College-Bound Assessment Report

Both the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I) and ACT Assessment (ACT) are college entrance exams. Both SAT I and ACT provide a standard by which the skills of students applying for colleges and universities can be compared nationally. Standardized tests are designed to allow college admissions officers to judge all students by a common measuring stick. Standardized test scores compensate for the uncertainty surrounding high school grades, school-to-school differences, grade inflation, teaching quality, etc. In addition, admissions officers use the scores as a way to predict academic performance in the first year of college. Studies show using SAT I or ACT scores with high school records provides a more accurate prediction of future academic success than using either alone (The College Board, 2002). Educational organizations recognize scores on either test as useful indicators of college readiness and valid predictors of college success. The College Bound Report also provides an analysis of HISD's performance for college-bound students on the Preliminary SAT (PSAT), the Advanced Placement (AP) exams, and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.

PSAT

The PSAT/NMSQT is a national examination administered in October of each year by the College Board. The test is typically taken by sophomores and juniors. It measures verbal reasoning, critical reading, math problem solving, and writing skills. The examination comprises five sections: two verbal, two math,and one writing skills. One of the benefits of taking the PSAT is that students receive a report assessing their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT with suggestions to improve their skills.

The PSAT/NMSQT serves as preparation for the SAT Reasoning Test.The SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Tests, may be taken by juniors typically in the spring or by seniors in the early fall, October or November.