SAT Vocabulary

Achievement Tests - The name used for the subject specific tests of the Admissions Testing program prior to 1994, when they were renamed to SAT II: Subject Tests. These were again renamed in 2005 to SAT Subject Tests.

Admissions Testing Program - The old name, prior to the 1993/1994 academic year, for what is now the College Board's SAT Program.

ATP - See Admissions Testing Program.

College Board - More commonly used name for the College Entrance Examination Board.

College Entrance Examination Board - Non-profit association founded in 1900 whose mission is to facilitate the college admission process through standardized academic measurement programs. Among its best known programs are the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, and the Advanced Placement Program (or AP).

CR - Acronym for the Critical Reading section of the SAT test starting with the New SAT (SAT Reasoning Test) in 2005.

Educational Testing Service - The Educational Testing Service administers and scores the SAT Reasoning Test, the SAT Subject Tests, as well as other tests.

Equating Section - Another name for the unscored section of the SAT.

ETS - See Educational Testing Service.

Grid-in - Another name for student-produced response questions. With these questions, a student must come up with an answer that they then write into a special grid. 10 questions of this type appear in the math section of the SAT Reasoning Test.

M - Acronym for the Math section of the SAT test.

Multiple Choice - A question type where the student selects and answer from several choices. The Majority of the questions on the SAT tests are multiple choice.

New SAT - A label given to indicate the major redesign of the SAT Program culminating with the introduction and delivery of the SAT Reasoning Test in March of 2005.

PSAT - Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test first introduced in 1959. Became the PSAT/NMSQT in the 1970s.

PSAT/NMSQT - Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. This test is used as a qualifying test for National Merit Scholarships.

SAT - Scholastic Aptitude Test.

SAT I - With the 1993/1994 academic year the SAT test was renamed the SAT I: Reasoning Test. Many simply referred to it as the SAT I.

SAT I: Reasoning Test - In the 1993/1994 academic year the SAT test was renamed the SAT I: Reasoning Test.

SAT II: Subject Tests - In the 1993/1994 academic year the Achievement Tests were renamed SAT II: Subject Tests.

SAT Program - One of the major programs of the College Board. The SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Tests are part of the SAT Program.

SAT Reasoning Test - As of March of 2005, the name SAT I: Reasoning Test has been shortened to SAT Reasoning Test. This is also referred to as the "new SAT". Prior to 1994 this was simply called the SAT.

SAT Score - The SAT score consists of a score for each of the SAT sections. Prior to 2005, there was an SAT Verbal and an SAT Math score on a scale of 200 to 800. With the "New SAT", starting in March of 2005, there are now three scores, one each for SAT Writing, SAT Math, and SAT Critical reading. Each score is on the familiar 200 to 800 scale. There are also two sub scores for the SAT writing section, one for the multiple choice part of the section on a 20 to 80 scale, and one for the essay on a 2 to 12 scale.

Student Produced Response - An SAT question type found in the math section of the SAT. With these questions, a student must come up with an answer that they then write into a special grid. 10 questions of this type appear in the math section of the SAT Reasoning Test.

Subject Tests - The shortened name given to the SAT Subject Tests.

V - Acronym for the Verbal section of the SAT test from the old SAT I: Reasoning Test, prior to the New SAT in 2005, and the old SAT, prior to the 1993/1994 academic year.

http://www.education-online-search.com/articles/testing/sat_testing/sat_vocabulary

SAT Reading Questions

Beginning in March of 2005, the SAT Reasoning Test has a Critical Reading section that replaces the old Verbal section. The SAT Critical Reading questions take up 70 minutes of the test and are delivered in three sections, two 25-minute sections, and one 20-minute section. There are a total of 67 multiple choice questions in these sections consisting of 19 sentence completion questions and 48 reading comprehension questions.

SAT Score for Critical Reading

The student will receive an SAT score for the Critical Reading section on the 200 to 800 scale.

What Happened to Analogies?

Analogies have been dropped from the new SAT for several reasons. Questions of this type are not very relevant to current high school curriculums. In addition, analogy questions had a tendency to encourage students to memorize vocabulary as one means of studying for the SAT test.

http://www.education-online-search.com/articles/testing/sat_testing/sat_reading_questions

SAT Prep For Parents

The SAT test is an important part of the college admissions process. College admissions have become much more competitive than it was when most parents were applying years ago. Your child's SAT score is one of the components that a college or university considers when evaluating your child's application. Because of this, an SAT score has the potential of impacting whether or not they get into the college or university of their choice. As you are probably aware, going to college, and choice of college, can have an impact on their success and earning potential later in life. Because of this, it is important not to take the SAT test preparation process too lightly.

