Testing Resources

There are varying views on the subject of testing and its importance to a student’s progress. Your child can be successfully home educated without ever taking a test. However, in order to interface with the established educational institutions of our culture a test may inevitably be required. We say “may be” because there is a growing trend of colleges that do not require a college entrance exam. Recently, the Google firm published that its hiring practices are not keyed on college achievement as most, if not all of its leaders are not college grads.

The danger with testing is that parents may put the wrong value on test results. On the other hand, if your child’s first encounter with standardized testing is with a college entrance exam you have done them a disservice.

We tend to know our child’s gifting and their academic ability before ever testing. The test often validates what we already know about our child. Standardized testing is an opportunity to challenge your child and gain understanding from the experience.

Standardized Testing is like a meter; you use it to take a measurement. The measurement provides a point of reference from which you gain insight. For most it provides confirmation and insight to potential strengths and weaknesses.

For most students, standardized testing will provide some proof or validation of what you have accomplished while homeschooling. Please note that despite your standardized test results, many public schools will still require additional testing based on their academic scope and sequence.

K-12 Testing

Seton Testing offers the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT10) test online

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE offers the California Achievement Test (CAT) online

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY PRESS offers an online CAT test

Family Learning Organization (FLO) offers SAT10 online, as well as CAT/5 and CAT/6 that will be mailed to you to administer at home

College Admissions Testing

Scholarship opportunities at colleges are often tied to these test results. Two year colleges have a testing assessment you can take on campus. Having an ACT or SAT result may help with course selection options depending on the test result.

The ACT is a common test most colleges will accept as standard entrance criteria. The test comes in two varieties, with and without writing evaluation. Some universities require the ACT w/writing evaluation, please check which one your prospective institution will require.

SAT tests (and individual Subject Tests) are also common for students to take prior to enrolling at a university. Some universities prefer the SAT over the ACT test. Please check with your prospective institution to see if there is a preference.