SAT and ACT College Admissions Tests Information

• Click here for the SAT Question of the Day -- The SAT Question of the Day is part of the College Board website. You will be offered a question with multiple choice answers just like on the test. Select your answer and click the submit button to see if you're right (you can get a hint if you need one). The site not only tells when you are correct, but offers an explanation of the result and rates the question according to difficulty. Instructive and fun!
• Recommendations for Seniors - You should take the SAT in October or November of your senior year if you need to raise your score, or if you have not taken the test yet. December is too late for many schools.
• Recommendations for Juniors - Decide which date this year you will take the SAT and watch registration deadlines. You should take the SAT or ACT at least once this year!

  Do you know about taking the PSAT your junior year? Students who wish to be considered for National Merit Scholarship recognition or the Governor's Honors Program (GHP) must take the PSAT during their junior year (whether or not they took the test as a sophomore). Juniors taking honors and AP classes should register for this test to be eligible for certain scholarship competitions.
  
  The test will be offered at Wheeler in October. Juniors who wish to take the test must register in Guidance between Sept. 20 through 29 only (fee is $11).

• Recommendations for Sophomores - All Wheeler sophomores will take the PSAT during school hours free of charge. PSAT scores are an initial indicator of the student's performance on the SAT. Academic Booster Club encourages parents to look at their child's score on the PSAT and determine if a student will need a prep class or private tutoring to prepare for the SAT, and to improve their PSAT score if they will retake it in junior year (see above).
• Mock SAT & ACT -- Fall and spring sessions sponsored by Academic Booster Club.
  One of the best ways to score higher on the SAT & ACT is by knowing exactly what to expect from it by sitting through a full length test under the same testing conditions as the real thing. When you take a MOCK or PRACTICE SAT and/or ACT, scores are NOT sent to the College Board. Only you receive the scores. A practice test will help you decide whether you need to take a prep course before you take the real thing!

  Scores are returned to students at a free review session with a Kaplan instructor who will offer tips and strategies to improve your score. You may attend the review session without registering for or taking the Mock SAT/ACT. If you have any questions please contact Carolyne Woods at 404-915-6206.

  Great practice for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors... open to all interested students. $10 registration fee (refunds given up to 5 days before the test date).

  • Fall - Mock SAT: Sat., August 29, 2008, at 8:45 AM in the Wheeler Auditorium
    Review session: Sept. 8, 7:00 PM, in the Media Center
    
    
    
  • Spring - Mock SAT/ACT: Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, 8:45 AM-1:00 PM in the Wheeler Auditorium
    Review Session: March 2, 2010 at 7 PM in the Media Center.
    Registration Form
    
• SAT/ACT Preparation Class -- Learn test-taking strategies for the SAT or ACT! Academic Booster Club sponsors a test preparation course on Sunday afternoons, 4-6 PM at school. Registration is open first to Wheeler students, then to other students as space allows.

  Each student receives a course notebook, handouts, and a practice SAT. There will be emphasis on verbal and math strategies. The practice SAT will be taken partially in class and partially at home to allow more class instruction time.

  Cost of the course is $195 per student with 2 teachers to accommodate 40 students (20 in each class). The course is taught by Wheeler teachers. Students are responsible for registering for the SAT and/or ACT test and paying the appropriate fees.

  • 2009 Classes on Sundays Aug. 23, Aug. 30, Sep. 13, Sep. 20, Sep. 27, Oct. 4
    
    
    
  • 2010 Classes on Sundays Jan 24, Jan. 31, Feb 7, Feb 21, Feb 28, Mar 7
    Registration Form
    

       Questions? Contact Sally Mitchell or Lindy Moot

• All About the SAT
  
  SAT Testing dates
  

What is it?

• SAT I -- Reasoning Test (SAT used to stand for "Scholastic Aptitude Test," now simply "SAT").

• Administered by College Board. See the College Board Online website for complete information on test locations, dates, fees, and services.

