Postsecondary (After High School) assessments

1. Postsecondary (After High School) assessments Information obtained from: http://www.k12.wa.us/SecondaryEducation/CareerCollegeReadiness/Curriculum/NavGr10LessonsRGRev-04-09.pdf

2. Names of different assessments • PSAT • COMPASS • ASVAB • AFOQT • SAT • ACT

3. PSAT • The PSAT stands for Preliminary SAT • This exam helps you to prepare for the SAT and an exceptional score will qualify you for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation scholarship program. • This test is usually taken the fall of your junior year or sometime during your sophomore year • The different skills that are tested by the PSAT include critical reading skills, math problem solving-skills, and writing skills

4. Compass • The COMPASS test was developed by ACT and assists colleges in placing you in the appropriate classes • The COMPASS test is taken for students who plan to attend a community or technical college such as Walla Walla Community College • The three areas that the COMPASS test assesses are writing, reading, and math • Other tests that are sometimes required for entry into a community college or technical school are the ASSET Placement Exam and the ACCUPLACER Exam

5. asvab • ASVAB stands for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery • This is the most widely used assessment in the world • Some employers use it to assess potential employees • Developed by the Department of Defense to assess new military recruits’ abilities • Usually taken during the junior year or senior year • The 8 test areas are General Science, Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Mechanical Comprehension, Math Knowledge, Auto and Shop Knowledge, Electronics Information

6. afoqt • Air Force Officer Qualifying Test • Students who attend a 4-year college can join the Army, Navy, or Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). This program will train them to become a military officer after they graduate from college. • Some colleges offer scholarships to students who commit to a certain number of years in the military following college graduation • The AFOQT is required by the Air Force to be taken by students to measure their aptitudes and to select them for specific programs such as pilot or navigator training

7. sat • Scholastic Assessment (formerly Aptitude) Test • Many colleges use SAT results as criteria for college admittance. • The SAT measures critical reading, mathematical reasoning, and writing skills. • Many students take the SAT more than once beginning late in their junior year or early in their senior year. • The average scores for 2010 were: critical reading- 501, mathematics- 516, and writing- 492

8. act • Originally stood for American College Testing but the company simply uses ACT because the test is also used for other purposes now • Used by colleges for the selecting students for admittance • Usually taken late in the junior year or early in the senior year • Can be taken more than once • Tests knowledge in English, math, reading, and science • Average scores are: composite (avg)- 23, english-22.6, math-23.1, reading- 23.5, science- 22.5

9. Wrap up • These are just some of the postsecondary assessments that you could encounter. • Please see Mr. Stevens if you are a sophomore, junior, or senior and are interested in taking any of these tests • Remember to plan accordingly if your after-high school plans require you to take an assessment. • Most of these tests require a fee and for you to register ahead of time to take them