Stevenson provides school-day testing and also serves as a host for certain ACT and SAT national test dates (see tab below).
This applies only to Stevenson students:
May 5-9, 12-16
AP Exams (in-person)
Oct. 9
Digital PSAT/NMSQT*
May 5-9, 12-16
AP Exams (in-person)
NOTES:
For information on AP testing, please see our Advanced Placement page.
These exams are held in person on a school day at Stevenson.
As of the 2024-25 school year, Stevenson will now administer the ACT as part of the ISBE’s state-mandated suite of exams:
For in-school exams (PSAT and ACT), students do not need to register and there is no fee.
Additional information for upcoming exam dates is listed below.
Note: Students approved to take the SAT with accommodations may test on a different date and will be notified of their testing details via email.
Students must register and pay for these exams independently through each testing agency’s (ACT or College Board) website. For National weekend exams, Stevenson functions as a test center and not as a school so we have no control over registration, including waitlist options.
For questions about registration please contact College Board or the ACT directly.
The following national test dates will be held at Stevenson:
| Date | Location |
| Sept. 14 | Stevenson |
| Oct. 26 | Stevenson |
| Dec. 14 | Stevenson |
| Feb. 8 | Stevenson |
| Date | Location |
| Aug. 24 | Stevenson |
| Oct. 5 | Stevenson |
| Dec. 7 | Stevenson |
| June 7 | Stevenson |
Note: Sunday administrations of the SAT exam usually occur the day after each Saturday test date for students who cannot test on Saturday due to religious observance.
Stevenson High School is excited to work with Revolution Prep, a nationwide leader in tutoring and test preparation, to offer a FREE full-length digital SAT practice exam without the essay or accommodations to all Stevenson students. Upon registration, each family will have the chance to set up an optional time to meet with an Academic Advisor at Revolution Prep for a detailed SAT score report review. During the session, your Academic Advisor will provide context about the score, help you to understand the score report, identify strengths and target opportunities for improvement.
On Feb. 3, 2024 students will have the opportunity to sit for a full-length digital SAT practice exam without essay. This proctored practice test will help your student build testing endurance and give a real-time snapshot of their testing performance. Scores are received the same day.
If you have any questions please call Ellyn Ross, at Stevenson High School at 847-415-4556 or to schedule your SAT score report review with our liaison, Sam Turow, at Revolution Prep, please call 301.363.9023 or email sam.turow@revolutionprep.com. You can also schedule your session online by visiting www.revolutionprep.com/sam-turow.
No, colleges/universities do not have a preference between these two tests anymore. All colleges/universities treat these tests equally in terms of admission.
In Illinois, all juniors must take the SAT for a graduation requirement. This test is offered during the school day usually in April. Some students may score better on the ACT than on the SAT. It is a good idea to take both (even if they are just practice tests), to determine if the ACT highlights a student’s abilities better.
The SAT has two sections, Evidence Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and Math Section, and an optional Essay test. The Math section is broken into two parts, calculator, and non-calculator. They also have open-ended questions for Math. The two section scores are added together to provide the total (out of 1600 total). There is no longer a penalty for guessing, and compared to the ACT, students have more time per question overall. The reading level of the SAT tends to be higher.
The ACT has four sections, English, Reading, Math, and Science, and an optional Writing test. The four subsection scores are averaged together for students to receive a composite score (out of 36). Students can use their calculator throughout the whole math section and all answers are multiple choice. Students tend to have less time per question than on the SAT, but the reading level tends to be not as high.
Compare ACT and SAT Scores
Would you like to know what your score would be on the other test? Check out this document.
No! Both scores are considered equally for admission and scholarship consideration.
This is a personal decision. We encourage students to take advantage of the four free scores ACT and SAT provide when registering for the exam, and consider sending them to colleges/universities where they are more certain of admission (though colleges will consider the highest overall score that is sent to them). College Board does allow students to send the free scores within nine days of taking the SAT (before students receive the scores, but it allows the student to see how the test felt). Some colleges/universities require students to send all of their test scores, so sending them ahead of time can save families money.
If students qualify for a test fee waiver, College Board allows for unlimited SAT score fee waivers and ACT allows for 20 score fee waivers (after students receive their scores).
Khan Academy provides, free, customized, test prep for students. Students are able to connect their College Board account, with a Khan Academy account. Khan Academy will then take their current scores and provide support in areas that are needed. Use this link for SAT tips and strategies:
Stevenson offers a five-day summer school test prep class for the ACT and/or SAT. Students will take a practice test on the last day of the class. Families can check out the offerings on the summer school web page.
While SHS does not endorse any test prep companies, the CCC has compiled a list of local options.
PSAT/NMSQT: Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
All Stevenson High School juniors will have the opportunity to take the PSAT/NMSQT free of charge at SHS. Sophomores who wish to take the exam will have to pay a fee.
What is the PSAT/NMSQT?
The PSAT/NMSQT is a multiple-choice assessment of verbal, mathematics, and writing skills. The test measures students’ critical thinking and reasoning skills, rather than focusing on recalling memorized, rote facts. The PSAT is an optional test that provides practice for the SAT Reasoning Test through personalized feedback of student performance with suggestions for improvement.
The SAT Reasoning Test, taken later in the junior year, can be used as a standardized test in college applications and may be helpful for students wanting to pursue admission to highly competitive colleges or universities.
The PSAT also serves as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Top performing juniors nationally (approximately 1%) may be eligible for money through National Merit, National Achievement, or National Hispanic Scholarship funds.
Why take the PSAT/NMSQT?
Although the PSAT/NMSQT is an optional test, juniors should thoughtfully consider taking this test because:
All Illinois high school students must take the SAT in the spring of their junior year as part of state graduation requirements. The SAT exam is the state’s college and career readiness assessment.
The SAT exam tests knowledge in four areas:
For general questions about the SAT and the college application process, students should contact their counselor.
For specific questions about the exam administration or about accommodations, please email shs_testing@d125.org.
For more information about the SAT, including sample questions and approved calculators, please read the SAT Student Guide.
Stevenson provides students with access to a variety of SAT preparation resources:
For students whose PSAT/NMSQT results during their junior year indicate that they did not meet college and career readiness standards in Illinois, Stevenson has partnered with Revolution Prep to provide assistance. A remediation program is available through Revolution Prep; eligible students will be contacted by the school.
Revolution PREP, which provides the free SAT practice test at Stevenson for juniors, also offers interactive online tutoring with experienced tutors, matched to students’ needs and learning style. Since 2002, Revolution Prep has helped more than 1 million families to reach their goals for test prep and academic success. Visit RevolutionPrep.com for more information.
Here are other helpful SAT resources available for all students: