There are several college entrance exams that you may be required to take based on your choice of college or university. A brief description of each is provided below:

High School Exit Exam
All students beginning with the Class of 2006 must pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) in order to receive a high school diploma. The untimed test mandated by the State of California tests student competency in Reading, Writing, and Math. For more information, visit the state's website at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/cahsee

The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)
The PSAT is a practice SAT exam offered once a year in October. It is a multiple-choice test that measures basic verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities for standard academic performance in college. It consists of two sections, verbal and mathematical, each lasting 50 minutes in length. The test measures the student's ability to reason with facts and ideas rather than a simple recitation and recall of facts. PSAT scores are good predictors of a student's performance on the SAT.

It is recommended that sophomores and juniors take the PSAT to familiarize themselves with the test. Taking the PSAT allows students to receive their scores and test questions, and thereby learn their test-taking strengths and weaknesses. The PSAT is NOT a college admissions exam, so it poses no risk to a student's future admissions prospects. PSAT scores also qualify juniors for the National Merit Scholarship. For more information, or to take a quick practice test, visit the College Board's PSAT website.

SAT I Reasoning
The SAT, is a three-hour and fourty-five minute test, that measures crital reading and mathematical reasoning skills and writing ability students have developed over time. Many colleges and universities use the SAT as one indicator among others-class rank, high school GPA, extracurricular activities, personal essay, and teacher recommendations-of a student's readiness to do college-level work. SAT scores are compared with the scores of other applicants, and the accepted scores at an institution, and can be used as a basis for awarding merit-based financial aid.

Each section is scored on a scale of 200-800 and is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors. The test is administered several times a year. For more information, visit the College Board's SAT I website.

SAT II Subject Tests
Subject Tests, one-hour, mostly multiple-choice tests, measure how much students know about a particular academic subject and how well they can apply that knowledge. The 22 Subject Tests include: Literature, U.S. History, World History, Math Level IC, Math Level IIC, Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics, French Reading, French Reading with Listening, German Reading, German Reading with Listening, Spanish Reading, Spanish Reading with Listening, Modern Hebrew Reading, Italian Reading, Latin Reading, Japanese Reading with Listening, Korean Reading with Listening, Chinese Reading with Listening, and the English Language Proficiency Test.

Many colleges require or recommend one or more of the Subject Tests for admission or placement. Used in combination with other background information (your high school record, scores from other tests like the SAT I, teacher recommendations, etc.), they provide a dependable measure of your academic achievement and are a good predictor of future performance. For more information, visit the College Board's SAT II website. For practice tests, visit the College Board's Learning Center, where you can also find test taking tips.

ACT Assessment
The ACT Assessment is designed to assess high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. The tests cover five skill areas: Writing, English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. For more information, visit the ACT website. They also have good information on planning for college, and thinking about future careers.

Guidance Central
Use this website to learn more about testing.