COURSE DESCRIPTION AND REGISTRATION GUIDE

OVERVIEW OF COURSE OFFERINGS

The High School Program of Studies is designed to provide all students a wide variety of challenging courses in all curricular areas. Schools must prepare students to succeed in the global economy of the 21 st century. Students must acquire academic knowledge, technical skills, problem-solving abilities and teamwork techniques. This Program of Studies provides the opportunity for students to prepare for post secondary education or to apply their skills in the workplace. Students select among courses appropriate for their career plans. Career guidance and counseling is provided to all students in assisting them to select courses that will prepare them for future career options.

SOUTH CAROLINA END-OF-COURSE TESTS

After completion of Algebra 1 or Mathematics for the Technologies 2, Biology 1 or Applied Biology 2, English 1, US History, and Physical Science, a statewide common exam will be administered on the following schedule:

The end-of course test shall be weighted 20 percent in the determination of the student's final grade.

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CURRICULUM OPTIONS

TECH PREPARATORY COURSES

Tech Prep courses are courses which build student competence using applied methods of instruction. These courses are equivalent to traditional college preparatory courses in rigor, content and standards; they differ in that they place emphasis on the application of knowledge, problem solving strategies and skills in the use of workplace technology.

COLLEGE PREPARATORY COURSES

College Prep courses are offered at two levels in order to meet the differing needs of students. CP-A designates Tech Prep and CP-B designates traditional College Prep. According to the S.C. Uniform Grading Policy, both levels are weighted the same for calculation of GPA. Both levels are designed to prepare students to meet the S.C. Curriculum Standards. CP-A college preparatory courses and tech preparatory courses (tech prep) are designed to prepare students for post secondary studies and the workplace using applied methods of instruction. Problem solving strategies and applications relevant to workplace technology and communication will be emphasized. Students planning to seek a two-year or four-year college degree or to enter the workplace or the military will benefit from these courses. CP-B college preparatory courses are designed to prepare students for post secondary studies in traditional academic programs in four-year colleges and universities. These courses place emphasis on theory, research, problem solving and academic writing.

CONCENTRATED SEMESTER SCHEDULE: 4 X 4

Clark Corporate Academy will utilize a 4 period a day/semester schedule for the 2007-2008 school year. This concentrated semester schedule, also known as 4 x 4, is designed to help students succeed. Students are able to take four (4) 90-minute classes each term. They may earn 8 credits per year and may have a total of 32 choices over a 4-year period.

Advantages to the concentrated semester schedule are obvious. Taking four courses enables students to focus their time and energy for increased learning and improved grades. Teachers have fewer students to work with so they can get to know and help each individual better. Longer class periods allow time for varied instructional methods, widespread computer use and completed laboratory activities and projects. Research indicates improvements in grades and discipline.

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GUIDELINES FOR REGISTERING

All freshmen and sophomores must register for 8 units of high school credit. Students must make an alternate course selection for each elective course. Juniors must register for at least 6 units of credit. Seniors are required to enroll in at least 4 courses with a minimum of 2 courses in one term and 2 in the other term. Students and parents should exercise good judgement in selecting alternates, for these will replace any selected elective courses without further consultation with students or parents.

All English courses must be taken in sequence (I, II, III, IV) with only one required English per year unless a course is being repeated. Placement in the 9 th grade math classes is determined by the level of math achieved at the end of the 8 th grade. Physical science is the initial science course for beginning 9 th graders. Grades, test scores, and teacher recommendations will determine placement in classes. Students should not register for courses for which they are not prepared. Each course begins at an expected level of student ability and performance.

AVAILABILITY OF CLASSES

Decisions on whether courses can be offered are dependent on student enrollment and teacher staffing. Clark Corporate Academy reserves the right to cancel or eliminate courses for any given school year. If the administration decides to cancel a course due to low student enrollment or lack of teachers, the student's alternate choice will be used. If that course is also not available, the student will be consulted to make a new selection. If the student cannot be reached, the principal or guidance director will make the choice for him or her.

CURRICULUM OPTIONS

There are 2 major curriculum paths at Septima P. Clark Corporate Academy , both of which could prepare graduates for college study.

TECH PREP PATHS

Occupational Focus: This option prepares students to enter the work force immediately after high school graduation and at the same time gives students the academic preparation to enter a 2-year technical college when the student is ready for additional study or training for career advancement.

Technical College Focus: This option prepares graduates to enter 2-year colleges and study for a mid-level technology career. Students completing this option may be eligible for advanced placement at a technical college depending on the high school courses taken and competencies acquired.

