Schedule of Standardized Testing in Upper School
Today’s “Thought to Consider” focuses on standardized testing. Cannon’s college counseling department has revised the schedule of standardized testing exposure to accommodate spring testing for juniors and certain compliance measures required by the North Carolina Department of Non-Public Instruction.
NOTE: Tests referenced below will be administered at Cannon School.
For the current (2020-2021) school year, we made the following modifications to the schedule. The following test administrations will take place this year:
PSAT – October 14, 2020
- Only juniors took the PSAT on October 14th. The PSAT is the entry point into the National Merit Scholarship competition.
- As noted below, in future years, we intend for both sophomores and juniors to take the PSAT in October.
EARLY SPRING ACT w/ WRITING – March 2, 2021
To be in compliance with the NC Department of Non-Public Instruction, Cannon must offer standardized testing to 9th graders, and the preACT and PSAT no longer qualify as meeting this compliance. Instead we will offer the ACT with Writing (the Writing section is required to meet compliance). Cannon’s college counselors will share more information about this test with students and parents prior to the registration deadline.
- Freshmen will be required to take this exam as part of Cannon’s compliance with NCDOE. Freshmen accounts will be billed $16 for this exam, since it is required for compliance.
- Sophomores will be encouraged to take this exam as further practice with the ACT. Sophomores who choose to take the test will be billed the full cost of the exam.
- Juniors will be strongly encouraged to take this exam, especially if they have demonstrated strength in the ACT in prior years. Juniors who choose to take the test will be billed the full cost of the exam.
Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, the schedule of standardized testing exposure by grade level will be –
Freshmen Early Spring ACT w/ Writing (required)
Sophomores Oct PSAT (required), Early Spring ACT w/ Writing (encouraged, as space allows)
Juniors Oct PSAT (required), Early Spring ACT w/ Writing (strongly encouraged)
Seniors *September SAT (optional)
| *Sept SAT | Oct PSAT | Early Spring ACT w/ Writing | |
| 9th | —– | —– | Required |
| 10th | —– | Required | Encouraged, as space allows |
| 11th | —– | Required | Strongly Encouraged |
| 12th | *Optional | —– | —– |
*indicates Saturday testing; all other tests take place during the school day
Click on the following link to learn more about the PSAT.
Click on the following link to learn more about the ACT.
Students and parents who would like additional information or have follow-up questions are invited to contact their college counselor.
House Integritas – Beth Wilner – bwilner@cannonschool.org
House Humanitas – Kristin McClanahan
House Animus – Alex Segura
House Impetus – Brook Wolcott