Frequently Asked Questions About Taking the ACT or SAT

A. The ACT assesses high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. The multiple-choice test covers four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and (optional) science. The test is designed to assess all students’ knowledge of basic subjects and is usually administered in the student’s junior year. The virtual practice ACT given by the Center for Talent Development for ATYP eligibility will not include the science portion of the test. The testing time will be two hours and twenty minutes, but the total time the students are testing virtually will be longer with breaks and instructions. 

A. The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)is a test designed primarily for college-bound juniors and seniors. The digital test consists of two sections: reading and writing (sentence completions, word context, and passage-based reading) and math (multiple choice and student-produced response questions in a calculator allowed format). The entire test takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete, but the total time the students are testing virtually will be longer with breaks and instructions. The test is designed by College Board, but we will be using a virtual practice test given through the Center for Talent Development (CTD). All Michigan high school students are required to take the SAT during their junior year to receive a Michigan diploma.

A. You have already exhibited substantial academic talent. The academic talent search process provides a second screening device, either the ACT or the SAT, which can be a valuable tool in discovering your potential for excellence in mathematics or language arts. Since it is an above-grade-level test, it provides an assessment of your readiness to study curriculum at advanced levels. Either test is fine for ATYP admissions.

A. The test will be difficult. There will be MANY questions that you will not be able to answer. Nevertheless, experience has shown that the very ablest of you will do reasonably well on the test. There is no passing or failing grade on this test. The test score only indicates the extent of your above-grade-level reasoning ability, which you cannot fully demonstrate on grade-level achievement tests because their level of difficulty is too low. Do not register for the PSAT 8/9 – it may look like the more appropriate test for your child’s age, but we do not take PSAT 8/9 scores for ATYP admission purposes.

A. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the types of questions on the test you will be taking. You can find practice versions of the SAT at collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice/full-length-practice-tests. You can find a practice ACT at act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/free-act-test-prep.html. We also offer a Test Preview Seminar that helps students understand the expectations for the test (online registration is available on our website). YOUNG STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE COACHED OR TUTORED ON AN ONGOING BASIS AS PREPARATION FOR THIS TEST. The purpose of this process is for students to demonstrate how they think about these mathematical and language arts concepts before they have been taught the content.

A. For CTD Assessments, your raw score will be available immediately in your OTUS account and a converted SAT or ACT suite score will be available within two weeks. The Toolbox will also give you resources and information about future coursework as well as access to research and online seminars. 

A. ATYP sends a follow-up email to all students who test through CTD, through ATYP, or who send us their scores. Students are notified in the spring (by late April or within one month of your test date, whichever is later) whether or not their test scores qualify them for the program. If you test by April and have not heard from us by May 1, please contact us at @email or (269) 387-3553 to make sure we have received your scores. A meeting is held in May for qualifying students with more detailed information regarding course offerings. 

A. For any age student, the CTD version of the SAT or ACT will be given online monthly from February to May through CTD Assessments. The Practice ACT will be given by ATYP on Saturday, March 1, in-person at WMU.

For students 13 or older ONLY, you may take the actual SAT or ACT at any site that is convenient for you if you can find a test center. Available sites will be listed when you register. Note: you will be taking the test with high school juniors and seniors. You must register for a test held no later than April 30 to allow for both the smoothest admissions process and ample time for summer homework. When you receive your Admission Ticket in the regular mail, be sure to open it immediately to verify the testing location that you have been assigned. Students do not always receive their first-choice location. You should email your results to us when you receive them.

A. If the weather is questionable, ATYP will send an email either confirming or cancelling the test. Test cancellation is unlikely except in cases of extremely bad weather. If the test is cancelled, you will be notified of a re-scheduled date. Test cancellations will also be listed on WWMT.com and posted on Facebook.

A.  Registration is available at the following sites:

• CTD Assessments registration online. Step-by-step instructions are available.
• In-person ATYP ACT registration online.

A. For the in-person tests, bring at least three No. 2 non-mechanical pencils with good erasers and an acceptable calculator. You may also bring a quiet snack and water bottle. Do not bring watches that beep. Cell phones must be turned off throughout the entire morning. If you will be tempted to turn it on, we recommend leaving it at home. For the online tests, have several pencils with good erasers, scratch paper, and an acceptable calculator at your station where you will take the online test. You may not use any device connected to the internet except the device in use for the test and you should close out of all programs except the test on that device. We also recommend you remove cell phones from the test area and try to create a quiet and distraction-free space for testing.

A. CTD Assessment information can be found at ctd.northwestern.edu/above-grade-level-assessment . You can reach them by phone at (847) 491-3782, ext. 2, or by email at @email. Please note that their office is not staffed on Fridays. General ATYP information can be found at wmich.edu/precollege/atyp/qualifying or contact the ATYP office at @email or (269) 387-3553.