COLLEGE PREP PATHS

College Prep Focus: This is the traditional high school program for students planning to attend a public or private 4-year college or university following graduation from high school.

Honors/AP Focus: This curriculum is also designed to meet entrance requirements for both public and private colleges/universities. Students enrolled in AP courses will take the College Board's AP test. Students who are successful on AP tests may expect college credits and/or advanced placement at colleges and universities.

Students may also acquire college credits through dual enrollment at the high school and Trident Tech or other colleges with the principal's approval.

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GRADE CLASSIFICATION

GRADE 9

In order to be classified as a ninth grade student, the individual must have met the requirements of the Grade 8 Promotion Standard.

GRADE 10

In order to be classified as a tenth grade student, the individual must have completed six (6) units to include:

One unit in English 1
One unit in mathematics

(For purposes of the administration of the HSAP SC Exit Exam, students will be tested in the spring of the second year after their initial enrollment in 9th grade, even if they are not classified as a 10th grader for other purposes.)

GRADE 11

In order to be classified as an eleventh grade student, the individual must have completed twelve (12) units to include:

One unit in English 1
One unit in English 2
Two units in mathematics
One unit in physical science

In addition, students who do not pass one or more subtests of the S.C. Exit Exam (HSAP) administered in the tenth grade will be put on academic probation until all subtests are passed.

GRADE 12

In order to be classified as a twelfth grade student, the individual must have completed eighteen (18) units to include*:

One unit in English 1
One unit in English 2
One unit in English 3
Three units in mathematics
Two units in science

In addition, the student must be enrolled in all other units (required and elective) needed to complete graduation requirements.

When, based on the student's schedule, it is anticipated that a student will complete graduation requirements by the end of the school year, the student may be placed in a senior homeroom at the beginning of the first semester even if all of the units listed above are not completed.

*****A unit of study that meets the Comprehensive Health Requirements must be included in a course completed by the student prior to graduation such as Personal Health, Community Health, Human Growth and Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Science Technology, Orientation/Study Skills for freshmen. 

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COLLEGE CREDITS WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL

Clark Academy students may also obtain college credits through the following programs:

Advanced Placement Courses are designed for students ready for college level academic work. This program is operated by a national organization, the College Board, which defines course curriculum, provides teacher training, and administers a national standardized examination for each course. Most colleges award college credit to students who earn at least a rating of "3" out of a possible "5" on the examination while others require a score of “4”. Some colleges require successful completion of AP courses for admission to the college and do not award credits toward the college degree. Parents and students are advised to check with colleges for details.

Technical Advanced Placement Courses are offered through an articulation agreement with Trident Tech. By making at least an 85 average in designated high school occupational courses, students can receive credit at Trident Tech toward a 2-year degree. See the information on articulation in the Business Department for details.

Dual Credit Courses are college courses taken at Trident Tech or other accredited colleges, which can also count for high school credit. Students must have prior permission from the principal to enroll for dual credit. Forms for permission to enroll in college courses for dual credit are available in Guidance. Only courses applicable to baccalaureate or associate degrees in arts or in science offered by accredited institutions in South Carolina may be accepted for dual credit. Participating students receive high school Carnegie units toward high school graduation and also receive college credit from the cooperating college. Tuition, books and other college course fees shall be at the expense of the student or his/her parents or legal guardians. A three-hour college course shall transfer as 1/2 Carnegie unit at the high school. These courses receive an additional weight of .5 on the South Carolina Uniform Grading Scale.

The Teacher Cadet Program is a college level dual credit course intended for students intereste in pursuing a career in education. Opportunities are provided for students to gain factual information about teaching activiites in various school settings Clark Academy Teacher Cadets recieve college level credits from the College of Charleston.

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SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS

In order to receive a state high school diploma, the student must have attended the high school issuing the diploma for a least the semester immediately preceding graduation except in the case of a bona fide change of residence to a location where the sending school will not grant the diploma. Units earned in a summer school program do not satisfy this requirement.

No student shall be allowed to apply to the units required for a state high school diploma more than six units earned in summer school and/or through approved correspondence courses and/or through adult education programs.

*Many colleges recommend that college bound students earn 2-3 units in the SAME foreign language.

**A Career and Technology unit used to meet the computer science unit required for graduation cannot be used to meet the Tech Prep unit requirement for graduation. An approved sequence of Career and Technology courses (4 units) leading to a career goal will be considered as program completers. Students who are completers will receive a Completer Certificate in addition to their South Carolina High School Diploma.

