Mesquite ISD

What is the ACT?

• The ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in:
• English, Mathematics, Reading, Science
• The ACT Plus Writing includes the four subject area tests plus a 30-minute Writing Test.
• ACT results are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the US.
• The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, including a short break (or just over four hours if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing). Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 30 minutes if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing).
• The ACT is administered on six test dates within the United States
• The basic registration fee includes score reports for up to four college choices, if you list valid codes when you register.

Free ACT Test Prep

Test Geek ACT Prep

ACT Testing Website

NOTE: MISD administers the SAT to all Juniors each spring. Contact your campus for more information.

What is the SAT?

• The SAT is a globally recognized college admission test that lets you show colleges what you know and how well you can apply that knowledge. It tests your knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high school classrooms. Most students take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school, and almost all colleges and universities use the SAT to make admission decisions.
• Taking the SAT is the first step in finding the right college for you — the place where you can further develop your skills and pursue your passions. But SAT scores are just one of many factors that colleges consider when making their admission decisions. High school grades are also very important. In fact, the combination of high school grades and SAT scores is the best predictor of your academic success in college.
• The SAT doesn’t test logic or abstract reasoning. It tests the skills you’re learning in school: reading, writing and math. Your knowledge and skills in these subjects are important for success in college and throughout your life.
• The critical reading section includes reading passages and sentence completions.
• The writing section includes a short essay and multiple-choice questions on identifying errors and improving grammar and usage.
• The mathematics section includes questions on arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, statistics and probability.

SAT Testing Website 

SAT Practice and Prep

The TSI Assessment (TSIA) is part of the Texas Success Initiative enacted by the Texas State Legislature and designed to determine a student’s readiness for college-level coursework in the general areas of reading, writing, and mathematics.

The TSIA, or one of its exemptions, has been required of Texas students entering a Texas college or university for nearly ten years. The TSIA is administered through the College Board’s Accuplacer digital platform. Universities, community colleges, school districts and high school campuses can request to administer the TSIA to students.

The TSIA tests measures readiness for College-level English and Math. Most colleges require the TSIA upon admittance. This test can be given any time during the student’s high school years.

TSIA Practice

Use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form to apply for financial aid for college or graduate school. The FAFSA form is available beginning each October 1st for the for the next school year. It is available at FAFSA.gov in both English and Spanish.

Complete the FAFSA Form
 

How to fill out the FAFSA Form

The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is open to all students who are not US citizens so they might receive financial aid from the state of Texas. Applications in English & Spanish are available.

Learn more and submit your TASFA

All five comprehensive MISD high schools are part of the Dallas County Promise program. By meeting specific deadlines, students can attend partnering institutions tuition-free.

Learn more and take the Promise Pledge

Scholarships can be need-based, merit-based, or based on things like your hobbies, field of study, ethnicity, religion, and more. You don’t need to be number one in your class or an all-star athlete to get free money for college. Most importantly, all scholarships are free scholarships, which means free money to help you pay for college.

The following tools will help you search and apply for scholarships:

MISD Scholarship Support

• MISD Scholarship List
• Xello in Student Portal

National Scholarship Sites

• Fastweb
• Niche
• Going Merry