The DoDEA Assessment Program
College Entrance Exams
SAT I and SAT II
College Board
The SAT Reasoning Test is a three-hour and 45 minute test that is a measure of the critical thinking skills related to successful performance in college. The 2006 SAT scores reflect recent changes to the SAT which now includes three sections instead of two. The College Board changed the Critical Reading section by removing the section on analogies and by adding short reading passages to existing long reading passages. The Math section was changed by removing quantitative comparisons and by adding topics from third-year college preparatory math. The writing section was new in 2006. SAT scores range from 200 (lowest) to 800 (highest), with the 2006 national average score of 503 for the critical reading test, 518 for the math test and 497 for the writing test. The SAT Reasoning Test is intended to supplement the secondary school record and other information about the student, in assessing readiness for college-level work.
ACT Assessment
ACT, Inc.
High school students take the ACT assessment to determine their general educational development abilities in English, Math, Reading and Science. The tests assess students' knowledge and skills on school-based learning. The information from this test is used by colleges and universities for decisions regarding acceptance and course placement while in college. The score range of the ACT is 1 to 36, with the composite score for the nation holding steady at 21.0 for college bound seniors from 1997 to 2001. Students receive a score in English, Math, Reading and Science, as well as a composite score.
PSAT/National Merit Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT)
College Board
The PSAT/NMSQT (PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is a 3-hour standardized test that measures reading, math, problem-solving, and writing skills. The PSAT provides students with practice for the SAT and an opportunity to qualify for National Merit Scholarships when taken question. Scores are reported on a 20 to 80 point scale.
Beginning in the fall of 2001, all 10th grade DoDEA students, except for those students who were approved for participation in the DoDEA TNMA Alternate Assessment, took the PSAT. In 2004, 11th grade students were added to the DoDEA funding for the PSAT.
