If you’re a junior or senior in high school in an online academic program and you’re headed to college in the upcoming years, then you’ll want to take either the SAT or ACT to prepare for college admissions. Your first step is to find out which test the colleges you’ll be applying to require you to take. In recent years, many colleges and universities have stopped requiring these standardized tests, but they recommend you take them if you need a good way to show your academic abilities. For online students, taking the SAT and ACT will follow the same process as for most other students. However, Northgate Academy wants to help you feel as confident as possible when you sign up for either standardized test, so here are the steps you take to register for whichever test the colleges of your choice require.
SAT Sign-up
Your first step is to find out where you want to take the test. You can see if your local high school offers the test by calling them and asking to speak to the guidance counselor or administrator in charge of standardized testing. If they offer the test to their students, find out when they offer it and if you can participate. If they say yes, they should be able to walk you through the process. If your local school doesn’t offer the test to outside students, you’ll use the SAT Test Center Search to find the best location for you.- Determine when you want to take the test. You can find the test dates and registration deadlines under “School Year Test Dates.”
- Create or sign-in to your free College Board account. Keep in mind that you are supposed to register yourself, not have someone else do it for you. You’ll need about 30 minutes to register, so be sure that you set aside enough time to finish the process.
- When you register, you need to be able to upload a photo as part of the SAT registration process. The photo must be a .jpg, .gif, or .png. If your photo is too light or too dark, too far away or too close, if your face is partly covered or your head isn’t straight forward or is out of the frame, or if the photo includes another person or is clearly not you, then your photo won’t be allowed and you won’t be allowed to take the test.
- You’ll also need your payment of $60 ready unless you qualify for a test fee waiver.
- Finally, you’ll need your school’s testing code. Northgate Academy’s is 240003.
- Be sure you have everything you need on test day.
ACT Sign-up
- Use the ACT’s Find a Test Center feature to find the location where you’d like to take the ACT. If you would like to try to take the ACT at your local high school, you’ll need to call them and ask to speak with the administrator or guidance counselor in charge of standardized testing to find out if they give the ACT to their students and if they allow outside students to take the test. If they do offer the test to outside students, then they will be able to tell you what you need to do next.
- Once you’ve got your test center location ready, you’ll also want to be sure you have selected a test date that works with that center. The test dates are already set, and you can find them listed under “2022-2023 Test Dates.”
- If you don’t already have an ACT account, you’ll need to create a MyACT account.
- When you’re ready to register for the ACT, you’ll need about 30 minutes, so be sure you’ve set aside a little longer than that to work through the process. You need payment information, high school course details, and a headshot photo in order to register.
- The photo requirements have to be followed in order to be allowed to take the ACT on test day. It has to be a clear photo of only you, including your full face and shoulders, with you squarely facing the camera. Your photo has to be in portrait, not landscape, view without any sort of dark glasses or enhancements like emojis, stickers, lenses, filters, or text. Wearing a head covering for religious reasons is fine, but you do have to adjust it so that your full face is visible in the photo. The photo has to be in .jpg, .jpeg, .png, or .bmp file format.
- Once you’ve registered and have signed up for the test, you’ll also want to review what to bring on test day.
Taking the SAT or ACT is a college bound student’s rite of passage in a way. However, it doesn’t have to cause major anxiety or be terribly complicated. As long as you have the information you need gathered ahead of time, it should be smooth sailing. And if you’re terribly worried about test prep, Train The Brain offers live SAT test prep online to help you prepare and increase your confidence before test day.
About Northgate Academy
If you’re not already a student at Northgate Academy but you’re interested in using our faith-based online high school program as an accredited choice for your Christian student, your Christian school, or as a resource for homeschool coursework, you can check out our programs online. We welcome and support our part-time students too. Every full-time student at NGA is assigned an Academic Success Coach and can communicate directly with their instructors via email or reach out to our staff through online chat and text.
Still have questions? Feel free to send us a text at 763-412-4701 or call us at 800-339-7132. Our academic support team will be happy to answer your questions or help guide you to the best program for you or your child.
