Beyond the ACT & SAT –

1. Beyond the ACT & SAT – SAT Subject Tests, APSs & CLEPS Cindy Felso, Real Learning Atlanta July 29th, 2014

2. The “Buzz” CLEP-ping out of a lot of college. Skipping Intro Classes based on AP scores Not being prepared for college work without APs Needing all AP classes for consideration by good colleges. Unaccredited homeschoolers needing a million SAT subject tests. It would look better to be to be dual enrolled in college for junior and senior years. Students hopelessly lost that don’t start taking APs freshman year

3. Sneak Peek At Tonight’s Take-Aways These things are always changing . More important than any general sense of what defines success – look to the requirements of the college you’re interested in. Go ahead and trust your instincts. Define education on your terms & make the tests work for you, don’t define education by the tests and end up working for them!

4. Subject tests offered by College Board on SAT dates throughout the year - $16 per test ($26 for language tests with listening) plus a registration fee of $26 for each test date (sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-subject-test-dates) – 200 - 800 point scale • I.D. requirements – passport, driver’s permit, or non-driveri.d. card (picture registration) • Requirements vary by college • Some colleges will grant credit for certain level scores – (from 2014-15 GeorgiaTech catalog: 680 Chemistry – exempts 4 credit hours in CHEM1211K, 750 English- exempts 3 credits in ENGL 1101) • Great idea for unaccredited homeschoolers to validate learning • Also a good idea to validate strength in an area like science for a student headed in that area SAT Subject TestsValidation – Credit(sat.collegeboard.org)

5. SAT Subject Tests for Homeschoolers From College Board Website (sat.collegeboard.org) • Homeschool Students: Some colleges and universities may require or recommend SAT Subject Tests for homeschooled students to provide additional insight into their academic readiness for college. If you’re a homeschooled student, be sure to check the specific policies for the institutions that you’re interested in. Beyond fulfilling college application requirements, SAT Subject Tests can also help homeschooled students better understand how well they’ve learned the subject matter as compared to students across the country and even the world.) • Great idea for homeschoolers, particularly in subjects that aren’t tested on ACT/SAT – history, science, foreign languages

6. College Level Examination Program (CLEP) – tests $80 each – offered year round at testing centers (Administered through College Board) Scaled Scores Between 20 and 80. • Taken to demonstrate mastery of subjects for possible college credit • Accepted mostly at state schools and lower ranked private schools – but…..this is changing! • Used in cost saving programs such as College Plus • Not considered as rigorous as AP/IB CLEP Testsclep.collegeboard.org

7. (Excerpted from: education-portal.com) • University of Florida • Texas A&M University • University of Arizona • Michigan State University • DePaul University Florida State University • Arizona State University • Drexel University • University of Kentucky • Temple University George Mason University • University of Louisville • Northern Illinois University • Colorado State University • Emerson College To check for a college you are interested in: clep.collegeboard.org/search/colleges? Notable Traditional Universities Accepting CLEP Credit

8. Example: University of Georgia – CLEP credit given(from clep.collegeboard.org/search/colleges?) Exam Minimum Grade for Credit Credit Hours Awarded History & Social Sciences Humanities503 50 3 Introductory Sociology503 50 3 Social Sciences and History506 50 6 Mathematics College Algebra503 50 3

9. AP Classes & Tests Advanced Placement Tests offered in the first two weeks of May at schools across the country. Considered most rigorous advanced placement tests aside from IB tests.* Scores range from 1 – 5. Price of tests - $89. Sign up at private or public schools offering seats to homeschoolers. (Check with: Pinecrest Academy, Gwinnett Public Schools) Are they necessary for college admission? Are all AP subjects treated the same when it comes to college admissions? Test without a class/Class without a test? Getting started as early as possible (Is that the goal?) Why all the hoopla about APs in the local schools? – tracking & GPAs *A word about IB – Similar in rigor to AP, though completely connected to IB curriculum program – online option is new, still a work in progress: pamojaeducation.com/admissions

10. Getting College Credit for AP Testsexcerpted from: http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/students/ugrad/geninfo/advplacement.php

11. A Little Less “Buzz” • CLEP-ping out of a lot of college. • Skipping Intro Classes based on AP scores • Not being prepared for college work without APs • Needing all AP classes for consideration by good colleges. • Unaccredited homeschoolers needing a million SAT subject tests. • It would look better to be to be dual enrolled in college for junior and senior years. • Students hopelessly lost that don’t start taking APs freshman year

12. LEO Course Registration is now Open for fall 2014!! (www.lifelongeducationalopps.com) Thanks for attending!Questions & Comments – Contact: Cindy@reallearningatlanta.comorteresa@notnats.com Attend an online Demo of NGStudent Let Teresa know if you would like to attend a webinar demo of NGStudent’s ACT/SAT prep program on Tuesday, August 12th. This program is offered at LEO, under Cindy’s direction as well as completely online for distance students. Send an email to receive an invitation link for the demo.