-8 weeks to process special accommodations applications. The College Board makes all accommodations decisions.
SAT vs. ACT
The ACT is an assessment that tests students on their understanding of their high school curriculum and covers coursework in English, reading, math, and science. The SAT, on the other hand, has traditionally been considered more of an aptitude test that includes only English, reading, and math; it does not have a science section.
SAT Subject Tests
Each Subject Test is approximately 1 hour long and measures your knowledge and abilities in a specific area of the curriculum. If required by a college to which you plan to apply, take SAT Subject Tests in June at the end of the related class. You can take up to three tests on one date. Some UCs ask for subject tests, check specific UC requirements.
Subject Test are offered in: Biology Ecological or Biology Molecular, Chemistry, Literature, Mathematics Level 1 (not accepted by UCs) or Level 2, Physics, U.S. History, World History, and World Languages. For World Languages there is a Reading only test for French, German, Italian, Latin, Modern Hebrew, and Spanish; and there is a test with Listening given in November only for Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. (Note: not all languages are given at each test date). Learn more.