UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:

PSAT Exam – Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 8:00 a.m in the high school cafeteria.  All juniors are strongly encouraged to take this exam.  The exam is open to sophomores in accelerated math and/or science programs.  Sign up in the Guidance Office by Thursday, October 9.  Registration fee is $15.00 (cash or check payable to LaFayette Central School ).  Please contact the Guidance Office if the fee presents a problem.

PLAN Test – Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 8:00 a.m. in the high school cafeteria.  All sophomores are expected to take the exam.  Sign up in the Guidance Office by Wednesday, October 15.  Registration fee is $10.00 (cash or check payable to LaFayette Central School ).  If this is a hardship, please contact the Guidance Office.

 SAT

ACT

The PLAN TEST

Typically, PLAN test is administered in the fall of the sophomore year.   PLAN can help all students – those who are college-bound as well as those who are likely to enter the workforce directly after high school.  As a “pre-ACT” test, PLAN is a powerful predictor of success on the ACT. 

For students, PLAN can:

• Stimulate thinking and planning for life after high school
• Assess status of academic preparation for postsecondary education
• Support meaningful high school course selection for junior and senior year
• Relate personal characteristics to educational and career options
• Help focus test preparation to improve ACT scores
• Provide an estimated ACT Assessment Composite score

The PSAT Test

PSAT/NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.  It’s a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test.  It also gives you a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSSC) scholarship programs.

The PSAT/NMSQT measures:

• Critical reading skills
• Math problem-solving skills
• Writing skills

This test does not require you to recall specific facts from your classes, but rather assesses the skills that you have developed over many years, both in and out of school. The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are:

• To receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study.  You can then focus your preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice.
• To see how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college.
• To enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (grade 11)
• To help prepare for the SAT.  You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT.
• To receive information from colleges when you check “yes” to Student Search Service.