Testing Information
First semester final exams will be given on January 21-23, 2019.
All School Test Day Timeline
On Wednesday, October 16, 2019 all freshmen, sophomores and juniors will be participating in all school test day. All students must arrive by 7:45am and will be dismissed between 11:30 -12:00 p.m.
As a reminder, there will be no lunch services available on testing day. Busing will be available at the regular scheduled time of 2:50pm.
- All freshmen will be taking the ACRE assessment.
- Sophomores will be taking the PreACT, a practice ACT test, that enables 10th-grade students to experience the ACT and better prepare for the ACT test their junior year. There is no cost for this test. To learn more, click here.
- Juniors will be taking the PSAT/NMSQT, which assesses students' skills in three areas: reading, writing and language, and math. There is a no cost for the exam this year. Please click here to access the registration form.
Testing Overview
The major standardized tests students take in high school are the PreACT, PSAT, ACT, and the SAT. The PreACT provides students with practice, as they are able to see what the ACT will be like. It serves as a preliminary ACT. The PSAT/NMSQT, a preliminary SAT, assess students’ knowledge in reading, writing and language, and math. Both the PreACT and the PSAT are not intelligence tests, but test basic skills students have gained throughout their classes and outside experiences.
Testing Preparation
Sophomores and juniors are encouraged to engage in test preparation prior to taking either the ACT or the SAT. Students may utilize a variety of resources including test preparation books, online resources, and tutoring services. Please click here for more information regarding the tests and resources.
Recommended Testing
Testing Information by Grade
Freshmen
Sophomores
All sophomores will be take the PreACT on all school test day. This test is a valuable practice tool for the ACT, as it allows students to experience the ACT by answering similar questions and receive scores similar to that of the ACT test. It also enables students to better prepare for the ACT test their junior year. Students will be tested in four core areas: English, Mathematics, Reading and Science. The test will take approximately 150 minutes. There is neither a charge nor a registration for the PreACT. Questions about the PreACT can be directed to Mrs. Ness (jness@rcsmn.org).
Click here for more information about the PreACT.
Juniors
On test day, juniors will take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) which determines National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists. The PSAT assesses students’ skills in three areas: reading , writing and language , and math . The test takes 2 hours and 45 minutes to complete. Students will receive the student guide to the PSAT and a full-length practice test. There is no charge for the PSAT this year. Score reports will be available beginning in December 2018. Please contact Ms. Pannell (mpannell@rcsmn.org) with questions about the PSAT. Click here for additional information about the PSAT.
Click here for the PSAT registration form.
Seniors
ACT
The ACT is an assessment juniors and seniors take for college admission. It consists of English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning. Each section is scored from 1-36 and is scaled for variations in difficulty. The composite score is the average of the four scaled scores and the average for Lourdes students is typically a 26. The optional Writing Test is separate score on a scale of 1-12 and should be taken at least once since most colleges require a writing score. The ACT is given on Saturdays throughout the year at various high schools and colleges, listed below. This year we will be offering testing here at Lourdes in October, December, February and April. We recommend that juniors register for the February ACT since they have completed first semester exams. Students may take the ACT more than once and request their best score be sent to colleges. Students may register online at http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act.html
SAT
The SAT is another college admission test which is taken by approximately 10% of Lourdes students, The SAT measures students knowledge and skills in three distinct areas: reading, writing and language, and math. A total score will range from 400 - 1600. Students may also take the optional essay test, which is scored on a scale of 2 - 8; this score is not reported in a student’s total score. Colleges and universities will indicate which of the admissions tests are required but in most cases either the ACT or SAT is accepted. The SAT is offered in October, November, December, January, March, May and June. SAT Subject Tests are required for certain schools for admission or placement, and are offered on specific dates throughout the school year. Please note: Lourdes is not a testing site for the SAT or SAT Subject tests. Students may register online at https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register