The Lycée's College Advisor provides the guidance students need to familiarize themselves with the American system and assists them in applying to U.S. and Canadian Colleges.

Lycée Guidance and Planning

There are five important steps for students to take if they want to attend an American or Canadian university after the Lycée. They should:

1. Conduct a self-assessment, including an exploration of values, goals and interests; an assessment of their academic records, as well as their personal strengths and weaknesses; and an evaluation of how they learn best and the type of people they would like to become
2. Search for colleges that best fit their interests, goals, personality and budget
3. Prepare and take the required exams (SAT, ACT, AP, TOEFL)
4. Complete the applications and financial aid forms
5. Make the right decision

Each of these steps is thoroughly explained in our Practical Guide for North American College Search and Application, which also provides an outline of the differences between the French and American systems.

At each step of the process, the College Advisor provides resources and assistance:

• The College Advisor works in close cooperation with faculty at the middle- and high-school levels to identify students' potential and interests.
• Parent/student information sessions are held in 8th and 9th grades with a focus on available opportunities.
• The Lycée registers students in the 9th grade for the PSAT, which is administered on campus.
• Preparation for the SAT, ACT, AP and TOEFL exams is available through Kaplan. The Lycée offers SAT preparation in math to 10th graders and a Kaplan SAT-prep course is available on our campus.
• An Alumni Advisory Council, composed of parent alumni of selective colleges, shares experience and advice with students and parents.
• Students have the opportunity to meet college recruiters visiting the Lycée, as well as Francis Parker High School.
• The Lycée maintains a library of catalogs and resources that are available for student consultation in the high school office.
• Information sessions on College Search, College Application, and Financial Aid for Families are held with parents every year.
• Regular one-on-one meetings with the College Advisor are scheduled at various stages of the process.

Current Lycée students who are preparing for college should download the College Planning Calendar for 2007-2008.

US College Entrance Exams

Most colleges and universities require results from one or more standardized college entrance exams as part of the college application. Students should refer to the college's website or application materials to determine which exams they will be required to take. These exams include:

The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)
This exam is an abbreviated version of the SAT I and is administered in October to prepare students for the SAT exam. Students in 9th and 10th grades are registered by the Lycée for the exam, which is given on campus. The PSAT is helpful in preparing for the SAT I as it gives students a look at the format and content of the SAT I. American citizens and permanent residents in their junior year who do exceptionally well on the exam are entered into the National Merit Scholarship competition.

SAT I (Scholastic Assessment Test): Reasoning Test
This is a 3 1/2 hour exam in three parts, which is intended to measure a student's critical reading, math, and writing abilities. The critical reading section is comprised of reading comprehension and sentence completion questions. The math section tests all levels of algebra and geometry. The writing section is comprised of an essay and multiple-choice questions testing the student's use of standard written English. The score range is from 200 to 800 on each section.

SAT II (Scholastic Assessment Test): Subject Tests
These tests, lasting one hour each, are designed to test a student's knowledge of a given subject area. Up to three tests may be taken on one test administration date. Some schools do not require students to take SAT II subject tests at all. Most selective colleges and universities require two or three SAT II tests. Students should consult each college's application guidelines to find out if they need to take any SAT IIs. English as a Second Language (ESL) students may be required to take the SAT II English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT). The score range is 200-800.

ACT (American College Testing Program)
This exam is comprised of four 35- to 50-minute tests measuring the English, math, reading, and science knowledge that the student has gained. The student's performance will have a direct relationship with educational achievement. There is also an optional 30-minute writing test. Many colleges and universities will accept either SAT or ACT scores. Be aware that, even though the ACT writing test is optional, colleges that accept the SAT will now also likely require the ACT writing test. The score range is from 1 to 36.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
This test is required of college applicants whose native language is not English and must be submitted in addition to the SAT I and, possibly, the SAT II.

AP (Advance Placement Exams)
These three-hour exams, administered in May, measure the student's knowledge of a given discipline. As they are usually based on a full-year college-level course taken in high school, not all of the exams are appropriate for Lycée students, who would not have prepared properly for them. However, Lycée students may still take AP exams, even though they have not taken AP courses. These exams are not required for college application. They are typically taken in the spring of the junior or senior year, and are offered for the possibility of earning college credits or advanced placement in the subject. If taken in the spring of junior year, colleges may take AP exam scores into consideration as part of the application process.

U.S. College Entrance Exams Schedule

The SAT I, SAT II, and ACT exams are offered on various dates throughout the school year. It is highly recommended that students take the SAT I. SAT II, or ACT exams in the spring of their junior year, and that they take the SAT I no later than the May sitting. This will allow the student, if necessary, to take the exams again in the fall of their senior year. Students may take the exams as many times as they like. However, students are unlikely to significantly change their scores after a second attempt. Also note that students may not take the SAT I and the SAT II on the same day.

Except for the PSAT, these exams are not administered at the Lycée. The tests are taken at designated testing centers. Students will find the locations in the registration booklet. The tests fill up quickly, so students should register as early as possible.

Registration forms for the SAT I (Reasoning Test), SAT II (Subject Tests), and ACT are available from the College Advisor, or online at www.collegeboard.com and www.act.org.

The TOEFL is offered throughout the year at designated test centers. It is a computer-based exam. Refer to the TOEFL Information Bulletin for examples of questions. The TOEFL Information Bulletin is available from the College Advisor.

The following sites are useful for gathering information on the ACT, PSAT, SAT, and TOEFL exams: www.act.org; www.ets.org; and www.collegeboard.com.

Click here to download the 2007-2008 College Admissions Testing dates and deadlines.