Testing Information
Urbana High School's CEEB Code for ACT/SAT is
144-185
- The PLAN is a "pre-ACT"
for 10th grade students. The goal of the PLAN is to help students plan and
prepare for their future. Limited information is available here.
- ACT has a site with information here on
testing dates,
fees, tips, etc. You can register
online. The ACT test is the college entrance exam preferred by most
colleges and universities in the Midwest. Students normally take the ACT between
April of the junior year and October of the senior year. If already took the
ACT but you need your score sent to a school/agency you did not list when
you originally took your ACT, you need to fill out an Additional
Score Report form. Writing is now an optional component
on the ACT. There is an added charge for taking the ACT Writing Assessment.
Many colleges recommend the Writing test, and a few require it. Unsure about
the school you're considering? Check with that particular college's admissions
office for the most accurate info, or check the ACT
Writing Assessment page for a list of colleges and "What
Colleges Have Decided about the Writing Test." Urbana High
School's ACT code is 144-185.
- Urbana High School usually runs an ACT Prep Program for
juniors prior to PSAE testing in April. More information on this program is
available on our PSAE page.
There are ACT Prep Classes offered in the community. Scroll down for links
to those.
- The College Board site is a great
source of information on the PSAT,
the SAT
, and Advanced
Placement (AP) exams, in addition to other services such as those related
to financial aid that are offered by the College Board. Online
SAT registration is an option. The SAT is preferred by many private
colleges and universities and those outside the Midwest. Students normally
take the SAT in the between spring of the junior year and fall of the senior
year. Urbana High School's code is 144-185.
- ACT and SAT are indeed different types of tests. Compare scores on the
two by using the ACT/SAT
Concordance Tables. Be aware that some colleges (including the University
of Illinois) have established their own concordance tables based on institutional
research. When students have taken both ACT and SAT, colleges generally use
whichever score is higher, giving the student the "benefit of the doubt."
Parkland College Assessments
- Students planning to attend Parkland College in Champaign must take assessment
tests at Parkland
Assessment Center. These academic assessments help determine skill levels
in reading, writing, and mathematics. All degree-seeking or course enrollee
students must be assessed before registering for classes. This site has general
information about how to register for the assessments PLUS it has materials
to help students prepare for the assessments. Click on "Assessment methods
and placement procedures" to see if your ACT score and/or high school
coursework might exempt you from a test. Click on "Test-taking tips and
COMPASS test examples" for English and Reading test materials. Students
are encouraged to spend some time using the downloadable
study guide for the math assessment test.
Illinois Consumer Education Proficiency Test
- The state of Illinois requires all students to pass either a class or state
test covering a number of topics related to consumer education. The Illinois
Consumer Eduction Proficiency Test is free and is given in October and
January. Students wishing to take the test may do so once per school year.
A PDF file of sample
test items is available. It is highly recommended that students do some
reading of consumer ed/economics materials before taking the test.
Prairie State Achievement Exams (PSAE)
- Testing all juniors in April has become an Illinios tradition. The Prairie
State Achievement Exams cover two days, with the first day being a full
ACT. Much information and interactive sample questions are available from
the state. Of course, preparation for the ACT is available a number of places
(see below) and from ACT itself. See the UHS
PSAE page for more school-specific information.
TOEFL and ASVAB
- International students planning to apply to a college or university
are frequently asked to show proficiency in the English language. The TOEFL
(Test of English as a Foreign Language) is the most common test for measuring
proficiency. This site provides study information, test dates, locations,
and other information on TOEFL, as well as information on the TWE (Test of
Written English) and/or TSE (Test of Spoken English).
- The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude
Battery (ASVAB) is given without monetary cost for students interested
in exploring the military as a post high school option. Many students take
this test at the high school in October, while others take it at a site arranged
by a military recruiter. This site provides a good deal of information about
the test and a few sample questions. Once scores are back, you may want to
explore the Military Career
Guide for information on specific jobs within the military.
Test Preparation
- ACT offers test
taking strategies and sample test questions on their official site. If
this is the only preparation you do before taking the ACT, at least
read the tips here and be a little more familiar with the test!
- Prepare for the SAT (SAT I and SAT II:Subject Tests) with free or low-cost
study materials from The
College Board's SAT Preparation Center. Choose from an Online SAT Sampler,
take a mini-SAT to analyze your strengths and weaknesses and get a predicted
SAT score.
- Number 2.com is "the Internet's first
source for absolutely free test prep." Covering SAT I and ACT material and
vocabulary, the site gives background on what the tests really test, what
they're comprised of, and how to best prepare for the different question types.
A "coaching system" allows parents to link to the student's account to get
updates on their progress. Everything on the site is FREE!
- There are several options for locally-presented workshops
on test preparation. These include:
- Better Test Scores Evening
and Saturday classes at Judah Christian HS, some sessions are held during
breaks from school. This program is offered to UHS students (classes held
at UHS) at a reduced cost.
- Kaplan Test Prep (located on UI
campus)
- Parkland
College Very economical. One two-hour class. Good for those who don't
want to spend much time or money but want to have some preparation for
the test.
- Sylvan Learning
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Home Page
Last updated:
Tue, March 2, 2010
Urbana
High School (www.usd116.org/uhs/)
1002 South Race Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801
217-384-3505 | fax 217-384-3532
Last updated:
Tue, March 2, 2010 7:25 AM