Testing

District 218 Assessment Overview

Click on the link above for information on the assessments that our students experience throughout the school year. Please note that the State of Illinois has changed the required assessments from the SAT to the ACT and Pre-ACT. Students may still access their College Board accounts to view their PSAT scores and SAT scores.

Fall 2024 PSAT/NMSQT Optional Testing

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Sophomores and Juniors have been taking this exam to prepare for the SAT but also to participate in the National Merit Scholarship competition. Students who believe this would be a good opportunity can read more about it on these websites:

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt

https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/start.aspx?gid=2&pgid=61

Fall 2024 Digital Pre-ACT Testing

Thursday, October 10, 2024

8am - no late start

Freshmen	Pre-ACT 8/9
Sophomores	Pre-ACT
Juniors	Pre-ACT
Seniors	no school; college campus visit recommended; college application help - more details forthcoming

Spring 2025 Digital ACT and Pre-ACT Testing

	Wed, April 9, 2025 - 8am (No late start)
Freshmen	Pre-ACT 9 Secure
Sophomores	Pre-ACT secure
Juniors also Seniors who did not take the SAT on April 17, 2024	ACT with Essay (required for graduation)
Seniors	no school; college campus visit recommended; college app & FAFSA help - more details forthcoming

Note: Students with accommodations may have extended time. Those students and parents will be notified

Creating Your College Board Account & Viewing Your PSAT/SAT Scores Online

What will I use my College Board Account for?

Working within the AP Classroom system
Seeing my PSAT, SAT, and AP Scores
Registering to take the SAT (Saturday)
SAT Preparation through Khan Academy (linking accounts)
Accuplacer Test Preparation

How do I create a College Board Account? (2023-2024)

All students should have created one account.

Go to https://studentscores.collegeboard.org/home
Select “Create Account” under “Don’t have an account?”
Select “I’m a Student”
Enter your information (only fields with a red asterisk are required)

Personal information: name, birthdate, address
You must use your district email address: yourID#@chsd218.org

Example: [email protected]
This will link your email for password recovery

Check the “I Agree with the Terms and Conditions” box
Click “Next”
Check the boxes to ensure that the information is correct. If something is not correct, click “Back to Sign Up” and make the necessary changes
If everything is correct, click “Confirm”
Enter verify code: a code will be sent to your email
You may enter your password as follows: mascot graduation year !

- - - - Shepard Example: Astros27!
      - Capitalize the first letter and use an ! at the end

11. Security phrase: select an appropriate word or phrase (may need to use if you have to call College

Board)

12. Phone number: enter your phone number (it is not required)

What do I do if I can’t access my account?

Click “Need help signing in?” from the login screen
Choose “Forgot password”
Follow instructions from there, and you will need to know the email account you used to create the College Board account--it should have been your school email

Accounts created 2019-2020 school year - yourID#@chsd218.org (ex: [email protected]
Accounts created before 2019-2020 school year - yourID#@d218.net (ex: [email protected]

College Board will send a password reset to your email address. If you don’t receive an email from them then you may have created your account using a personal email address OR you may not have finished creating your account.

4. Additional help and troubleshooting can be found on the College Board’s Account Help Page.

What do I do if “Forgot Password” doesn’t work for me?

Call College Board Customer Support at (866) 315-6068. Please allow some time for this as it may take 30 minutes or more to fix the situation.
Let your teacher know that you need assistance, and a member of the Assessment Team will help you.

Suggested Password

Astros24! (Class of 2024)

Astros25! (Class of 2025)

Astros26! (Class of 2026)

Astros27! (Class of 2027)

Or create your own password: Your password must be 9-30 characters with at least one upper case letter, one lower case letter, one number and one special character (no spaces) and be different than your username

Trouble shooting for problems accessing accounts and/or scores:

1. Be patient: scores are rolling out over the course of a couple of weeks. Students who tested with accommodations may not see their scores for a couple of weeks

2. If the above login is not working, use the "forgot username" and "forgot password" links on the login page above

3. Use the information on the link from the College Board

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/scores/getting-scores

How to Get Help with Scores

You may need to update your account information. Log in to the student score portal and follow the instructions to verify your account.
Log in to the student score portal and learn how to use your registration number from the SAT or Subject Tests to verify your account.
Do you have another College Board account? You, your parent, or guidance counselor could have made it. Log out now and log back in using the other account.
Do you need old scores? You can call to request old scores. You'll have to pay a fee.
For more help, call 866-756-7346. For international and TTY phone numbers, go to the Contact Us page.

PSAT Score Reports Videos

Understanding Your Digital PSAT 8/9 Score Report (3:00)

https://youtu.be/7W5fw8sGfa4

Your PSAT 8/9 Score Report Explained

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-8-9/scores/understanding-scores/your-score-report-explained

Understanding Your PSAT/NMSQT Score Report (3:44)

https://youtu.be/LJEeKZxLjpA

Your PSAT/NMSQT Score Explained

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/scores/understanding-scores/your-score-explained#

Online Score Report Help

Use the troubleshooting tips on this webpage:

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/about/scores/score-report-help#troubleshoot-missing-scores

If all else fails, call the College Board directly at: Phone: 866-433-7728 or email [email protected]

Being Prepared for Test Day

How to Prepare for Standardized Testing Sessions!

