Students, please CLICK HERE for the SAT STUDENT GUIDE.
Counselors, please CLICK HERE for SAT WAIVER INFORMATION.
Please contact your School Counselor or email us at collegeandcareer@philasd.org if you have any questions.
The SAT
Created by The College Board, the SAT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions.
As of March 2016, there are two SAT sections: Math, Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, plus an optional Essay. The Essay results are reported separately. Start to finish, the test will take you three hours and 50 minutes.
Each section of the SAT is scored on a 200 to 800 point scale, making the “perfect” score 1600. Learn more about your SAT Score Report.
You can maximize your scores with official SAT prep and practice, click here to access Khan Academy.
SAT Dates & Deadlines
To learn how to read and understand your SAT Score Report, CLICK HERE.
To learn how to read and understand your PSAT/NMSQT Score Summary Report, CLICK HERE.
The Teen Center at the Free Library of Philadelphia offers FREE SAT & College Prep Workshops on select Saturdays through May, they will cover many aspects of the college application including financial aid, scholarships, essays, and test preparation. Registration is required, please email TeenCenter@freelibrary.org or call (215) 686-5395 to register.
SAT Prep – April 22, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. – Parkway Central Library
Scholarship Opportunities – May 6, 2023 – 12:00 p.m. – Virtual
The ACT
Created by ACT Inc., the ACT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. The ACT has four sections: English, Reading, Math and Science, as well as an optional 40-minute writing test. Some schools may require the writing test, so be sure to ask before you take it. Learn more about what’s on the ACT.
You’ll earn one ACT score (1 to 36) on each test (English, Math, Reading and Science) and a composite ACT score, which is an average of these four tests. Usually, when people ask about your score, they’re referring to your composite ACT score. The composite score falls between 1 and 36. The national average is about 21. If, for example, you scored 31 on the English, 30 on the Math, 29 on the Reading and 30 on the Science, your composite ACT score would be 30.
The ACT includes an optional essay, known as the writing test. If you take the writing test, you will receive a writing test subscore and a combined English/writing score.
Please contact your School Counselor for assistance with registration for the SAT and ACT exams.