• Designed to help measure a student's ability to handle college-level work.

• Accepted by most colleges. Always check carefully with each college on what tests they require.

• The test is divided between verbal and math questions, designed to gauge a student's critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Verbal section is made up of three parts: Analogies, Sentence Completion, and Critical Reading.

• Math Section is made up of Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Trigonometry

• Questions are multiple-choice except for one math section; easier questions are first, more difficult questions later; scoring has a penalty for wrong answers.

• Each section is scored on a scale from 200 to 800 with 2400 being a perfect score for all three sections.

• If you take the test multiple times, some college look at your best score in the Verbal section and your best score in the Math section; some colleges do not. Check with each college for their policies.

• You may register online or by mail (telephone registration is available for an additional $10 if you have taken a previous SAT I or II). The fee is $41.50. Late registration is an additional $21. College Board makes some fee waivers available for those with financial needs.

• The test is offered at many locations throughout the Atlanta area on each testing date.

• The College Board website offers some help in preparation for the test. College Corner in the Guidance Office has sample tests, preparation books and computer programs, and information on local prep courses and private tutors. The Academic Booster Club offers a Mock (practice) SAT Test and a prep course at Wheeler (see information above).

• All About SAT II Subject Tests
  • The test dates are the same as for SAT I. You may not take both SAT I and SAT II tests on the same date.
    
  • Administered by College Board. See the College Board Online website for complete information on test locations, dates, fees, and services.
    
  • These tests are only required by certain colleges. If you choose to take the tests, colleges will look at your scores to get a better idea of your academic background.
    
  • There are 22 subject tests, each designed to measure what a student has learned in specific subjects such as literature, history, or foreign language.
    
  • Tests measure the extent of a student's knowledge in a specific discipline.
    
  • Some test are all multiple-choice, some are not; easier questions are first, more difficult questions later; scoring has a penalty for wrong answers.
    
  • Each subject test takes about one hour. You may take up to three subject tests on one day.
    
  • Most students take SAT II tests the end of their junior year or beginning of their senior year. It is best to take the test soon after the completing the subject course.
    
  • You may register online or by mail (telephone registration is available for an additional $10 if you have taken a previous SAT I or II). The fee is $18.00 plus a charge for each subject test ranging from $8 to $18. Late registration is an additional $21.
    
  • The tests are offered at many locations throughout the Atlanta area on each testing date.
    
  • The College Board website offers some help in test preparation. College Corner in the Guidance Office has additional preparation information and materials.
• All About the ACT
  
  ACT Testing Dates

  What is it?

  • Administered by ACT, Inc. See the ACT website for complete information on test locations, dates, fees, and services.

  • The ACT is a more content-based test than the SAT. It is still a test of problem-solving skills, but more closely tests a student's knowledge of the "core curriculum" taught in high schools.

  • Accepted by most colleges. Always check carefully with each college on what tests they require.

  • The multiple-choice tests cover four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. The Writing Test, which is optional, measures skill in planning and writing a short essay

  • Questions are not in order of difficulty; scoring has no penalty for wrong answers. The ACT takes about three hours to take.

  • Score is from 1 to 36.The scores are interpreted in terms of percentile ranks for all high school seniors and for college-bound seniors only.

  • You may register online or by mail (telephone registration is available for an extra $10 fee if you have taken an ACT in the previous two years). The fee is $28. Late registration is an additional $17. ACT makes some fee waivers available for those with financial needs.

  • The tests are offered at many locations throughout the Atlanta area on each testing date.

  • The ACT website offers some help in test preparation. College Corner in the Guidance Office has additional preparation information and materials. The Academic Booster Club offers an SAT/ACT prep course at Wheeler (see information above).

• What are Wheeler's SAT scores? - How do they compare to state and national averages? Go to our Wheeler H.S. Profile page for complete statistics.
• More Help - Go to our Links page for web sites with helpful information on SAT, PSAT, ACT and more!