The PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, ACT, and CLT are college entrance exams. The College Board administers the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT exams, and the ACT administers the ACT exam. The burden of registering for and taking the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, or ACT exams is on the parent and student. Kolbe Academy does not locate or provide a physical setting for students to take the exams.
Even if students does not plan to continue with post-secondary education right after high school, taking college entrance tests will provide insight into their academic strengths. If you are planning on applying to a college or university, check with the school(s) you are interested in attending to find out what type of entrance exams they require or accept. Although many schools may be “test optional”, it is also important to consider scholarship opportunities. Many schools may be “test optional” for admissions, but not for merit scholarships.
CEEB (College Entrance Examination Board) Code
Kolbe Academy CEEB Code: 052084
When taking the SAT, ACT, or CLT, though, we recommend that students enter Kolbe’s CEEB code. Doing so will allow us to receive the student’s test scores for their records. When taking the PSAT, unless the student resides in California, we recommend that he or she enter their own state’s homeschool code rather than Kolbe’s CEEB code on the exam. This is because the PSAT is a competitive exam for determining recipients of National Merit Scholarships, and students compete with other students from their own state for those scholarship awards. Each state has a different qualifying score to earn these scholarships, which is calculated on the collective performance of the students in each state. Because Kolbe Academy is registered as a private school in California, any student using our CEEB code for the PSAT will compete with other students from California for the National Merit Scholarship awards. As California is a large state with a very large population, the qualifying score in California tends to be one of the highest in the nation.
PSAT/NMSQT
The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a standardized test administered by the College Board and cosponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in the United States. The PSAT/NMSQT is taken during junior year, but the PSAT or PSAT-10 may be taken in sophomore year. This will depend on what is offered at your local school. The College Board offers a suite of assessments including the PSAT 8/9 as well as the SAT.
A great benefit to taking the PSAT (other than gauging readiness for college and serving as a practice run for the SAT) is that it gives students an opportunity to earn scholarships. The PSAT/NMSQT is co-sponsored by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Every year, millions of dollars in scholarships are awarded to high school Juniors who take the PSAT/NMSQT.
- Visit https://www.collegeboard.org
- Visit the Homeschooled & Away Students Page for more details on when and how to take these exams
- Search for schools administering SAT and PSAT-related Assessments here
- Plan to reach out to local schools at least four months in advance of the exam
The SAT
- Visit https://www.collegeboard.org
- Check test dates & register online
The ACT
- Visit http://act.org/
- Check test dates & register online
The Classic Learning Test (CLT)
Our partners over at Classic Learning Initiatives have developed an alternative suite of standardized tests rooted in classical tradition while taking advantage of modern technologies. The Classic Learning Test© suite of assessments (CLT, CLT10, and CLT8) offer a highly accurate and rigorous measure of reasoning, aptitude, and academic formation for students from diverse educational backgrounds. Taken online in just two to three hours, the exams provide parents, secondary schools, and colleges with detailed analyses of student learning trends to facilitate decisions about admissions, curricula, and instruction.
Like other college entrance exams, there are scholarship opportunities with the CLT exams as well. The CLT10 provides scholarship opportunities through a partnership with the National Association of Scholars, and there are over 100 participating colleges and universities that offer scholarships based on CLT scores. Please refer to the CLT website for more information.
- Use the sign up link for the CLT, CLT10, or CLT8 by visiting our Classic Learning Test Page
- Get 50% off your exam by using the code KOLBE50 at checkout
Advanced Placement (AP®) Exams
Advanced Placement (AP®) Exams enable students to earn college credit or to test out of some prerequisites for college while still in high school. The College Board (www.collegeboard.org) administers (AP®) exams. A student does not need to be enrolled in an AP® course to take an AP® exam. The burden of registering for and taking an AP® exam is on the parent and student. Kolbe Academy does not locate or provide a physical setting for students to take the exams.
⚠️WARNING⚠️
You are NOT registered for the exam with Kolbe Academy
regardless of what appears in AP Classroom.
Families with students in Kolbe’s Online AP courses will need to find a school where their students can take the AP exam. Parents, students, and Kolbe online teachers cannot order AP exams directly. Schools have fall ordering deadlines, so please begin working to find a seat in September for the best odds of securing a testing location locally. You need to do the following as early in the school year as possible:
- Use the AP Course Ledger to look up nearby schools where you might be able to test.
- Contact schools and ask to speak with the AP coordinator to see if one of them can arrange testing. Students should remember that schools may have their own local deadlines and policies regarding testing outside students. The school will need to offer the test you need to take and be willing to test outside students.
- If the school agrees to order and administer the exam, they will do the following:
- Inform you of exam fees & ordering deadlines.
- Create an exam only section for each exam subject being taken at their school.
- Provide the join code for each exam only section to you so you can enroll in the section in My AP.
- Inform you when and where to take the exams.
- Collect exam fees.
- Students will be enrolled in both the class section on AP Classroom through Kolbe Academy and the exam-only section through the school where they will be taking the exam.
- If you plan to take an AP exam in the spring, please take care of finding your testing location sooner rather than later.