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Students who do not wish to take a practice test through the Bluebook app can go directly to Khan Academy for free test prep but it will not be customized. If they complete a full-length practice test through Bluebook, students receive a link to practice resources on Khan Academy that are customized based on questions they answered correctly and incorrectly.
Why College Entrance Exams Matter
The SAT and ACT can play an important role in the college admissions process for our students, and we take seriously our role preparing them for these tests. Many colleges do not rely on the SAT and/or ACT scores in determining college admission, though some do. For students, taking the tests that lead up to the SAT can help improve their performance and scores, as they become more familiar with the format and practice the skill of test taking. You can view a list of over 1000 colleges that are test-optional in their admissions process here.
There are several scenarios where test scores may matter and can make a difference:
Highly Selective College Admission: Some colleges, namely highly selective ones, have remained test optional only provisionally for the next several years’ admissions cycles. This means that they are gathering data on how test optional admissions are impacting their institution long term. Some colleges may change their position on requiring test scores for admissions in the coming years, therefore it is still important to endeavor to prepare at a high level for the SAT, especially if your student is interested in pursuing selective admissions. Additionally, most selective colleges are admitting between 45-55% of their classes without test scores, which means that the remaining 45-55% of the class is being admitted using test scores as a consideration. In other words, some colleges may be placing a ‘cap’ on the number of students who they admit without test scores.
Holistic College Admission: For students applying to colleges (usually more selective) that use holistic review, SAT scores can be useful to help provide an additional, positive data point and help to tell a more complete story about a student in addition to their grades, course rigor, extracurricular activities, and essays. Colleges can look at your test scores relative to your classmates at AHS, and even if those scores are below the average for admitted students at that college, if they are above, or well above average scores at AHS, it creates context for you as a student who stands out among your peers at your high school.
"On the Cusp" Admission: Submitting test scores can be helpful to a student applying to a college that may not be selective, but for which they are "on the cusp" of being admissible. For example, if the college is generally looking for a 3.0 GPA and the student’s GPA is 2.9, submitting SAT scores that are above or within the average score range for admitted students at that college could be helpful for that student to gain admission.
Placement in College Level Coursework: Standardized test scores are often used by colleges to determine placement in first-year coursework. Students also usually have the option to take a placement test such as the Accuplacer. However, they can also use SAT or ACT scores, eliminating the need for additional testing.
Accessing and Understanding Individual Test Scores
Erin Cummins-Roper and Elliot Baglini will review Spring 2024 PSAT 10 scores with Juniors on Wednesday, October 9 during core class time in preparation for the PSAT/NMSQT. The fastest way to access PSAT and SAT scores is by creating student accounts on the College Board website and then checking there about three weeks after taking an exam. Students will always receive scores before the school does for all college entrance exams. Once scores become available to the school, we upload them into SCOIR and students will be able to view their scores in their SCOIR profile.
To learn more about how to interpret PSAT and SAT scores:
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Visit the College Board website
- Attend postsecondary planning nights with our Dean of College & Career Counseling Erin Cummins-Roper and Work-Based Learning Coordinator Elliot Baglini.
Opting Out
We recognize that some families have strong feelings about standardized testing and choose to opt out of them. It’s important to understand the impact of opting out of standardized tests. When we are evaluated, as a school, by our authorizer, the Colorado Charter School Institute, and the by the Colorado Department of Education, student test scores are a key data point. Having all students participate in standardized testing gives us the most accurate picture.
That said, we also want to be clear that no students or family will face negative consequences from the school for opting out of state assessments. We recognize and respect that this is a decision you will each make individually, and only ask that you make an informed choice.
If you do choose to opt out, please submit a letter expressing your decision to the Main Office, signed by a parent/guardian or email libby.cowles@animashighschool.com. Parent refusal notices will be gathered and maintained by Libby Cowles, Dean of Enrollment and Community Outreach and AHS Testing Coordinator.
We will keep you posted if we make any changes or additions to the testing schedule outlined here. As always, please don’t hesitate to share your questions, thoughts and concerns with us.
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