College Planning Night

Grades 9 & 10

DeLaSalle High School

February 20, 2024

Introductions: DeLaSalle College Counseling

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Introductions: Guest Presenters

John Kingsbury, Director

Breakaway Test Prep

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Chris George, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

St. Olaf College

Tonight’s Presentations Will Be Posted Online

DeLaSalle website >

Academics >

College Counseling >

Parent/Family Presentations

Maximizing the

DeLaSalle Experience

Jenny Moore - Director of College Counseling

DeLaSalle High School

Preparing for College in 9th & 10th Grades

Work hard in school/classes

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Academics are the primary factor in college admission.

• Grades/GPA
• Rigor (difficulty) of classes
• Grade trends
• Test score, if submitted

Preparing for College in 9th & 10th Grades

Activities also matter - get involved

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Involved students tend to thrive the most

• Generally, human nature is to want to belong
• What interests you? Is there anything you want to change?

How time is spent in high school indicates how time will be spent in college

• What is this person (applicant) like as a community member?

Some 4-year colleges require an Activities List as part of the application

Take advantage of summer!

Preparing for College in 9th & 10th Grades

Enjoy your adolescence and be your best self

Done transitioning to high school (last semester/year)

Not yet starting the full college research process (11th grade)

Great time for students to learn more about themselves and begin doing some self-reflection:

• Do I want to focus on improving my grades by the end of this year?
• Do I want to get (more) involved in activities? Explore my interests?
• What do I like? What am I passionate about?
• What don’t I like? What frustrates me about the world?
• Who am I today?
• Who/what do I want to become?

College Admissions Testing

John Kingsbury - Director

Breakaway Test Prep

Why test scores matter

John Kingsbury

�Director, Breakaway Test Prep

February 20, 2024

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Breakaway Test Prep� - Four offices� - 50 instructors� - Prep for ACT, SAT, all AP exams� - Tutoring for more than 40 high school classes�- Learning differences

Agenda

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• Why test scores matter
• Test optional admissions
• How to think about testing
• The ACT vs. the SAT
• How to prepare for a test
• Q&A

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Why test scores matter

Why test scores matter

“Standardized test scores are a much better predictor of academic success than high school grades.”

- Christina Paxson, president, Brown University

“Just getting straight A’s is not enough information for us to know whether the students are going to succeed or not.”

- Stuart Schmill, dean of admissions, M.I.T., which reinstated its test requirement

Why test scores matter

“Test scores have vastly more predictive power than is commonly understood in the popular debate.”

- John Friedman, economics professor, Brown University

“It turns out that the SAT or the ACT is the single best predictor of a student’s academic performance at Yale.”

- Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of admissions, Yale University

Why test scores matter

“There are hundreds of less-advantaged applicants with scores in the 1,400 range [equivalent of a 30 on the ACT] who should be submitting scores [to Dartmouth] to identify themselves to admissions, but do not understand test-optional policies.”

- Elizabeth Cascio, Bruce Sacerdote, Doug Staiger and Michele Tine , professors, Dartmouth College

Why test scores matter

Why test scores matter

Why test scores matter

Why test scores matter

1. Performance on tests highly correlated to performance in college
2. Demonstration of a one’s ability to perform at the college level
3. Objective data at a time of rising grade inflation
4. Strengthen one’s academic portfolio
5. Earn merit scholarships
6. Opportunity for strong test-takers to distinguish themselves during this test-optional era

Test optional admissions

Test optional, test free, �test preferred, test required

• Test optional means that a student’s application is complete with or without a test score. “Will testing increase my chances of acceptance or not?”
• Test free policies indicate that test scores will not be evaluated by colleges regardless of an applicant’s desire to share them. Examples: The University of California and Cal State systems, Reed College, Cal Tech, Hampshire College

Test optional, test free, �test preferred, test required

• Test preferred or test expected.
• UChicago: these assessments demonstrate “evidence of academic achievement that exists outside of the context of your school.”
• Carleton College claims that, “The results of standardized exams help the admissions committee judge candidates’ academic abilities…and potential.”
• Test required. Florida, Auburn, Georgetown, MIT, Purdue, Tennessee and the military academies require testing for the enrolling class of 2024. Dartmouth for the enrolling class of 2025.

How to think about testing

Thinking about testing

• Breakaway believes that all high school students should assess their position with testing and make informed, honest and individualized decisions about how to proceed
• DeLaSalle students have always tested well, so we encourage you to consider testing as well
• A “good” test score – which is different for every college to which you may apply – will be an asset in admissions process
• And if you are going to test, it is to your advantage to do some preparation to get ready to test

Thinking about testing

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1. The need for test scores can depend on where you live and where you want to go to school
2. Competitive scores on your ACT / SAT will be an asset
3. Test scores and GPA remain key contributors to merit aid

Thinking about testing

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The importance of test scores depends on where you live and where you want to go to school. Things to consider:�

• In an era of test-optional admissions, one size does not fit all
• How you apply to one school may differ from how you apply to another
• Do most of the students at my school take the ACT or SAT?
• What are the average test scores from my high school?
• Will most applicants, especially those from backgrounds like mine, submit test scores?
• What are the average test scores at my target colleges?

