National Assessments

SAT: The SAT is a standardized test often used in the college admissions process. It's aim is to assess the student's readiness for college. As of March 2016 the current test consists of Evidence-Based Reading and Writing(ERW) replacing the the English/Language Arts and Writing. Reported scores for the ERW and Math sections will from 200-800 points per section. Prior to 2016 the points were up to 800 per section. Assessments of the current and former SAT versions are not comparable. Most students take the test, which is offered several times per year, during their junior or senior year of high school.

ACT®: The ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science. The test includes 215 multiple-choice questions and with a "36" as the highest possible score. The test is offered six times per year in the U.S., and is usually taken during a student's junior or senior year of high school.

AP: Since 1984, each school district in South Carolina has been required to provide Advanced Placement (AP) courses in all secondary schools that include grades 11 or 12. These classes prepare students for the national AP examinations. Students who score 3, 4, or 5 on an AP exam are generally considered qualified to receive credit for the equivalent course(s) at colleges and universities that give credit for AP exams.

IB: The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit educational foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. IBO's Diploma Program is a high school program offered to students in the final two years of school and requires that a candidate take one subject from each of six groups: (1) the student's first language ; (2) a language and literature course in a language other than the student's first language; (3) the Individuals and Societies group; (4) the "Experimental Sciences" group; (5) the "Mathematics and Computer Science" group; and (6) the "Arts and Electives" group. Each test in the subject groups is graded on a scale of 1-7. The reported table displays results for South Carolina public school students taking IB subject area tests and receiving a score of 4 or higher (4=satisfactory performance; 5=good; 6=very good; 7=excellent).

NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress): The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is designed to measure what students across the nation know and can do in 10 subject areas, including mathematics, reading, science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, geography, and U.S. history. The main NAEP tests selected samples of the students population in grades 4, 8, and 12. Long-term trend assessments are given to samples of students ages 9, 13, and 17.