Dear High School Parents and Guardians,
The School District of Philadelphia will be administering the SAT as well as the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) to all high school students in grades 9 through 12 on Wednesday, October 11th, 2017, at their high school. This opportunity will be at no additional costs to parents or students in grades 9, 10, and 12. A fee waiver will cover the costs of the exam for 11th grade students whose family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. The exam will be $15 for students who do not meet the guidelines for a fee waiver.
This exam will provide your student with a great opportunity to get a jump start on their journey to college. These exams provide firsthand practice for students and give them an opportunity to take a college readiness assessment. Students will be given their results in the early winter for distribution with suggestions for improvement.
By taking the SAT and/or PSAT/NMSQT your child will have access to additional SAT resources. The preparation materials will make it easier for students to navigate through numerous resources that will help prepare him/her for their future. The resources include, but are not limited to:
- Free SAT Prep through Khan Academy.
- Personalized online instruction and access to potential colleges and careers based on preference.
- Access to MyRoad, an interactive college and career planning website.
Parents/Guardians have the choice to exempt their student from participating in SAT/PSAT testing.
Please follow the instructions below to exempt your student:
Provide a communication (email, fax, letter, etc.) to the building principal requesting your student be exempted from the PSAT/SAT. Once a parent submits a written request to the school, the school will confirm that the student will be excused from SAT/PSAT testing on the date of the exam.
Students will also be prompted to complete a survey at the beginning of the PSAT/SAT. The student survey is optional for all students; however, information regarding the Student Search Service Survey is below:
Here are some key facts about the Student Search Service®: You can join for free and directly hear from a diverse group of colleges, scholarship and educational organizations. When you take a College Board test, you can opt in and colleges can send you information. You’ll be asked to provide information about yourself when either registering or taking the test. You may also provide additional information on the College Board’s college planning website, BigFuture™. Only eligible colleges, scholarship and educational organizations can participate. They most often search on expected high school graduation date, cumulative grade point average (GPA), and intended college major. College Board never shares your test scores, grades, or telephone or Social Security numbers. College Board does not allow any commercial advertising.
