Easter break is in full view with only a couple of days to survive before a well-needed vacation; but just as it seemed that the last week of school would be a breeze, campus students were required to take the Stanford Achievement Tests (SAT 10).

The testing takes place every year in the springtime for schools all around the nation, public and private. Each school has a different reason for participating, but for the administration, it all comes back to the students.

?We take the SAT 10 tests for two reasons and they?re both about the students,? Jon Endicott, assistant principal, said. ?The first reason is to see how the scores of all our students combined compare to the scores of other schools across the nation. The second is to see how our students are performing as individuals and to determine if they?re ready to advance ahead or not.?

According to Endicott, our last year?s scores were ranked in the 70th percentile among all the schools in the nation.

Students took the tests from April 3-6 each morning so as to not lose school days in the process. During the last day, they also took the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, which measures thinking and reasoning abilities.

Although most students are accustomed to the routine of the yearly tests, most are still confused as to why they are made to take them.

?I have no idea why we take these tests every year,? Christina Cabias, ?07, said. ?I guess it?s to see if we?ve actually learned what we?re supposed to, but I don?t really know.?

There are also a select few who know and appreciate the reasons for the four-day interruption of the school schedule.

?We take the tests to make sure our school is advancing academically as fast, or faster than other school, Jordan Scott, ?07, said. ?Although it?s a pain to suffer through for the four days, I know it?s beneficial to us in the end.?

For more information about campus SAT 10 testing, contact Endicott at [email protected]. Students can also get more practice for the Sat 10 and other tests by going online at www.brighteducation.com/.

On a separate front, CollegeBoard.com offers practice tests for the SAT. These tests are often required for college and university acceptance rather than tests which test student learning thus far.