High School Assessment

Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP)

Government

The High School Assessment (HSA) for Local, State and National (LSN) Government, is an end-of-course test that measures progress toward Maryland’s High School Core Learning Goals (CLGs) and is part of the graduation requirements. Therefore, high school students enrolled in Local, State and National Government must take this high school assessment at the completion of the course.

ELA

Math

Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA)

Alternate Assessment in Science

Alternate Assessment ELA/L and Math

ACCESS for ELL's

Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners is a secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment given to Kindergarten through 12th graders who have been identified as English language learners (ELLs). It is given annually in WIDA Consortium member states to monitor students' progress in acquiring academic English.

Scores from the HSA and other state tests are posted on the Web at www.mdreportcard.org

Other High School Tests

Updates & Information

About Standardized Tests

Many U.S. colleges require that student submit standardized test scores as part of their admissions application packages. Standardized tests provide a consistent way for a college to evaluate a student and sometimes even help choose the right courses. The SAT and ACT are the most common college standardized tests. For information about these and other tests, talk to your high school counselor, or to the admissions offices at the colleges you are interested in attending.

Note: There are some colleges/universities that are what is considered Test Optional. These schools either look at other factors for admission decisions (such as GPA, interviews, recommendation) or do not emphasize a student's standardized test score in admission decisions.

See a list of these Test Optional institutions

SAT

Study Resources

Students who have already taken the PSAT can access free personalized SAT study resources provided by Khan Academy. Khan Academy has partnered with the College Board to offer a study plan that is designed specifically for each student based on his/her PSAT scores. With student/parent permission, Khan Academy will use students' score results to create a study plan specifically designed for them. For additional information visit the SAT Prep website.

Get the Know the SAT

Find out what kinds of questions will be asked and which skills and knowledge areas will be tested. Go to Test Design at Inside the test
The following resources became available to students once they took the PSAT:

Big FutureTM: a personalized online college and career planning tool that contains:
- an online PSAT/NMSQT Score Report
- a customized My SAT Study Plan™
- a personality test
- personalized lists of colleges, majors, and careers
Student Search Service®: a program that lets students receive free information from colleges, universities, and scholarship programs
Score Report Plus: comprehensive feedback on performance and skills

SAT and ACT Family Institute Presentation

Register for the SAT

Visit the College Board website to register for the SAT.

Class of 2022 learn more about the scholarship opportunity and apply: College Board Opportunity Scholarships

PSAT

PSAT 10 and PSAT/NMSQT

The PSAT 10 will not be administered this year to students in Grade 10. Some schools may offer PSAT/NMSQT. Students should check with their Professional School Counselor to see if the school will offer an opportunity for students to take this assessment. The College Board has created another way for students to be considered for the National Merit Scholarship if they are not able to take the PSAT/NMSQT assessment. Please use the below link which outlines all the details and steps for alternate avenues of consideration at the National Merit Scholarship site:

How to Enter the National Merit Scholarship Competition. Any student who would like to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship should visit the National Merit Scholarship Competition site, review the competition rules, and follow the steps outlined in lieu of the PSAT/NMSQT for this school year.

PSAT 8/9 Resources

Sign up for personalized practice through Khan Academy.

PSAT 8/9 is a way to encourage your child to start thinking about life after high school. We have attached some helpful resources related to the SAT Suite of Assessments.

PSAT 8/9 Parent Presentation

ACT

The ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in English, Math, Reading, and Science. ACT results are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, including a short break (or just over four hours if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing). Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 30 minutes if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing).

ACT Test Prep

If you registered for the ACT and had your registration cancelled

Below are the options currently available to you:

You may be able to find an alternate test center by making a test center change within your ACT web account. Unfortunately, in most cases, there is limited availability for July testing, but your account has the most up-to-date listing of available test centers and will be faster and more accurate than calling ACT to request a new test center. ACT has extended the deadline for you to be able to make this change to July 1.
Consider waiting to test in the fall. Beginning the week of July 27, 2020, ACT plans to offer a new registration experience for test events starting in September. Please look to www.act.org for information about being able to make reschedule your existing registration as that time approaches.

ACT will be adding additional test events in the fall to offer flexible options to examinees. You can find information about these additional dates posted to our website!

If needed, you can complete this web form to request a refund of your registration fee.

ACCUPLACER

ACCUPLACER is an integrated system of computer-adaptive assessments designed to evaluate students' skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.
ACCUPLACER delivers immediate and precise results while successfully assessing student preparedness for introductory credit-bearing college courses.
This assessment is offered to eleventh and twelfth grade students with a 2.5 GPA or higher interested in Dual Enrollment.

Please refer to Dual Enrollment for more information.