Help! My child is in high school now what?????

ACT                                               PSAT                                                                      COMPASS


                     SAT                                                           CLEP
                         
                                                      MNSQT
PLAN    
                                                                                         AP

                                SAT II

As if the task of homeschooling your child all the way through high school isn't scary enough, you now have to decipher what all of those fancy abbreviations mean.  Even for the most OCD veteran home-schoolers, all of those little letters can cause a great amount of anxiety and maybe even PTSD.  LOL!

Which test does your child need?  When should your child take the test?  Can they take it again if they did not do so well?  And what exactly is an SAT or  an ACT?

I will try to break this down with the tests that most of our children will be taking, the PSAT, SAT, and/or the ACT.  These are on our radar for the next couple of years.

What the heck is the difference between achievement and aptitude?  Well, aptitude is a test regarding your reasoning and verbal skills.  It actually has nothing to do with what you may or may not have learned in school.  There is really no good way to study for this type of test.  An achievement test is a test designed to test you on what you have learned in school.  I know???

The ACT test is a test for college readiness and career planning tool.  The ACT is an aptitude test.
You can read more about the ACT here.

The PSAT test is to provide practice for the SAT.
You can read more about the PSAT here.

The SAT test is another standardized test for college admissions.  Another test designed for college readiness and help chart out a career plan.  The SAT is an achievement test.
You can read more about the SAT here.

These are the general consensus that I came up with during my extension search on this topic.

In 9th, relax.  Just focus on learning and developing good time management skills.

In 10th, keep the focus on academics but try and prepare for taking the SAT or ACT.  You can find practice tests here at The Princeton Review practice tests, free..  They are free, and they do not go on your record.

In 11th, this is generally when the PSAT/SAT/ACT is taken.  This way, there is enough time to retake the test for a better score in 12th grade.

In 12th, plan to retake or take the SAT or ACT for a final result.

This is a lot of information to absorb, and I have already taken all of those but that was about a million years ago.  I will leave you with more links to go through because I need an NAP at this moment.  Good luck!

Here are a few of the best high school homeschooling blogs anywhere.  These ladies also keep a lot of us afloat with all of their creativity and willingness to share ideas.
Heather W-blogshewrote
Kendra-Aussie pumpkin patch
Jimmie-jimmie'scollage
Jeanine Fulbright

My Pinterest page
A to Z college profiles
SAT college board
another link for when to take...
what is a good SAT score?
what is a good ACT score?
PSAT Pinterest
SAT Pinterest
ACT Pinterest