**** South Carolina Exit Exam: Beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, the new South Carolina exit examination (HSAP) will be administered in mathematics and English language arts. Students must pass all sections of the exit examination in order to graduate with a South Carolina High School Diploma in May 2006. Students who fail one or more sections of the exam may retake the failed section(s) during the junior and senior years. (Students who first took the BSAP Exit Examination, as a tenth grader will always retake sections of that test unless they fail to graduate by May 2005.)

Remediation for the exit examination is provided. Once all other graduation requirements are met, the student may continue to participate in remediation and retake sections of the test until reaching the age of 21. Students who have met all other graduation requirements but have not passed the exit examination must choose from the following alternatives:

•  in lieu of a S. C. High School Diploma, accept a certificate indicating the number of credits earned and the grades completed;

•  attend remediation in tuition summer school (i.e., payment is required), pass the exit examination and receive a diploma from the home high school;

•  enroll at the home high school as a full-time student (minimum course load of 5 units), including remediation, and retake the exit examination and receive a diploma from the home high school; or

•  accept a certificate, officially withdraw from the home high school, enroll in an adult education center for remediation services, pass the exit examination and receive a S.C. High School Diploma from the high school where the adult education center is based.

To be admitted to retake any section of the exit examination, the student must have attended a minimum of 12 hours of remediation for each section, either through the high school, summer school or the adult education program.

Effective 2005-2006, all students must take Physical Science prior to the Exit Exam at the end of 10th grade. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and the South Carolina Department of Education recommend that college bound students earn 4 credits in laboratory science, including Physical Science. Colleges will expect that students graduating at the end of the 2007-2008 school year and later earn 4 units in laboratory sciences. Students in their freshman year 2003-2004 are affected by these recommendations.

KEYBOARDING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

All students must demonstrate proficiency in keyboarding by either passing the keyboarding proficiency test or successfully completing a keyboarding course. Students will demonstrate computer literacy by successfully completing one unit of computer science. For all business and marketing computer courses, keyboarding for a half credit or the equivalent keyboarding skill based on the keyboarding course competencies is a prerequisite.

All students must earn one unit of credit in computer science. If the student takes a keyboarding course, that course may count as ½ of the required unit of computer science; however, if the student passes the keyboarding proficiency test, a full unit of additional computer science credit must be earned. The following courses meet the computer science requirement:

Keyboarding
Information Technology Foundations
Computer Applications
Computer Technology 1 and 2
Word/Information Processing 1 and 2

A unit of credit applied toward the computer science requirement may not also be used to meet the math requirements or the Tech Prep Completer requirements for graduation.

ATTENDANCE/DENIAL OF CREDIT

Attendance is a requirement for promotion and/or credit. Students must attend at least 85 days of a 90-day course or 170 days of a 180-day course. Credit for any course MAY be denied if a student does not meet these attendance requirements. By state law , if a student has attended less than 60 hours of a 1/2 unit course or less than 120 hours of a 1 unit course, credit MUST be denied . If absences are excused, the student may be allowed to make up the hours missed in order to satisfy the 120-hour requirement.

NOTES FOR ABSENCES

Per South Carolina law, excessive absences may lead to denial of credit . Students must present a legitimate excuse to proper school officials within three (3) school days following the return from an absence or absences. These notes are crucial in determining whether credit can be awarded. Physicians' notes and excuses for legal appointments and death in the family are important factors in determining if credit can be awarded.

EARLY COMPLETION

The purpose of having a 4 x 4 schedule is to provide students more opportunities to take a broader array of courses as well as to have room to "specialize" in a career interest area. Course requirements are outlined for each grade level. Early completion is highly discouraged and will be considered on an individual basis after the principal receives a written request from the parents and student detailing reasons for the request. A conference with the student's parents, counselor, and administrator will be held. Graduation will be held only at the end of the school year. Students are encouraged to take advantage of dual credit and other curriculum opportunities that will better prepare them for further studies and employment.

LATE ARRIVAL /EARLY DISMISSAL

The first priority given in course scheduling is to make certain that all students receive the strongest academic preparation possible. Freshmen and sophomores are not eligible for late arrival/early dismissal. Late arrival or early dismissal will be considered only after all other courses are scheduled. Seniors must be enrolled in at least 6 courses for the year..