Thinking about testing

Securing a competitive (“strong”) ACT or SAT score will be an asset to students in the admissions process �

• Test-optional admissions has opened a broader set of colleges to students who do not test well
• At the same time, for students who see testing as a strength, test-optional admissions and the increased access to testing are providing them with an opportunity to highlight this important attribute
• In an era of lopsided supply and demand, strong test scores can distinguish a student
• Testing is a way to gain an edge by presenting scores that are a familiar and trusted data point.

Thinking about testing

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Test scores and GPA remain key data points in merit aid decisions at dozens of competitive colleges and universities �

• While some of the nation's most selective schools don't award merit scholarships, many outstanding colleges and universities do. 
• And among those schools that do offer merit scholarships, a surprising percentage of their students qualify for such non-need-based aid.
• Competitive test scores and GPAs can help students secure these coveted scholarships at any number of great schools

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• Gonzaga University (51%)
• University of Puget Sound (47%)
• Southern Methodist University (46%)
• University of Denver (45%)
• Creighton University (43%)
• Tulane University (40%)
• Denison University (39%)

• Marquette University (38%)
• Whitman College (37%)
• Iowa State University of Science & Technology (36%)
• University of Vermont (36%)
• Loyola University Chicago (35%)
• Syracuse University (35%)

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The ACT vs. the SAT

ACT or SAT: what’s the difference?

• Offered seven times each year
• Apr, Jun and Sep – Q&A
• Time-constrained
• 215 problems in 2:55
• Straightforward
• Math formula-heavy
• Science section
• English and writing similar
• “Optional” 40-min writing section
• 40+ practice exams

• Entirely digital
• Take the test at school on a laptop/Chromebook/device
• Oct, Mar, May – Q&A
• PSAT is a benchmark
• Less time-constrained
• Far fewer questions (98)
• No science section
• Superscoring “friendly”
• 15 practice exams

ACT – 215 problems in 2:55��SAT – 98 problems in 2:14

More time-constrained but more straightforward, black/white

More relaxed pace but more nuanced, challenging

The digital SAT

• To combat the noted shortcomings of paper-based tests (testing fatigue, exam security, scheduling flexibility), the College Board will launch digital versions of the PSAT and SAT during the 2023-24 school year
• Digital PSAT debuted in October
• Digital SAT to debut in March 2024
• ACT will stay the course with its paper-based test

The digital SAT

• After the student completes stage one of either the reading/writing test or the math test, the test will determine which one of two modules to administer next
• Based on the student’s performance on the first stage, the software can choose between an easier module or a more difficult module
• R/W stage 1: 32 mins, 27 questions
• R/W stage 2: 32 mins, 27 questions
• Math stage 1: 35 mins, 22 questions
• Math stage 2: 35 mins, 22 questions
• Students will test on a locked down device, such as Mac, PC, iPad, school-owned desktop or laptop or Google Chromebook
• The entire test will be downloaded in advance, so bandwidth won’t be an issue during testing
• The app will prevent other apps from being opened during testing

The digital SAT

• The biggest content change will be in reading/writing
• Instead of subjecting students to 600-700 word passages with 9-11 questions, the digital test will present a series of much shorter passages (25-150 words), each of which has just ONE question
• Math will be very similar, though a calculator can now be used on the entire test
• College Board has released an app called “Bluebook” for students eager to have a look at the new test and to do some practice
• College Board will maintain accommodations and use the digital test for testing with extra time

Sample R/W

Sample R/W

Should I take the writing test?

• ACT – only if you are applying to West Point!
• SAT – no essay anymore

Do colleges prefer one test over the other?

No

What do I need to know about taking the test with extra time?

• You may qualify for extra time on the ACT and SAT if you meet the following conditions:

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• You have a diagnosis of a learning disability or attention disorder
• You have been on an accommodations plan for at least 12 months (ACT) and four months (SAT)
• If you meet these conditions, you should speak with your counselor/DeLaSalle’s learning specialist about taking the test with extended time

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How many times should I test?

• Most students who are serious about testing will take the ACT or SAT two to three times over the course of junior and senior year
• By taking the test multiple times, students can look to improve their scores each time
• Also have more opportunities to superscore results
• Take advantage of the summer!

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How to prepare for a test

How to prepare for the tests

How to prep

• Individualized process…what’s right for one student may not be for another
• Lots of options: DIY, classes, private instruction, online programs
• DIY – inexpensive, requires discipline, good test-taking skills, sound conceptual understanding of grammar, math, reading
• Small group classes – moderately expensive, insights into key concepts and strategies, less individualized but more time in class
• Private instruction – more expensive, tailored to your needs and schedule

When should I prepare?

When to prep

• Consider:
• Scheduling
• Readiness
• Level of commitment
• Starting earlier provides opportunity to shore up weaknesses
• Always start with a practice test
• Give yourself a couple of months to prepare
• Take occasional practice tests during prep to measure progress
• Summer before junior year is an excellent time to prepare as students are free of the demands of the school year

Spring and summer in-school prep class

• DeLaSalle is currently offering its junior class two prep options for the April ACT and two for the June ACT
• DeLaSalle will offer summer prep classes as well; details will be available this spring!
• Classes, which are led by veteran Breakaway instructors, offer 12 hours of in-person instruction, access to weekend practice tests and all materials
• Breakaway also offers private instruction for the ACT and SAT all year long

Questions?

Thank you for listening!

Questions?

john@breakawaytestprep.com

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College Admissions & Financial Aid Basics

Chris George - Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

St. Olaf College

(See Separate PowerPoint Presentation)