Wayzata High School Understanding EXPLORE & PLAN Results S Why did your student take the EXPLORE/PLAN?  These tests shows academic strengths and weaknesses in English, math, reading, and science  These tests helps students search for careers and learn which ones might be right for them  These tests helps student’s choose high school courses that will prepare them for college and work The test: includes four multiple-choice tests: EXPLORE PLAN Subject Number of Questions Length of Test Subject Number of Questions Length of Test English 40 30 Minutes English 50 30 Minutes Math 30 30 Minutes Math 40 40 Minutes Reading 30 30 Minutes Reading 25 20 Minutes Science 28 30 Minutes Science 30 25 Minutes The English Test • The English Test measures your understanding of standard written English—punctuation, grammar and usage, and sentence structure (Usage/Mechanics)— and your understanding of the use of strategy, organization, and style in writing (Rhetorical Skills). • You receive a total score for the English test and separate scores (called "sub scores") for Usage/Mechanics and Rhetorical Skills. The Math Test • The Math Test measures your mathematical reasoning. The test focuses on your ability to reason in math rather than on how well you have memorized formulas or can do involved computations. • Questions on the test cover four areas—knowledge and skills, direct application, understanding concepts, and integrating your understanding of concepts—in prealgebra, elementary algebra, geometry, and statistics and probability. The Reading Test The Reading Test measures your ability to understand written material from different school subjects. The skills measured include referring to details in the passage, drawing conclusions, and making comparisons and generalizations. The test does not cover information outside the passages, vocabulary taken out of context, or formal logic. The passages are typical of materials you might read in school, including: • Prose Fiction: Short stories or excerpts from short stories or novels. • Humanities: Excerpts from memoirs and personal essays, and from works on architecture, art, dance, ethics, film, language, literary criticism, music, philosophy, radio, religion, television, and theater. • Social Sciences: Excerpts from works on anthropology, archaeology, biography, business, economics, education, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology. The Science Test o The Science Test measures your scientific reasoning skills and your ability to understand scientific information and draw conclusions from it. Six sets of scientific information are presented in one of three formats:  Data Representation (graphs, tables, and other forms)  Research Summaries (descriptions of several related experiments)  Conflicting Viewpoints (two or more hypotheses that are inconsistent with one another). o Materials for this test are drawn from the life sciences, Earth/space sciences and physical sciences. The test emphasizes your scientific reasoning skills rather than how well you can recall scientific facts, or your skills in mathematics or in reading. How do EXPLORE, PLAN, and the ACT Align together? o o o EXPLORE is the first part of a testing system that goes on to include PLAN and the ACT. Typically, students take EXPLORE in the 8th or 9th grade, PLAN as 10th graders, and the ACT as juniors or seniors. All three test you in English, math, reading, and science. However, the material tested in each program gets more difficult. This is why the top scores are different. Program Grade Level Composite Score Range EXPLORE 8&9 1 to 25 PLAN 10 1 to 32 ACT 11 & 12 1 to 36 College Readiness Benchmarks EXPLORE PLAN Test Score Test Score English 13 English 15 Math 17 Math 19 Reading 16 Reading 18 Science 18 Science 20 Score Report Side 1 Your Scores • • • • Scores are between 1-25 Composite Score is the average of the 4 test scores. Score Reports show how students did in percentiles In the example above, the student scored in the 69th percentile in English. This means they scored at or above 69% of those who took the test. Your Estimated PLAN/ACT Composite Score Range • Your EXPLORE scores can be used to predict how you are likely to do if you take the PLAN as a 10th grader • You can use these predicted or estimated scores to see if you are “on track” to achieve the scores you want by the time you take the ACT later in high school. Areas in Which Your Student May Want Additional help • When students took the EXPLORE, they were asked whether or not they needed help in each of seven different areas. The areas they checked are reflected on their Report Sheet. Your Plans for After High School 14 College Readiness The Interest Inventory Students were asked to consider how much they would like doing a variety of activities and were asked to answer with one of the following: • I would dislike doing this activity • I am indifferent (I don’t care one way or the other) • I would like doing this activity World-of-Work Map The map shows how Career Areas differ in their involvement with four basic work tasks. Working With: 1. Data 2. Things 3. Ideas 4. People Your Career Possibilities Minnesota Career Information System (MCIS) The Minnesota Career Information System (MCIS) is an Internet-based system that combines a wealth of career, educational and labor market information into one comprehensive, easy-to-use exploration tool. With MCIS, students can: • Learn about over 520 occupations • Develop a personal portfolio • Research colleges, universities, and career schools • Improve job search skills and create a resume http://www.mncis.intocareers.org User Name: Wayzata Password: Trojans EXPLORE/PLAN Score Report Side 2 EXPLORE Interpretive Visuals 9/2008 20 Review Answers Your Skills What do you do now? Now that your student has taken EXPLORE, you know much more about their skills, career interests, and readiness for college. Using the Score Report, ask yourself some questions:  Does my high school course plan include challenging college prep courses?  What skills do I need to work on to be sure I am on target for college?  How can I learn more about careers that interest me? Important Skills to Have Before Entering High School • Set a regular time and place to study each day and throughout the week. • Keep a daily “to do” list. • Set goals for yourself. • Do your reading assignments before the material is discussed in class. • Pay close attention and take good notes in class. • Prepare for tests during your regular study times instead of cramming at the last minute. Keys to Good Educational and Career Planning  Take challenging college prep courses in high school.  Explore the many career options available to you and think about how your career choices will affect your future.  Set career goals and develop an educational plan to achieve them. Questions? S