COURSE LOAD

All students enrolled as regular students in Grades 9-12 at Clark Corporate Academy must be enrolled in a minimum number of courses or unit equivalents as follows:

School-To-Career Work-based Learning (internship, co-op or apprenticeship) may count as the fifth unit in Grade 12. 

SCHEDULE CHANGES 2007-2008

Students are urged to consider their course selections carefully during registration. Teacher assignments, course offerings, and class sizes are determined from registration information. The master schedule is developed based on what students requested in the spring. Any request for a schedule change for the 2007-2008 school year must be made prior to May 27, 2007.

After May 27th, students may not request changes except for the following reasons:

1. When credit is needed for graduation.
2. When credit has been earned in summer school.
3. When a student has not passed the pre-requisite for the next course.
4. When the administration determines a level change is necessary based on the recommendation of the teacher and approval of the parent.

Choice of teachers cannot be honored. Schedules cannot be changed to accommodate jobs after school. Schedules will not be rearranged to accommodate requests for late arrivals or early dismissals.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM OUT OF CCSD

When a student transfers into CCSD, the guidance staff at the school analyzes the transcript. Most courses will be comparable to courses offered in CCSD; SASI course numbers may be used when entering the data from the transcript. Follow the directions below to assign transfer numbers and grade weights.

High School Transfer Credits Procedures

In all transfers, when a student is moving to the next level of instruction (e.g., transferring in Spanish 1 and enrolling in Spanish 2), the school may enroll the student in the higher-level course and, if the student is unsuccessful, move the student back to repeat the transferred course as an audit. The grade transferred would remain on the student's record. Such decisions should be made only after consultation with the teacher, student and parents.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

High School schedules and course offerings vary from high school to high school both within Charleston County School District and from district to district. Parents and students are cautioned that it may not be possible to transfer all credits for courses in progress from one school to another if the student transfers during the middle of a school year. The difficulty in transferring credit increases if the move occurs during the semester. Every effort will be made by the receiving high school to evaluate a student's transcript and move the student into the schedule with minimal disruption to the student's plan of study.

When transcripts are received from out of state or from private schools within South Carolina that do not use the South Carolina Uniform Grading Scale, the following process will be used to transfer the grades into the student's record:

•  If numerical grades are provided, they will be transferred, recorded and interpreted using the South Carolina Grading Scale.

•  If letter grades are provided, they will be translated to numerical grades as follows: A=96; B=88, C=80; D=73; F=61.

•  Grades from another school, which are lower than 70 and which are indicated as passing grades, will be converted to a 73 numerical grade.

•  A grade of "P" (passing) from another school would be converted to a numerical grade based on information secured from the sending institution as to the approximate value of the P. The receiving school will make the final determination regarding the conversion of a grade of P to the uniform grading scale.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Students must have an Individual Education Plan (IEP). The following program exists for students who qualify:

Resource Placement: This program is designed to assist students with their academic courses. These students will be able to use resource credits as electives in either a Tech Prep, College Prep, or other specially designed program.

GRADUATION PARTICIPATION

A candidate for graduation must have completed the South Carolina High School diploma requirements. A Charleston County School District Certificate of Achievement will be issued only to certain special education students. The South Carolina Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to students who have completed the required units for graduation but have failed any part of the South Carolina Exit Examination. Failure to complete requirements will disallow participation in commencement exercises. The school is not responsible for announcements, caps and gowns or other graduation paraphernalia for those students who do not complete requirements.

EXIT EXAM

The Education Improvement Act of 1984 requires that students graduating in the spring of 1990 and thereafter pass an exit examination in order to receive a South Carolina High School Diploma. The exit examination currently consists of three sections---reading, writing, and mathematics. All students will take the exam in the spring of the tenth grade or second year of high school. Students who do not pass the exam will be obligated to enroll in a remedial program at the school and retake the section or sections of the exit exam that they failed. Students exiting the 12 th grade without having passed the exit examination may be awarded an appropriate state certificate instead of a high school diploma.

CERTIFICATES

South Carolina Certificate of Attendance: This certificate is awarded to students who have completed the required units for the state high school diploma but have failed any part of the South Carolina Exit Examination.

CCSD Certificate of Achievement: This certificate is awarded to special education students whose handicapping conditions may limit achievement in one or more academic disciplines, but who have completed a program of studies as specified in their Individual Education Plans.

AWARDS

Students in the Charleston County School District may receive the following awards:

•  CCSD Board Scholar Certificate – This certificate is awarded to graduating seniors based on GPA calculated at the end of seven semesters. A student must achieve a four-year GPA of 4.25 or better on the South Carolina Uniform Grading Scale with no rounding up or down.

