AP Exams

AP Exams are national standardized exams designed to measure how well students have mastered the content and skills of a specific AP course. Students enrolled in any of our 9 AP courses can earn college credits by taking an AP exam for that course in May.  If a student earns a score of 3, 4, or 5, most colleges will recognize that the student proved mastery in understanding the material covered and will award credits.  NOTE:  each college has different parameters for how they award  AP credits.

Students must register to take AP exams by mid-November of each year.  If you have any questions about AP testing, see your AP teacher or Mrs. Schuh.

Preliminary Testing

PreACT - Freshmen and Sophomores
All freshmen and sophomores will take the PreACT in the fall. This test is highly recommended because it gives students a chance to practice the ACT college entrance exam. Students who qualify for extended time testing or other accommodations will be notified by the counseling department. Results of the PreACT are shared with students at the end of Term 2 or beginning of Term 3, and then reviewed with students and parents during Sophomore Parent Conferences.

PSAT - Juniors, some Sophomores
Juniors will have the opportunity to take the PSAT. The PSAT is a good predictor of how students might do on the SAT college entrance exam. Additionally, the PSAT is the National Merit Scholarship qualifying test. It's also one more opportunity to practice standardized testing, and some students find that they do better on the PSAT than the PreACT.  The SAT can be chosen over the ACT for college entrance exams.

Each year 10 to 15  Xavier sophomores choose to take the PSAT to practice for taking the exam junior year. These sophomores are typically very strong test takers with the potential to be National Merit Scholarship Finalists (which requires a score in the top 1% of test takers).

Registration for the the PSAT takes place in September, and emails are sent to students and their parents with information on how and when to register. The PSAT is offered on the Saturday national test date, and results are returned to students around the end of Term 2.

Understanding Your PSAT/NMSQT Score Report

Access your PSAT/NMSQT report online and learn how ready you are for college, explore which AP courses are a good match for you, and get insight into which skills to focus on in order to prepare for the SAT.  This video  from The College Board will help you understand your score report.

College Entrance Testing

These tests are typically taken by juniors and seniors.

ACT 
This is the college entrance exam most commonly taken by Xavier students and is accepted by most colleges in the United States.  Students register online for their desired test date and location.  Testing accommodations requests must be made with the cooperation of Eric Neiswender, a Xavier counselor.  (Please see 'Testing Accommodations' below for more details.) 

SAT
The SAT is a college entrance exam which includes testing in the areas of Math, Reading, and Writing.  Students may submit either ACT or SAT scores to all universities and colleges. 

TOEFL
This exam is for International Students planning on attending college in the US. Most colleges will have this as an additional requirement for entrance. For more information on this test, visit the TOEFL website at ets.org.

Registration
The registration deadline for all tests is generally one month before the test date. Specific dates can be found on the websites. For the ACT, the months of February, April, and June tend to be the busiest months, so registering early is wise if you would like to test at a nearby location.

Which test is right for me?

Wondering if you should take the ACT or the SAT? Check out this article - 10 Differences Between the SAT and ACT Exams - for help.

ACT Fee Waivers Available

ACT allows eligible students to take up to two ACT tests free of charge.  If you believe your family might qualify for a fee waiver, please contact your counselor or stop in the counseling suite.

Testing Accommodations

Accommodations on the ACT, SAT, Advanced Placement (AP) exams, and  continuing accommodations at the college level depend heavily on having documentation of the student's disability or medical condition.  In most cases, the documentation should be no older than 3 years prior to the school year in which the request is made. If an evaluation is needed, it is best done in the sophomore year to allow the documentation to be current for both the junior and senior year testing requests, as well as for the first year of college.

How to Request

• Discuss the need for testing accommodations with your school counselor during your student-parent conference in sophomore year.
• If needed, make sure you have current documentation, possibly necessitating a visit to a licensed psychologist for learning disabilities or your physician for physical disabilities.
• Notify Eric Neiswender when you intend to take the ACT, preferably at the beginning of your  junior year, so he can help make the request. 

Test Accommodations Quick Facts:

• ADHD or a learning disability in reading, writing, or math may qualify a student for test accommodations.
• A mental health diagnosis such as depression or anxiety may qualify a student for accommodations.
• Large print materials can be requested for those with a visual acuity disability or students with motor control issues who are not able to fill in a standard size scantron.
• Students with Irlen Syndrome can request to be allowed to use colored overlays during testing.
• Students with medical conditions may qualify for appropriate accommodations.  E.g. diabetic students  may request stop-the-clock breaks to check blood sugar and/or bring snacks.

Please see the ACT website for all possible accommodations and circumstances.