October 2022
The Importance of Standardized Tests
Jennifer Williams, Dean of Academics
Prince Avenue Christian School is a school that provides a comprehensive, quality, college preparatory education with a Christian worldview. We partner with parents and work hard to ensure that all students have the opportunity to pursue the post-secondary education they choose. Along with a student’s academic grade point average, many colleges and universities look at standardized test scores such as the SAT and ACT to determine acceptance and scholarships.
Scoring high SAT/ACT scores not only increases a student’s acceptance chance but also increases access to scholarship opportunities. Applying for scholarships is a competitive process, but one of the best ways to obtain these scholarships is to improve your SAT/ACT scores. Adequately preparing for a standardized test is very important, as even a minor increase in your score can be the difference between receiving a scholarship or not.
Teachers and administrators at Prince want to offer as many opportunities as we can to help our students perform at their highest level on the SAT and/or ACT. In order to help our students, we are working on the following items this year:
               
  • Middle and high school math teachers are incorporating standardized test practice questions into their daily lessons. Students are being given the opportunity daily to discuss and review math concepts that maybe they haven’t seen in a few years. This practice is also utilized to help give test-taking strategies to students when they approach the math portion of the SAT or ACT.

  • PACS is partnering with Dean Academy to offer onsite, in-person, boot camps for the SAT and ACT. These two-day course offerings allow students to work through math and language portions of the standardized tests to discuss test-taking strategies. Dean Academy has worked with students for over seven years helping to increase test scores on the ACT and SAT.

  • Teachers are attending professional development sessions offered by ACT to hear strategies they can implement in their classes to help students perform higher on their standardized tests.

  • Students in grades 9-11 will take the PSAT on October 25th and 26th. This is a practice SAT where underclassmen have the opportunity to experience and practice a standardized test before they take the actual SAT.

  • Students in grades 9-10 will take the PreACT on November 18th. This assessment will give students the opportunity to see what the ACT looks like and the areas they need to practice before they take the actual ACT in their junior year.

  • Students in grades 1-8 will take the Comprehensive Testing Program 5 (CTP5) test offered by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) in the spring. This will allow lower and middle school students the opportunity to experience a standardized test. This will also allow Prince teachers to identify areas they need to focus on as they implement standardized test practice questions into their lessons.

Standardized tests can be stressful for students, parents, and teachers. However, we possess all the tools needed to be successful on standardized tests. We look forward to seeing the forthcoming college acceptances and scholarship opportunities that will be given to the graduating class of 2023.
Prince Avenue Christian School's mission is to partner with Christian
families to provide scripturally based discipleship while pursuing excellence
in academics, fine arts, and athletics from a biblical worldview.