- West Contra Costa Unified School District
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College Prep Resources
Advanced Placement (AP)
Description
AP Exams are rigorous, multiple-component tests that are administered at WCCUSD comprehensive high schools each May.
Students can choose from the following 36 AP exams: African American Studies, Art History, Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Chinese Language and Culture, Comparative Government and Politics, Computer Science A, Computer Science Principles, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Environmental Science, European History, French Language and Culture, German Language and Culture, Human Geography, Italian Language and Culture, Japanese Language and Culture, Latin, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Music Theory, Physics 1: Algebra-Based, Physics 2: Algebra-Based, Physics C: Mechanics, Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, Precalculus, Psychology, Spanish Language and Culture, Seminar, Spanish Literature and Culture, Statistics, United States Government and Politics, United States History, World History: Modern.
Purpose
AP Exams are an essential part of the AP course experience. High school students can earn college credit, placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. Each AP Exam has a corresponding AP course and provides a standardized measure of what students have learned in the AP classroom.
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Grade Levels Tested: 9-12
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Content Areas: 36 different exams in English, Math, Science, Social Students, Foreign Language, and Fine Arts
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Type of Questions: Multiple-Choice and Free-Response, Timed
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Length of Test: Varies
- Available Late June - Early July
- College Board sends scores to schools and schools distribute to students.
Preliminary SAT (PSAT)
Description
The new redesigned Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). The redesigned PSAT/NMSQT is tightly aligned with the redesigned SAT and provides educators and students with the chance to check in on student progress. It also gives students a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools. The PSAT /NMSQT is designed for tenth and eleventh grade students.
Purpose
The purpose of the PSAT is: to give students feedback on strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study; to show students how their performance on admissions test might compare with others applying to college nationwide; to enter scholarship competitions (11th grade students only); to participate in the Student Search Service; to gain access to online study plans and career and college planning tools; and to help prepare for the SAT.
Test Details
• Grade Levels Tested: 10, 11
• Content Areas: Reading, Writing and Language, Mathematics
• Type of Questions: Multiple-Choice and Grid-Ins
• Length of Test: Timed, 2 hours and 45 minutes
Resources
For more information, please visit the official website: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html
SAT
Description
The SAT tests skills in reading, writing, and math. The reading section includes reading passages and sentence completions. The writing section includes a short essay and multiple-choice questions on identifying grammar and usage. The math section includes questions on arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, and statistics and probability.
The SAT is offered several times a year. Most students take the SAT for the first time during the spring of their junior year and a second time during the fall of their senior year.
Purpose
The SAT is a globally recognized college admission test. It tests student knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high school classrooms. Most students take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school, and almost all colleges and universities use the SAT to make admission decisions.
Test Details
- Grade Levels Tested: 10, 11, 12
- Grade Content Areas: Critical Reading, Math, Writing
- Writing Type of Questions: Multiple-Choice, Student-Produced Responses, and Essay
- Duration: 3 hours and 45 minutes
Resources
For more information, please visit the official websites:
