Testing Programs

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Need some help on how to study for these tests?  Check this information for extra help.

The Pre-ACT Test

Students at Padua Franciscan High School take the Pre-ACT Test in October of their freshman year.  Pre-ACT helps students build a solid foundation for college and career readiness in reference to established ACT College Readiness Benchmarks.  This resource assists students to measure their current academic development and make plans for the remaining years of high school and  for their post-graduation years.  Just like the ACT, the Pre-ACT includes four multiple choice test areas:  English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science.  There is no fee required to take the Pre-ACT for current Padua Franciscan students.

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT)

Students at Padua Franciscan High School take the PSAT/NMSQT in October of their sophomore year and again in October of their junior year.  The PSAT/NMSQT is a program co-sponsored by College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation.  It is a standardized test that provides students with firsthand practice for the SAT Test.  Also, the PSAT/NMSQT gives juniors a chance to enter the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Scholarship Program.  Sophomore students are not eligible for this program.  Both sophomore and junior students gain access to college and career planning tools.  The PSAT/NMSQT test areas include:  Critical Reading, Mathematics/Problem Solving and Writing Skills.  There is no fee required to take the PSAT/NMSQT test for current Padua Franciscan students.

ACT Test

The ACT test is a standardized test used by Colleges and Universities to evaluate applicants.  The ACT Test consists of four multiple choice areas with an optional Writing Test:  English, Mathematics, Reading and Science.  The English area consists of 75 questions and measures standard English and rhetorical skills.  The Mathematics area consists of 60 questions and measures mathematical skills students have typically acquired in the courses taken up to the beginning of grade 12.  The Reading area consists of 40 questions measuring reading comprehension.  The Science area consists of 40 questions measuring the interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning and problem-solving skills required in the natural sciences.  The optional Writing Test is a single prompt that measures writing skills emphasized in English classes and in entry-level college composition courses.  Most students take the ACT Test in the spring of their junior year and continue to re-take it into the fall of their senior year, if they desire.  Padua Franciscan High School is an ACT Test Center.

SAT Test

The SAT Test is a standardized test that Colleges and Universities use to evaluate applicants.  It is designed to measure a student’s ability to understand and process elements in three areas:  Mathematics, Reading and Writing.  The SAT Test scores are calculated based on a student’s performance and serve as an indicator of collegiate success.  The Mathematics area consists of 44 multiple choice questions and 10 grid-in questions. This area measures a student’s ability to reason quantitatively, solve mathematical problems and interpret data presented in graphical form.  The Critical Reading area consists of 19 sentence completion questions and 48 reading comprehension questions measuring a student’s ability to understand and analyze written material.  The Writing area consists of 18 identifying sentence errors questions, 25 improving sentences questions and 6 improving paragraphs questions.  The Writing area measures a student’s ability to recognize and conform to the conventions of standard written English.  Most students take the SAT Test in the spring of their junior year and continue to re-take it into the fall of their senior year, if they desire.  Padua Franciscan High School is an SAT Test Center.