Get Involved

You should not leave your child's preparation for the SAT Reasoning Test to chance. You should encourage them to create a test prep plan or you should help them to create such a plan. At a minimum, an SAT test prep plan should be written down and include specific goals and target completion dates for those goals. Space should also be left on the plan for "checking off" or measuring completion. In addition, you should monitor your child's progress against the plan. Be willing to help with preparation if needed.

Be Encouraging Without Creating Stress

There is a fine line between helping and encouraging and creating stress. It is important to maintain a positive and helpful environment so that your child does not come to fear the test. You will need to maintain the "appropriate" amount of involvement to understand if your child is preparing for the test adequately. You may also want to consider helping your child to learn relaxation techniques for when they are in the test.

Encourage Your Child to Take the PSAT/NMSQT

While not as long and rigorous as the SAT Reasoning Test, the PSAT/NMSQT is a good beginning for SAT test prep. It will help your child to become familiar with the test in an actual test setting. Knowing their score may also help to give you some insight into where they need to provide extra focus for SAT prep activities. In addition, the PSAT/NMSQT is required for the opportunity to compete for a National Merit Scholarship.

Consider SAT Prep Courses and SAT Tutors

Preparing for the SAT Reasoning Test requires focus, dedication, and perseverance on the part of your child. There are a lot of things that compete for your child's attention and time such as their social lives, sports, and other extracurricular activities. It is easy for them to get distracted or simply not be able to make the time to prepare as they should. For this reason, you should consider enrolling your child in an SAT Prep course or hiring an SAT tutor. These are good ways of forcing them to make the time and actually study. With these options there is already a test prep plan, the content and outline of the course. The course instructor can also monitor your child's progress and give you feedback on how they are progressing.

http://www.education-online-search.com/articles/testing/sat_testing/sat_prep_for_parents

SAT Prep

SAT Prep for the SAT Reasoning Test: There is no secret to preparing for the SAT Reasoning Test. There are two major areas a student should address in their prep:

1. Practice, practice, practice
2. Finding their weaknesses and improving their skills in those areas.

For many students, a tutor can help them improve their skills faster, and get more out of their practice tests. Practice tests help students become familiar and comfortable with:

• Test instructions
• Test format
• Test question types
• Test question content
• Timing your progress through the test

The more familiar you are with the test, the less time you will have to spend navigating and understanding the test, and the more time you will be able to devote to actually answering questions on the test. Practicing, by taking practice SAT tests, is the best means of preparing for the SAT Reasoning Test. Doing this will, however, requires dedication, focus, and perseverance on your part.

Why Prepare for the SAT Reasoning Test?

Your SAT scores have the potential to significantly help or hurt your chances of getting into the college or university of your choice. The more competitive the college or university, the more important are your SAT scores, as well as your grades, high school transcripts, extracurricular activities, recommendations, written essays.

Create an SAT Test Prep Plan

The best way to start preparing for the SAT Reasoning Test is to develop an SAT Prep plan. You should specifically map out what it is you want to accomplish and your timeline for completion of specific milestones.

Set Specific Goals

When creating an SAT Prep plan, it is important to set specific and measurable goals. Setting general goals such as "take a bunch of practice exams" does not help you because there is no way to measure your progress. You need to set specific goals with target dates for completion. For example, you should set goals such as:

• When to take the PSAT/NMSQT (sophomore year, junior year, both).
• How many practice tests you will take and when you will complete them.
• What sections will need extra focus and how and when you will accomplish studying for them.
• Whether or not you are going to take an SAT prep course and when you will take it.
• You may even want to set goals for how well you improve answering questions on the practice exams you take.

Write It Down

Do not trust your plan to memory. Write it down. Write down tasks and target completions dates. Leave room on the plan for "checking off" or measuring completion of tasks.

Measure Yourself

It is very important for you to measure your progress against your plan. If you are not making enough progress perhaps your plan was too aggressive and needs to be modified. If you are making progress faster than anticipated then your plan may not be aggressive enough. You should consider enlisting a third party, such as a parent or a friend, to review your progress against the plan. Having someone else measure your progress may help to provide extra incentive.

Take the PSAT/NMSQT

While not as long and rigorous as the SAT Reasoning Test, the PSAT/NMSQT is a good beginning to your test prep. It will help you to become familiar with the test in an actual test setting. Your score may help to give you some insight into where you need to provide extra focus for your SAT prep activities. In addition, you have to take the PSAT/NMSQT if you want the opportunity to compete for a National Merit Scholarship.

Consider SAT Prep Courses and SAT Tutors

Preparing for the SAT Reasoning Test requires focus, dedication, and perseverance It is easy to get distracted or simply not be able to make the time to prepare as you should. Taking an SAT Prep course or hiring an SAT tutor are good ways of forcing yourself to make the time and actually study. With either of these options, there will already be a test prep plan, the content and outline of the course. There is also a third party, the course instructor, to evaluate your progress and keep you on task.

