PSAT/AOS WRITING PROMPT INFORMATION / Overview

IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING
PSAT/AOS WRITING PROMPT

The PSAT for all applicants to the AOS is scheduled for Saturday October 20^th, 2012; you are expected to arrive at Dominion High School NO LATER THAN 8:00 a.m. Please remember to bring your admission ticket with you; if you arrive at the test center without this letter you may be delayed in getting to your assigned room. The admission tickets will be mailed to the students at the home address provided in Part I of the AOS Application for Admission. Parents will not be admitted into the test center. It is important to be organized and well rested on test day. You should plan in advance to organize Admission Ticket, pencils, calculators, and other supplies; get a good night's sleep; eat breakfast ; double-check for everything you need before leaving home; and arrive at the test center on time. Your room assignment is listed beneath your name and LCPS student ID number in the salutation of this letter. When you arrive at the test center you will be asked to show your admission ticket for entrance into the building, and then you will proceed directly to your assigned room. There is a Dominion High School Floor Plan on the back of this letter. Students will take the PSAT; there will be a 15 minute break followed by administration of the AOS Writing Prompt. We expect testing to be concluded by 12:30 p.m.

On test day, students should bring two No. 2 pencils, and an approved calculator. During the test, students may have nothing on their desks but: a test book, an answer sheet, No. 2 pencils with erasers and for math sections only, a calculator. The following items are not permitted in the test room: pager, personal digital assistant, iPod, MP3 player, and any other digital or electronic equipment; scratch paper; notes, books, dictionary; compass, protractor, ruler, or any other aid; highlighter or colored pencils; portable listening or recording device; camera/photographic equipment; timer or watch with audible alarm; food and beverages, including bottled water, unless approved for medical reasons. You may bring a backpack with a snack or bottled water to drink in the hallway during breaks in testing, and keep the backpack closed under your desk during testing.

Students are responsible for bringing their own calculator to the PSAT/NMSQT. There will be no calculators provided by the AOS on test day. Students may use a calculator only on the math sections. Students will not be allowed to share calculators with other students. Be sure to check the batteries in your calculator in advance; you may want to bring spare batteries with you. Approved calculators include: a four-function calculator, a scientific calculator, or a graphing calculator. The following calculators are NOT permitted: a pocket organizer ; a hand-held or laptop computer; an electronic writing pad or pen input device ; a calculator with a QWERTY (typewriter-like) keypad; a calculator with paper tape; a calculator that makes noises or "talks;’ a calculator that requires an outlet; a calculator on a smart phone device.

Cell phone use is not allowed at any time in the test center. If possible students are encouraged to leave their cell phones at home. Once the testing room supervisor has read the instructions to turn off and put away all prohibited devices, if a device rings or makes noise, or a student is seen using a prohibited device, the student may be dismissed, the device may be confiscated and its contents inspected, and the student's test scores will be canceled.

You should expect to receive your test scores in late December through the guidance counselor at your middle school. If you are ill on October 20^th and unable to test, please contact the AOS office on Monday October 22nd to make alternate arrangements for the testing requirement for your AOS application.

Please contact the AOS office at 571-434-4470 should you have questions.