The ACT is an entrance exam used by some colleges to make admissions decisions. It is administered by ACT, Inc to measure a student’s readiness for college.

How important ACT scores are varies from school to school. Overall, the higher you score on the ACT and/or SAT, the more options for attending and paying for college in the US will be available.

Please visit ACT, Inc for information on dates, locations, and fees.

Students and families need to register and pay for these exams as they are not offered at SPS or The Center School.

AP exams will be in-person at 8am.

• May 8, 2024 – Statistics
• May 14, 2024 – English Language & Composition

If you have any questions about AP exams, please reach out to Kat Vatne at kevatne@seattleschools.org.

Students in AP courses can earn college credit and/or advanced placement in college if they perform well on AP Exams given in May and if their college of choice accepts the AP exam for credit. College credit is not guaranteed but rather is determined by each individual college upon the student’s enrollment in that college. AP courses at The Center School prepare students for these exams and offer a rigorous subject study available.

The Center School offers AP exams for students who are enrolled in an AP course at TCS or another Seattle public school.

The Center School will be using the Total Registration site this year for AP registration.

Please Note: AP offerings at TCS may vary from year to year depending on student interest and staffing. Prerequisites for AP courses are outlined in the course descriptions in the TCS Course Catalog.

ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is a military exam that is designed in four domains:

• Verbal
• Math
• Science/Technical
• Spatial

Students must earn a score of 32 or above, for both math and English.

*Note: Students who pursue the ASVAB exam do not need to meet English and math requirements separately. English and math content is embedded in the pathway—and a student who meets the ASVAB standard has met the graduation pathway requirement.

SAT

The SAT is the most widely used college admission test in the country along with the ACT. SAT scores demonstrate students are prepared for college with necessary skills and knowledge.

All SPS Seniors will be automatically registered for the exam. No action is required of families in advance. 

No cost. Families and students will not be charged for the test, which normally carries a minimum cost of $57. The school-day test is free.

Students may also send up to four score reports for free. The school-day test permits students to send score reports to as many as four colleges or scholarship programs.

The Center School will be hosting the SAT on October 9th, 2024 at 8:50 AM. Please reach out to Kat Vatne at kevatne@seattleschools.org for more information.

PSAT

The PSAT provides valuable feedback on strengths and the skills necessary for college study. Students can then focus their preparation on areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice. The PSAT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills and writing skills.

Gives insight on how a performance on an admissions test compares to others applying to college. Helps students prepare for the SAT . Students will become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions they will see on the SAT.

Could help Juniors qualify for scholarships . The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) for Juniors is a program co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corp. (NMSC).

The Center School will be hosting the PSAT on October 23rd, 2024 at 8:50 AM. Please reach out to Kat Vatne at kevatne@seattleschools.org for more information.

SBA TESTS (ELA & MATH)

Date: May 1st & 2nd

The Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) is State required and determines students’ progress toward graduation and college, career readiness in English language arts/literacy and math.

All TCS 10th graders are required to take the SBA in ELA and Math.

All TCS 11th graders are required to take the SBA in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, unless they previously passed the test as 10th graders. 

The high school ELA and math assessments can be used to meet a student’s graduation pathway requirement.

Washington Comprehension Assessment of Science (WCAS) Exam

Date: May 2nd

The WCAS assessment is based on the Next Generation Science standards being used in our Science classrooms at all grade levels. The new standards are designed to mirror the thinking and practices used by scientists in the real world – focusing on the core ideas of science, science and engineering practices and key concepts that cut across all the disciplines of science. This set of ideas and practices are key to preparing our students for any study in science they do beyond high school.

The WCAS is not required by the district and instead is used to provide meaningful information to the State.
More information about graduation requirements