SAT Prep for the SAT Subject Tests

Preparing for the SAT Subject Tests is different. These tests are much more focused on the type of material that should have been covered in the classes that you have taken. Your prep for the SAT Subject Tests should be much more focused on review of classroom material similar to the way that you would get ready for a final exam. You should also consider taking an SAT Subject Test as close to the completion of your high school class or classes on the topic.

http://www.education-online-search.com/articles/testing/sat_testing/sat_prep

About The SAT Subject Tests

The intent of the SAT Subjects Tests (formerly SAT II: Subject Tests prior to 2005, and Achievement Tests prior to the 1993/1994 academic year) is to measure a student's knowledge in a specific subject area. SAT Subject Tests are an excellent way for a student to demonstrate to a college or university proficiency in a particular subject. Most colleges and universities require that a student submit the scores of one or more subject tests as part of the application and admissions process.
Offered Tests and their Structure

All of the SAT Subject Tests are one hour in length. All are multiple choice tests. SAT Subject Tests fall into five subject areas:

1. English
* Literature - This test measures how well a student can read and interpret literature. It consists of 60 multiple choice questions.
2. History and Social Studies
* U.S. History (formerly American History and Social Studies) - This test measures how well a student has learned what is typically taught in high school U.S. History and Social Studies courses. It consists of 90 to 95 multiple choice questions.
* World History - This test is similar to the U.S History test with a focus on global history. It consists of 95 multiple choice questions.
3. Mathematics
* Math Level 1 - This test measures a student's knowledge of content that should be taught in the first three years of college-prep math. It includes Algebra I and II as well as one year of geometry. This test consists of 50 multiple choice questions. Some of the questions assume that the student will be using either a scientific or graphing calculator.
* Math Level 2 -This test measures a student's knowledge of content that should be taught in more than the first three years of college-prep math. It includes Algebra I and II, one year of geometry, and precalculas and/or trigonometry. This test consists of 50 multiple choice questions. Some of the questions assume that the student will be using either a scientific or graphing calculator.
4. Science
* Biology E (ecology)/M (molecular) - This test measures a student's knowledge of college-prep general biology. There is a core of 60 multiple choice questions. A student then chooses whether to complete 20 additional multiple choice questions in either ecological biology or molecular biology.
* Chemistry - This test measures a student's knowledge of college-prep chemistry. This test consists of 85 multiple choice questions.
* Physics - This test measures a student's knowledge of college-prep physics. This test consists of 75 multiple choice questions.
5. Languages - With the exception of the Latin Subject Test, all of the other language Subject Tests have 80 or more multiple choice questions. The Latin test has 70 to 75 multiple choice questions. Language Subject Tests with listening require that the student use an acceptable cassette player with headphones.
* Chinese with Listening
* French or French with Listening
* German or German with Listening
* Spanish or Spanish with Listening
* Modern Hebrew
* Italian
* Latin
* Japanese with Listening
* Korean with Listening

SAT Subject Test Scoring

All of the SAT Subject tests are scored on the 200 to 800 scale. The language Subject Tests with Listening also have sub scores. The French, German, and Spanish Subject Tests with listening have sub scores for listening and reading on a 20 to 80 scale. The Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Subject Tests with Listening have sub scores for listening, reading, and usage, also on a 20 to 80 scale.
The English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT)

The final delivery of the English Language Proficiency Test was in January of 2005.
The Writing Subject Test

The final delivery of the Writing Subject Test was in January of 2005. The new Writing Section of the SAT Reasoning Test contains content that is similar to what was in this test.



http://www.education-online-search.com/articles/testing/sat_testing/about_the_sat_subject_tests

About The SAT

The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) was created by the College Entrance Examination Board, more commonly referred to as the College Board, in the 1920s. It was first delivered in June of 1926 to just over 8,000 students. In 1927 the test was first scored on the now familiar scale of 200 to 800. By 1930, the SAT had been divided into two sections, the SAT Verbal and SAT Math sections, which have stayed with the test for most of its history. The subject specific Achievement Tests were first introduced by the College Board in April of 1937. In 1947, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) was founded to do research, assessment development, test administration and scoring, and other education related initiatives. The Educational Testing Service has been administering and scoring the SAT ever since. The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) was introduced in October of 1959. In the 1970s, through a partnership between the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the PSAT was changed into the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). In the 1993/1994 academic year, the College Board introduced a newly designed SAT Program with the SAT Test becoming the SAT I: Reasoning Test and the Achievement Tests becoming the SAT II: Subject Tests. In March of 2005 the "New SAT" was introduced after another significant redesign program. With the introduction of the New SAT, the test names changed to SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Tests.
The SAT, From Modest Beginning to a Major Force

From its modest beginnings in 1927, when just over 8,000 people took the test, the SAT has grown to a record number 1,419,007 test takers in 2004, or 48% of students nationwide In 2004, 53% of SAT test takers were female with average SAT scores of 504 on the SAT verbal section and 501 on the SAT math section. 47% of SAT test takers in 2004 were male with average SAT scores of 512 on the SAT verbal section and 537 on the SAT math section.
SAT, SAT I, SAT Reasoning Test - What's In a Name?

In a little over 10 years there have been two redesigns of the SAT test and several name changes. Enough has changed to possibly lead to some confusion. The SAT Program (referred to as the Admissions Testing Program prior to 1994) is one of the major programs of the College Entrance Examination Board, or College Board. The College Board's other major programs include the PSAT/NMSQT and the Advanced Placement Program (or AP).
The SAT Program includes:

1. The SAT Reasoning Test. This is what most people simply refer to as "the SAT". Prior to 2005 this test was referred to as the SAT I: Reasoning Test. Prior to 1994 it was simply the SAT.
2. The SAT Subject Tests. These can also be referred to simply as "Subject Tests". Prior to 2005 these were referred to as SAT II: Subject Tests. Most parents, and anyone who took the tests prior to 1994, would remember these as Achievement Tests. Subject tests are available in: English, history and social studies, mathematics, science and languages.

The "New SAT"

The New SAT represents the first major redesign of the SAT Program since the 1993/1994 academic year. Introduced in March of 2005, major changes have been made to the SAT Reasoning Test including:

* The addition of a new writing section with a written essay as well as multiple choice questions.
* In the math section, higher-level math, including topics from third-year college prep math courses, is now included.
* A Critical Reading Section (previously known as the verbal section) which includes short and long reading passages. Analogies have been eliminated.

Very little, beyond the name, has changed in the SAT Subject Tests. There is no longer an SAT Subject Test on writing since writing has been added to the SAT Reasoning Test.
The Purpose of the SAT

The SAT Program is designed to facilitate the college admissions process by providing a nationally standardized way of measuring critical thinking skills and knowledge. The intent of the test is to measure how well a student has mastered the skills necessary to be successful in college. Grades alone do not accomplish this because they are not standardized across schools. Standardized tests, such as the SAT, are one of the components used by colleges and universities in their admissions process, along with: a student's grades, high school transcripts, extra-curricular activities, written essays, and, potentially, interviews.




http://www.education-online-search.com/articles/testing/sat_testing/about_the_sat

About The PSAT NMSQT

The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) was first introduced in 1959 as the PSAT. In the 1970s, through a partnership between the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the PSAT was changed into the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The PSAT/NMSQT serves two purposes:

1. As the preliminary SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT provides a student with a means to become familiar with the format of the SAT Reasoning Test in an actual test environment while also providing feedback, through the score, on areas for focus for SAT prep.
2. It is the qualifying test allowing students to compete for National Merit Scholarships.

Format of the PSAT/NMSQT

The PSAT/NMSQT is not as long or rigorous as the SAT Reasoning Test. The PSAT/NMSQT is 2 hours and 10 minutes in length. Like the SAT Reasoning Test, it is divided into three sections:

1. Critical Reading - this is a 50 minute section
2. Math- this is a 50 minute section
3. Writing - this is a 30 minute section

Most of the questions on the PSAT/NMSQT are multiple choice. There are some "student-produced response" or grid-in questions in the math section. In grid-in questions a student must write their answer in the supplied grid. There is no student-written essay on the PSAT/NMSQT as there is on the SAT Reasoning Test.
The PSAT/NMSQT Score

As with the SAT Reasoning Test, three scores are delivered for the PSAT/NMSQT, one each for the Critical Reading, Math, and Writing sections. Unlike the SAT Reasoning Test, the scores are on a 20 to 80 scale, and there are no sub scores for the writing section. In addition, a "Selection Index", which is simply the addition of the three scores, is also reported. The Selection Index is used in the National Merit Scholarship qualifying process.

Typically, a student's high school will deliver their PSAT/NMSQT scores to them.
When to Take the PSAT/NMSQT

A student should plan on taking the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall of their junior year. Students must take the test in the fall of their junior year to potentially qualify for the National Merit Scholarship competition. Many students first take the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall of their sophomore year. Students who take the test in their sophomore year do not qualify for the National Merit Scholarship competition and must retake the test in the fall of their junior year to compete.
Where to Take the PSAT/NMSQT

The PSAT/NMSQT is not given in test centers as is the SAT Reasoning Test. It is given at a student's high school or other school in their community. Students should check with their school's guidance counselor for test dates, times, and locations.
National Merit Scholarship Notification

Notification of qualification as a "Commended Student" or National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist happens automatically in September of a student's senior year. A student's school will notify them.



http://www.education-online-search.com/articles/testing/sat_testing/about_the_psat_nmsqt