Read your Student Guide:

PSAT 8/9 https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/psat-8-9-student-guide.pdf

PSAT/NMSQT (Sophomores and Juniors) https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/psat-nmsqt-student-guide.pdf

SAT School Day https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/sat-school-day-student-guide.pdf

1. Be on time – report to your assigned testing room at 8:00a.m. Room assignments will be posted throughout the building one or two days prior to testing
Plan to arrive early and attend the “Brain Bootcamp” if it is offered (7a.m.) - ask your PE teacher for more details
Breakfast will be served in the cafeteria as usual
2. Wear comfortable clothing (school dress code applies) – also, dress in layers so you can adjust to any temperature
3. Bring your school ID – if it is lost, you must get one from the ID room during lunch before test day
4. Bring an approved calculator – see pages of the Student Guide you received; you may bring an extra calculator and batteries as a back up
5. Bring at least 2 No. 2 pencils (no mechanical pencils)
6. Bring a watch - Turn off watch alarm; no smartwatches with communication or recording capabilities
7. Snacks and drinks which must be packed away during testing; can be consumed in section of the room away from test materials during short, 10 minute break between 1st and 2nd test

DO NOT BRING: DO NOT BRING: DO NOT BRING:

a. Cell phones – NOT ALLOWED IN TEST ROOM
set up a plan to secure phones at home or in locker
b. Most other electronic devices like headphones, ipods, tablets, computers, cameras
c. Bag or Backpack – not allowed; purses can be brought but stored under the desk and not accessed during testing
d. Reading material – no books, magazines or papers
e. “Smartwatches” or watches with communication or recording capabilities; this may include fitness bands with those capabilities
f. Highlighters, pens, colored pencils

Please note that if a student is seen using a cell phone or other device during testing or in the hallway, he or she will be immediately dismissed from the testing room and his or her scores will be cancelled. The cell phone or device will be immediately confiscated and will be subject to search.

Testing is scheduled to end between 1:15 and 1:30 for Juniors
A light lunch will be provided to each student at the end of testing

Class of 2024 SAT Testing Information

Junior Testing Information

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has mandated that all students of this year's Junior class must take the College Board's SAT in order to qualify for high school graduation and their diploma.

Updated documents will be posted as soon as they are available

2021-22 SAT School Day Student Guide

SAT Sample Answer Folder

SAT Answer Sheet Instructions Booklet

Further important information regarding the SAT graduation requirement:
1. The April 12, 2023 test will be provided free-of-charge to 11th grade students and 12th graders who did not take it in April of 2022
2. 12th grade students MAY NOT substitute another SAT administration (i.e., a Saturday test) or another college entrance exam (i.e., ACT) for the graduation requirement
3. Students who qualify for accommodations will have them provided
4. Students who qualify for the DLM-AA are not required to take the SAT

Students will test at their schools, starting at 8:00am. COVID-19 precautions will be in place for testing. Face masks will be required at all times. Additional instructions regarding entrances and procedures will be communicated to students as needed.

Best wishes to our Juniors for SAT success!

National SAT & ACT Testing Dates

Some college bound students are interested in taking college admissions tests like the SAT or ACT on one of the Saturday national test dates. This is voluntary and does not count towards the Illinois graduation requirement but the scores do qualify for college admissions and college scholarship considerations. Many colleges/universities have adjusted their admission requirements as "test optional" which means if a student has an SAT or ACT score, they may submit it but it is not required. However, some are now requiring one of those tests for admission into the school or a specific program. Other criteria they may use will include high school cumulative GPA, essays, recommendations, interviews, etc. Students should check with the colleges they are interested in applying to about their specific requirements. Students who are unsure can reach out to their counselors with questions.

College Board details about National SAT testing can be found here:https://pages.collegeboard.org/sat-covid-19-updates?SFMC_cid=EM300495-&rid=47754722

ACT National Testing information: http://www.act.org/

Test Prep Information and Resources

PSAT/SAT
www.collegereadiness.collegeboard.org

Watch videos, get personalized help, test drive a full SAT and answer daily questions.

How to Link Your College Board + Khan Academy Accounts (:47)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=patbkNnnAQ4

Practice Makes It Easier Video - learn how a student improved her score by 140 points!

ACT
www.actstudent.org
Free practice questions to give you an idea of what to expect on the ACT test.

Jeanius ACT & SAT PREP

Locations in Palos Heights and Tinley/Mokena - Temporarily using Zoom during COVID-19

Master Teachers-Affordable Courses-Proven Results

to Register www.jeaniusprep.com or

call Jeanne Bern 708-389-6534 or Jeanine Pawelczyk 815-474-4090

Various Prices

Sylvan Learning Center

Various locations

773-478-0366

Huntington Learning Center

708-422-0501

Study Point

Various locations

1-877-833-9764

https://www.studypoint.com/testprep/

Moraine Valley Community College Placement Testing

Earn College Credit with CLEP Exams

CLEP

College Board created CLEP® exams more than 50 years ago as a way for students to earn college credit and save time and money toward their degree.
If you have students whose opportunity to take an AP® Exam this year was impacted by covid-19, CLEP may be another way for them to still earn college credit.
CLEP is accepted at more than 2,900 U.S. colleges and universities and administered at more than 2,000 test centers around the country.

Which Colleges Award Automatic Scholarships Based on SAT Scores?

https://blog.collegevine.com/which-colleges-award-automatic-scholarships-based-on-sat-scores/#Awarded

Resources for Test Prep