9th Grade Practice Tests and Exams

What Are 9th Grade Practice Tests and How Can They Help My Teen?

At the beginning of high school, your 9th grader will probably experience increased independence and responsibility. He or she may be involved in time-consuming extracurricular activities and have substantially larger loads of homework than previously. At the same time, all semester grades will go on your teenager's transcript and therefore count toward college admissions. With all of this increased pressure, your 9th grader may benefit from taking practice tests for each class, for final exams and to prepare for standardized tests and college entrance exams.

What Kinds of Tests Are There in the 9th Grade?

The kinds of tests that you can expect your 9th grader to take depend on a wide variety of things. Where do you live? What kind of school and education program is your child in? Education standards and tests vary from state to state and curriculums vary from district to district. Chances are, your child will need to take tests and quizzes all year long in the 9th grade. Your child may also need to take standardized tests and placement exams.

Because 9th grade is typically considered the beginning of high school, your child's curriculum may also reflect the beginning of training for exams your child will take for college placement. Two such exams are the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Testing exam (ACT).

Where Can Practice Tests Be Found?

A common place to begin asking about practice exams is at your teen's school. Many teachers are willing to give parents and students old tests to use as a practice test. Although other teachers reuse tests from year to year and do not give practice tests, they may have separate practice tests on hand or be able to point you in a productive direction.

One such direction would be to create practice tests. If your child's teacher won't give him or her a practice test, you can create one with homework problems and quizzes. Even if your 9th grader has already completed the problem once, he or she probably won't remember the exact answer a few weeks later. You can even create a practice final exam by compiling questions from all of a semester's tests into one practice document for your student.

When it comes to standardized tests and exams designed for college entrance, such as the SAT and the ACT, you'll be able to find a plethora of practice tests for your teen. Many of these are available for free or for purchase online, at libraries and at bookstores. There are even classes available that will administer a practice SAT or ACT for your teenager; however, you may want to wait a year or two beyond the 9th grade before taking such measures.

How Can Practice Tests Help My Teen?

Practice tests can give your child the opportunity to become familiar with the testing style prior to taking the actual test. They are also a good opportunity for your child to assess what he knows and what he needs to study. Practice tests can also be administered at home.

If you want to administer a practice test to your 9th grader at home, make sure that you can provide him or her with an uncluttered, calm space similar to a real test space. Time your teen as he or she takes the practice test. Go over any errors that were made and help him or her improve in these areas.