Frequently Asked Questions about Standardized Testi
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What is the Blake School Code? 241635
If you do not include this code on your registration form, Blake will have no record of your testing.
How do I register to take the tests at Blake? The SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Tests are offered at Blake--site code 24-195. The ACT is not offered at Blake, so you will need to choose a different test site.
What is Student Search? Student Search is a program in which colleges can purchase student names based on specific characteristics. If you complete the Student Descriptive Questionnaire (SDQ) as a part of the SAT Reasoning Test registration form, you can give colleges information about your interests, experiences, activities, and plans in addition to your test scores. Your characteristics will be matched with colleges that appeal to similar students. If you also agree to participate in the Student Search (by checking the appropriate box on the registration form), you will receive descriptive information from these colleges. We recommend that you do not fill out the SDQ or agree to participate in the Student Search prior to your junior year so that you won't be distracted by college mailings.
How do I get my scores sent to the colleges and universities to which I am applying?
When you register for the tests, you can list the colleges to which you want your scores sent, and the results will automatically be sent to those colleges. If you do not indicate any college on the registration form or wish to add colleges, you may complete "The Additional Report Request Form" or contact the test agency by phone. Although your test scores appear on your transcript, most colleges require and will only use data supplied by an official score report. It is the student's responsibility to have the College Board or ACT send this official report to admission offices. Please check the college's admission instructions and be aware that some colleges do not accept rush score reports.
If I take the SAT Reasoning Test, ACT, or SAT Subject Test more than once, which scores do the colleges use? In almost all cases, admission officers will use your highest SAT or ACT scores. If, for example, your highest verbal score was obtained in the spring of your junior year, and your highest mathematics score was accomplished in the fall of your senior year, these scores would be used by the admission office when reviewing the application. (A few institutions will take an average of the student's scores.)
You may repeat a SAT Subject Test, but should only do so if you feel you are more thoroughly prepared than you were the first time you took the test.
Can I decide which of my scores can be sent to the colleges? Yes and no. The report sent by the College Board will include all previous SAT and SAT Subject Test scores for up to five test dates. The ACT allows students to select scores from a specific test date.
Students may choose to have either their SAT or ACT scores appear on their official Blake transcript, or to have both appear. However, once an official transcript is released to a college with a test score, that score will then appear on all subsequent transcripts sent to colleges. Students or their parents must notify the College Counseling Office in writing of their wishes before official transcripts are sent to colleges; otherwise, no official test scores will appear on the transcript.
Can I cancel my score? You may cancel your test immediately after you have taken it if you feel that you have done poorly. You do this by completing a cancellation form at the test center, or by writing or phoning College Board or the ACT immediately after the test date (the following Monday). You cannot cancel your scores once they have been recorded.
Is any one of my scores more important than another? Most college admission officers probably feel the verbal or reading score is somewhat more important as a predictor of success in college work due to the large amounts of reading and writing that are required in most college curriculum. If, however, you are applying to programs that place a higher significance on math or science, then these scores will be of greater significance.
What if I apply early? When should I take my SAT Subject Test? If you are considering applying during the first round of early decision or early action (November 15), and Subject Tests are required, you should take three Subject Tests by the end of your junior year, or plan on taking them during the October SAT test date. If you test later than October, your scores may not reach the college early enough to be considered in the early decision/action process. In fact, your application may be judged incomplete and may not be considered early. If you are planning on applying during one of the later rounds of early decision (December 15 or January 15), you may take your Subject Tests as late as the November test date.
Please, remember that the best time to take a Subject Test is immediately after you have completed the relevant course work. If you have not recently studied a particular subject in which you plan to take a Subject Test, you will want to review the material before taking the test. If you have a question about when, which, or if you should take a subject test, please talk to your subject teacher, grade level Dean, or a College Counselor.
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