College Admissions Testing

CRMS is an ACT and SAT testing center. Sophomores are required to take the PSAT on the national test date each fall. All juniors take the PSAT, SAT, ACT and a set of Subject Tests if needed during the course of that year. Seniors are strongly encouraged to retake the SAT or the ACT and Subject Tests during three fall testing dates.

PSAT/NMSQT
The PSAT is given annually to all CRMS sophomores and juniors. Students are automatically registered for this exam which will be given on a Wednesday in mid October. Score reports and test booklets will be returned to students in January. For juniors, it is the mechanism for entry into the National Merit program.

SAT REASONING TEST (formerly known as the SAT I)
While high school grades are a very useful indicator of how students will perform in college, there is great variation in grading standards and course rigor within and across high schools. More than 80 years ago the College Board created the first standardized college entrance test to help colleges and universities identify students who could succeed at their institutions and to connect students with educational opportunities beyond high school.

Today, the SAT Reasoning Test is the benchmark standardized assessment of the critical reading, mathematical reasoning, and writing skills students have developed over time and that they need to be successful in college. Each year, more than two million students take the SAT. Nearly every college in America uses the test as a common and objective scale for evaluating a student's college readiness.

SAT SUBJECT TESTS (formerly known as the SAT II's)
These are 60 minute multiple choice exams designed to measure knowledge and skills in particular subject areas. Students take the Subject Tests to demonstrate to colleges their mastery of specific subjects like English, history, mathematics, science, and language. The tests are independent of any particular textbook or method of instruction.

Many selective colleges  and California public schools use the Subject Tests. In combination with other background information (your high school record, scores from other tests like the SAT Reasoning Test, teacher recommendations, etc.), they provide a dependable measure of your academic achievement and are a good predictor of future performance. Some colleges specify the Subject Tests they require for admission (e.g., University of California requires Math Level II and one other); others allow students to choose which tests to take.

If Subject Tests are required (and at most schools they are not!) you should take them at the conclusion of a related course (e.g., AP Physics). They are only 60 minutes long and you can take up to three on the same day. You cannot take the SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject Tests on the same SAT date.

To access additional SAT information, please go to the College Board website.

ACT
The ACT Assessment is another standardized college admissions test battery that is accepted at colleges and universities as an alternative to the SAT. The ACT test assesses high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work.

To access additional ACT information, please go to their website.

TOEFL
The Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) is for students whose native language is not English. It is submitted in addition to the SAT or ACT.

FairTest.org
This organization keeps a complete list of all schools that do not require standardized tests for admission to college.

SAT Test Prep Options
The marketing of SAT preparation programs has become big business. There are a bewildering array of companies, books, and software programs available to help you prepare for the College Entrance Tests. As long as they don't take time away from your homework or other activities, spending some time preparing makes sense. There are valuable test-taking tips and strategies that you should learn. SAT Reasoning Test scores may help distinguish you from other applicants; but so will success in an especially rigorous set of courses, involvement in school or community activities, or demonstrating an outstanding talent.

CRMS is excited to announce the addition of the test preparation program, ePrep, for juniors and seniors. Juniors will meet weekly throughout the fall to prepare for the SAT and ACT. Additionally, CRMS students will have access to this program wherever internet service is available. ePrep helps students of all ability levels reach their goals by offering individual instruction in a way that is engaging, convenient, and effective. Catering to different learning styles, the ePrep program offers written instruction as well as expert videos that “show" a student how to answer each question. Students can click on a link for each of their mistakes and receive a mini video lecture explaining the correct answer. The ePrep program will support our students as they navigate their educational goals. .

Free Online SAT and ACT Preparation
Number2.com: Provides online test preparation courses are totally free! By creating an account you can access a customized course that includes user-friendly tutorials, practice sessions that dynamically adapt to each student's ability level, a vocabulary builder, and more. Since 2000, over 2 million students have enrolled in Number2.com's online courses, and the web site now receives over 50 million hits per month. If you are the type of student who is motivated to prepare on your own rather than attending a class, this site is great.