General School Information - College-Bound Information

College-Bound Information

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT): is a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT, a college admission assessment. It also gives students a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs. The PSAT will be administered in each high school in October to all 9th-, 10th-, and 11th-graders and to selected middle school students. NPS pays the fee for most students.

SAT: is a measure of the critical-thinking skills needed for academic success in college. The SAT assesses how well students analyze ans solve problems. SAT results and high school records are the two primary factors of college admission. Students should take the SAT in May/June of their junior year and in October/December of their senior year if junior scores are low.

American College Testing (ACT) Program: ACT Assessment tests are universally accepted for college admission, including all of the Ivy League schools. The ACT is curriculum-based, and the questions on the ACT are directly related to what is taught in high school courses in English, mathematics, and science.

Tidewater Postsecondary Fair: The Annual Tidewater Postsecondary Fair is sponsered by school counseling departments from both Norfolk and Portsmouth. Each year, approximately 95 participating colleges and universities provide students, parents and counselors with information related to college admission, scholarships and financial aid. The fair will be held on October 30, 2007 at Virginia Wesleyan College.

College Application: Seniors should begin completing college applications during the summer so fall deadlines can be met. Applications for early admission are due by November 2007. Other applications should be submitted before January 2008.

Financial Aid Form (FAF): FAF forms are available in the school counseling and ACCESS offices and should be completed and mailed after January 1, 2008.

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