top of page

Tests and Testing Information

ACCUPLACER

The Accuplacer is a non-timed admissions test for PSEO students as well as students planning to enroll in Minnesota 2-year schools or vocational/trade schools.  The Accuplacer is a free test for first-time testers.  Students take the assessment on the computer.  Students will need a photo ID and their social security number to take the test

 


ASVAB

The ASVAB is a multiple-aptitude battery that measures developed abilities and helps predict future academic and occupational success in the military.  The ASVAB is given to all juniors in the fall.  The test results give students career information that can be helpful in developing their individual career plan.   Juniors will take the ASVAB on Friday, October 2, 2020, from 9:50-12:50.

 


PSAT/NMSQT

This College Board test assesses the critical reading, mathematics and writing skills students need for college and beyond.  The PSAT/NMSQT helps students become college-ready.  It provides feedback on skills, access to scholarships and personalized online tools.  

​

​

ACT

The ACT is an admissions test used by 4-year colleges and universities.  The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement test. There are four tests with the optional writing test.  

 

The cost for ACT No Writing is $55.  ACT with Writing is $70. Students who qualify for Free/Reduced lunch should stop in the Guidance Office for an ACT Fee Waiver. 


The English Test is a 75-question, 45-minute test. The test consists of five essays, or passages, each accompanied by a sequence of multiple-choice test questions that measures a student's understanding of the conventions of standard English (punctuation, usage, and sentence structure), production of writing (topic development, organization, unity, and cohesion) and knowledge of language (word choice, style, and tone).  The content in this test is:

  • Production of Writing (29-32%)

  • Knowledge of Language (13-19%)

  • Conventions of Standard English (51-56%)

​

The Mathematics Test is a 60-question, 60-minute test designed to assess the mathematical skills students have typically acquired in courses taken up to the beginning of grade 12.  The content is comprised of:

  • Preparing for Higher Math (57-60%)

    • Number and Quantity (7-10%)

    • Algebra (12-15%)

    • Functions (12-15%)

    • Geometry (12-15%)

    • Statistics and Probability (8-12%)

  • Integrated Essential Skills (40-43%)

    • These questions address concepts typically learned before 8th grade, such as rates and percentages; proportional relationships; area, surface area, and volume; average and median; and expressing numbers in different ways.

  • Modeling (>25%)

    • This category represents all questions that involve producing, interpreting, understanding, evaluating, and improving models.

​

The Reading Test is a 40-question, 35-minute test that measures your reading comprehension.  The reading test assesses skills in three reporting categories:

  • Key Ideas and Details (55-60%)

  • Craft and Structure (25-30%)

  • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (13-18%)

​

​The Science Test is a 40-question, 35-minute test that measures the interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required in the natural sciences.  The test emphasizes science skills and practices over recall of scientific content, complex mathematics skills, and reading ability.  The scientific information is conveyed in one of three different formats.

  • Interpretation of Data (45-55%)

  • Scientific Investigation (20-30%)

  • Evaluation of Models, Inferences, and Experimental Results (25-35%)

​

The Writing Test is optional.  It is a 40-minute essay test that measures a student’s writing skills.  If students register for the ACT Plus Writing, they take the ACT Writing Test after they complete the four multiple-choice tests.  Taking the Writing Test will not affect the student's scores on the multiple- choice tests or their Composite score.   Students will receive a single subject-level score (rounded average of the four domain scores) based on a 2=12 scale.   The four domain scores are:

  • Ideas and Analysis

  • Development and Support

  • Organization

  • Language Use and Conventions

bottom of page