•  Life Scholarship Requirements – Students who meet the following requirements will be eligible to receive a scholarship from the college they attend:

•  Must be a South Carolina resident and a United States citizen or permanent resident

•  Must be admitted, enrolled, and classified as a full-time, degree seeking undergraduate student in an accredited South Carolina college or university within 2 years and 3 months of high school graduation

•  Must NOT be convicted of any felonies or have any alcohol/drug related convictions

•  Must meet two (2) of the following three (3) criteria:

• graduate high school with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale calculated after the eighth semester
• have an SAT of 1100 or higher or an ACT of 24 or higher
• be in the top 30% of their graduating class

Currently, students who qualify receive a scholarship equal to the average tuition at South Carolina public colleges and universities each year as long as they continue to meet program requirements while in college. Palmetto Fellows Scholars may not receive Life Scholarships.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:

• It is permissible to select a SAT verbal score and math score from different test administrations.
• SAT/ACT scores will be accepted through the June test date of the high school graduation year.
• The GPA will be calculated on the Uniform Grading Scale and must be calculated after official completion of courses required for graduation.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided above is from the Commission on Higher Education and is based upon the Commission's interpretation of the LIFE Scholarship Program based on the Lottery Education Act signed by the Governor, which will be proposed to the General Assembly. Changes may occur anytime during the legislative process. The Commission staff will update this information on their website.

•  Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Requirements – Each Palmetto Fellow may receive a scholarship up to $5,000 annually. To be eligible, the student must meet ALL of the following minimum requirements.

• Score at least 1200 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT.
• Earn a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale at the end of the junior year
• Rank in the top five percent of the class at the end of either the sophomore or junior year
• Be enrolled in a public or private high school or an approved home school program of study
• Be a U. S. citizen or permanent resident who meets the definition of an eligible non-citizen under State residency statutes
• Plan to attend college in South Carolina

SELECTION OF HONOR GRADUATES

To be named first or second honor graduate a student must, at a minimum:

• have been enrolled in the school for the entire junior and senior years; and
• have the highest GPR in the senior class as calculated at the end of the third nine weeks grading period

In the event two or more students' tie, the students will share the honor.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility for Activities

The South Carolina High School League has implemented academic standards for any student who wishes to participate in interscholastic activities and competition. You must earn passing grades to qualify to play sports, participate in band, and participate in other competitive activities between high schools.

Interscholastic Athletic Activities

To participate in interscholastic athletic activities, students in grades 9-12 must achieve an overall passing average in addition to the following:

1. To be eligible in the first semester a student must pass a minimum of 5 Carnegie units applicable toward a high school diploma during the previous year. At least 2 units must have been passed during the second semester or summer school.

2. To be eligible during the second semester the student must meet one of the following conditions:

1. If the student met first semester eligibility requirements, then he or she must pass the equivalent of four 1/2 units during the first semester.
2. If the student did not meet first semester eligibility requirements, then he or she must pass the equivalent of five 1/2 units during the first semester.

For more details, see your coach, sponsor, or guidance counselor.

GRADING POLICY, GRADE RATIO AND CLASS RANK

GRADE CHANGES

Grades can only be changed on a grade card, transcript, or permanent record if the Post-Marking Period Grade Change form is used, the form contains all required signatures, and the form is filed in the student's permanent record.

FOR STUDENTS GRADUATING 2004 AND AFTER . . .

As required by state law, the new South Carolina Grading Scale is in effect for students graduating in 2004 (typically freshmen and sophomores) and all subsequent graduating classes.

All grades will be interpreted for all purposes using the new Uniform Grading Scale. Numerical grades will appear on the report card.

A student enrolled in more than the minimum number of courses may withdraw if circumstances warrant, provided the course is an elective. If a student withdraws from a course with a passing grade after the 10 th day of a 180-day course, the 5 th day of a 90-day course, or the 3 rd day of a 45-day course, a grade of 62 will be posted and included in the student's grade point ratio (GPR). The grade penalty for late withdrawal does not apply in cases in which the school administration cancels a course or initiates other schedule changes. If a student withdraws with a failing grade below 62, the earned grade will be posted.

If a student retakes a course in which a D or F has been earned within the same academic year or no later than the next academic year, all grades for the course will be included in the student's GPR with one exception: students may retake a middle school Carnegie unit in 9 th grade and, no matter what grade was earned in middle school, the freshman grade will appear on the transcript whether it is higher or lower.

