All juniors take the required standardized test for college admission in April. In years past, it has been the SAT. Starting spring 2025, Illinois has moved back to the ACT. More info TBA.

Students who are interested in taking additional tests outside of school can learn more about the tests, view dates/locations, register, and prepare for the tests on the SAT (College Board) or ACT websites.  

Deciding whether to take the SAT and/or ACT outside of school is a personal/family decision.  Each test is different, so some students may get a higher score on one test or the other.  Students should do research to compare the SAT and ACT tests.  Taking a practice test and comparing scores is a great way to predict which test students should expect to score higher on.  Keep in mind that colleges will accept either test, and scores are converted using the ACT/SAT Concordance Tables. 

After taking a test, you can check the SAT or ACT website to see when to expect your results as well as to access your scores. If you have issues accessing your score, please contact SAT or ACT directly.

PNHS is partnering with Excel Edge to offer an 8 week test prep workshop from January - March. 

Many students also use Khan Academy to prepare online.

Many colleges are test optional for current seniors planning to attend college in the Fall of 2025.  Some colleges will continue this policy for current juniors who plan to attend college in the Fall of 2026, but most haven't announced their decision on this yet. 

A list of list of institutions that are "test optional," "test flexible," or otherwise de-emphasize the use of standardized tests by making admissions decisions without using ACT or SAT scores is posted at FairTest, The National Center for Fair and Open Testing.