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ACT

PSAT

Crimson Cliffs ACT Test for Juniors is March 24!

The ACT is a standardized college entrance exam accepted by all major U.S. colleges and universities. It measures a student’s high school learning and readiness for college-level coursework in core academic areas.

Key Information for Students & Parents

  • Core Test Duration: ~2 hours and 5 minutes (excluding optional sections).

  • Scoring: The Composite score ranges from 1 to 36 (calculated as the average of the core sections).

  • Format Flexibility: Offered in both paper-and-pencil and digital formats.

  • Admissions Impact: Official scores can be submitted to colleges to satisfy entrance requirements, qualify for merit scholarships, or place into appropriate college courses.

Test Structure & Breakdown

  • English (35 mins | 50 questions): Focuses on grammar, usage, punctuation, and writing style/rhetorical skills.

  • Math (50 mins | 45 questions): Covers algebra, geometry, and basic trigonometry. Math questions feature 4 multiple-choice options, and calculators are permitted.

  • Reading (40 mins | 36 questions): Tests reading comprehension across literary narratives and informational texts.

  • Optional Science (40 mins | 40 questions): Evaluates data interpretation, analysis, and scientific reasoning skills. Students can choose whether to include this section based on their target colleges’ requirements.

  • Optional Writing (40 mins | 1 essay): Measures argumentative essay writing skills.

Why Take It?

Alongside the SAT, the ACT provides students with an opportunity to showcase their academic strengths to college admissions boards and qualify for institutional and state scholarships.

Crimson Cliffs PSAT Test for Juniors is October 14!

The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is a standardized, digital assessment co-sponsored by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. It gives high school students early practice for the SAT while providing feedback on their college and career readiness skills.

Key Information for Students & Parents

  • Primary Purpose: Serves as a low-stakes trial run for the SAT and acts as the official qualifying exam for 11th graders seeking National Merit Scholarships and recognition.

  • Test Format: A fully digital, adaptive exam taken on a laptop or tablet via the College Board’s Bluebook app.

  • Duration: 2 hours and 14 minutes.

  • Score Range: 320–1520 total (scored on a parallel scale to the SAT’s 400–1600 range).

  • Admissions Impact: Scores are not sent to colleges and do not affect college admissions decisions.

Test Breakdown

  • Reading & Writing (64 minutes): Measures reading comprehension, vocabulary in context, text analysis, and standard English conventions.

  • Math (70 minutes): Focuses on algebra, advanced math, problem-solving, data analysis, geometry, and trigonometry. A built-in Desmos graphing calculator is available for the entire section.

Why Take It?

Beyond practice and potential scholarship opportunities, your score report highlights your academic strengths and areas for growth, unlocks personalized SAT practice on Khan Academy, and helps match you with AP courses that fit your skills.

ACT Test Prep

Magic word for Shmoop: DIRTYSODA (all caps) 

PSAT Test Prep and Instructions

ACT or SAT?

The SAT and ACT are both college entrance exams accepted equally by all major U.S. universities. They cover similar core subjects (reading, writing, and math), but they differ in format and pacing:

  • SAT: A fully digital, adaptive exam (2 hours, 14 minutes). It features shorter reading passages with one question per passage, allows a calculator for all math questions, and offers slightly more time per question.

  • ACT: A faster-paced exam available on paper or digitally (about 2 hours, 5 minutes for core sections). It features longer reading passages, tests a slightly broader range of math concepts, and offers an optional separate Science section.

How the PSAT Differs from the SAT

The PSAT (Preliminary SAT) is essentially a shorter, lower-stakes version of the SAT designed as a practice tool. Here is how it differs:

Feature PSAT SAT
Purpose Practice for the SAT and qualification for 11th-grade National Merit Scholarships. Official exam used for college admissions and college merit scholarships.
Sent to Colleges? No. Scores are completely private to the student and school. Yes. Official scores can be submitted on college applications.
Score Scale 320–1520 (PSAT 8/9 is 240–1440). 400–1600.
Difficulty & Content Slightly easier, excluding high-level math taught late in 11th/12th grade. Slightly harder, testing full high school reading, writing, and math concepts.

Note: The PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and PSAT/NMSQT are all part of the same test family—they use the same question style and digital Bluebook format as the SAT, but scale up in grade-level difficulty as students get older.