Honors credit may be earned only for courses that have published syllabi that establish higher standards. Honors credit may be awarded at all levels of English, math (except Algebra 1), science, and social studies but only for the 3 rd and 4 th Carnegie unit in a course sequence in other content areas.

S.C. Uniform Grading Policy Weights for Class Rank, Life Scholarship Qualification and all other purposes. (See table)

Honors/Dual Credit/pre-IB * - add .5 quality points

Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB) * - add 1.0 quality point

GPR – calculated as an average of quality points

The formula will yield the student's GPR that can then be ranked from highest to lowest rank in class. Computations will NOT be rounded. All diploma candidates will be included in the ranking. Students who tie for a rank will share that rank.

GRADE POINT CONVERSION TABLE

SOUTH CAROLINA UNIFORM GRADING POLICY

GRADE POINT RATIO WILL BE CALCULATED USING THE FOLLOWING FORMULA WITHOUT ROUNDING:

EXAMPLE:

COMPUTATION OF GPR:

CCSD GRADING SYSTEM WEIGHTS FOR CLASS RANK

Honors Courses – multiply numerical grade by 1.2
AP Courses – multiply numerical grade by 1.3

The formula will yield the student's average weighted grade that can then be ranked from highest to lowest rank in class. Computations will NOT be rounded. All diploma candidates will be included in the ranking. Students who tie for a rank will share that rank .

EXAMPLE:

CALCULATION:

Find the sum of the weighted grades. Sum = 547.6
Divide by the number of courses: 547.6/6 = 91.266667

The result of this calculation will be translated to a 4.0 scale equivalent using the following table:

FOREIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Charleston County School District students who spend a year studying in a foreign country in an approved exchange program are to be afforded an opportunity to earn credits

1. The student must obtain prior approval in writing of the home school principal before going abroad.

2. A course of study should be planned that would enable a student to earn credits similar to those earned at the home school. Math, science, some history, foreign languages, and computer courses should be closely associated with our own offerings. A student may be required to earn his/her English credit on his/her return to CCSD or to turn in work from a pre-approved independent study program equivalent to one unit of credit. United States History, American Government, and economics would have to be taken here.

3. A certified transcript from the exchange school would need to be received prior to awarding credit.

4. Attendance periods in foreign countries would have to reasonably approximate our own.

Foreign students who visit this country and attend our schools will be given an opportunity to learn about our country and its people. However, CCSD is under no obligation to award a South Carolina High School Diploma to foreign exchange students.

PREPARING FOR THE PSAT/SAT/ACT PLAN/ACT

The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) has two primary purposes. It introduces a student to the organization and types of questions found on the SAT and helps students to predict their scores on the SAT. The junior year PSAT scores are also used in selecting semi-finalists for the National Merit Scholarship awards, early college admissions, and programs such as the Governor's School and college Junior Scholar/Fellow awards. The PSAT is given only once each year, in October. Clark Academy recommends that students take the PSAT in the 9 th , 10 th and 11 th grades.

The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is a multiple-choice test, with verbal and math sections. The verbal portion tests the student's vocabulary, verbal reasoning, and reading comprehension. The math portion tests the student's ability to solve problems involving arithmetic reasoning, algebra, and geometry. The sum of both portions determines the total score. Clark Academy suggests taking the SAT at the end of the student's junior year. If the student waits until his senior year, it is strongly recommended that he take the test when it is first given, in October.

The ACT PLAN ( American College Test Plan) is given each year to all students in tenth-grade homerooms. The PLAN helps prepare a student to take the ACT by familiarizing them with the content and format of the test. The PLAN helps prepare a student to take the ACT by familiarizing them with the content and format of the test. The PLAN also provides a predictive ACT composite score; in addition, the PLAN includes a career assessment component.

The ACT ( American College Test) is another college entrance test. The test consists of four sections, composed of English, math, reading, and science. Rather than a total score, the ACT gives a composite or average score for the test. While the SAT is a test designed to measure a student's aptitude for college work, the ACT is an achievement test that measures what has been learned in high school. Both the SAT and the ACT scores are accepted by all state-supported colleges and universities for admission, as well as for LIFE scholarship qualification.

• Students may pick up registration packets for the SAT and ACT in the Guidance Center.
• Students may register electronically for the SAT or ACT in the Guidance Center.
• Students planning to attend Trident Technical College are not required to take the SAT or ACT for admission to most programs; however, a placement test may be required.