PLACEMENT TEST
The 8th Grade High School Placement Test (HSPT) is a required part of our admissions process for eighth grade students. Taking the test at Saint Mark's on the first weekend of exams guarantees the consideration for academic scholarships. Academic scholarships are assessed based on objective data from the composite scores of the exam and are allocated annually to the top test-takers. In efforts to prepare eighth grade students for the 8th Grade HSPT, we host two 8th Grade HSPT Prep Course sessions prior to the exam each fall. The prep course sessions are designed for eighth grade students to attend both sessions; however, students are welcome only one if there are scheduling conflicts. Additionally, we host a 7th Grade Practice HSPT each spring to help familiarize middle school students with the exam prior to entering the fall of their 8th grade year.

Please find further details regarding dates, times, and registration below.
8th Grade HSPT 

Saint Mark's HSPT will take place on Saturday, November 16, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and Sunday, November 17, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Students need to only test on ONE of these days. Please note that extended testing time is only offered on Saturday, November 16.


Registration for the HSPT is through Scholastic Testing Services, Inc. (STS) and will begin in August. The fee for taking the HSPT is $65.00. You may find the registration link below.
7th Grade Practice HSPT

Saturday, March 22, 2025 -
Class of 2030 students, please sign up for our 7th Grade Practice HSPT to get a head start on preparation for the HSPT in the fall of your eighth grade year!
Registration for our 7th Grade Practice HSPT will be available in late fall 2024!
8th Grade Prep Courses:

Our 8th Grade Prep Courses are available for current eighth grade students to prepare for the HSPT in November. Saint Mark's faculty teach both sessions and we provide an HSPT Prep Book to attendees to use and take home with them. Students will learn about test taking skills, and complete material reviews for the verbal, reading, and math test sections. The course is designed for students to attend both sessions as the second weekend will build upon material learned during the first weekend. However, we do welcome students who may only be able to attend one session as we feel any preparation is beneficial to your performance! The fee for each course is $60.


Our Prep Courses will be the following weekends:
Saturday, September 14, 2024, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 28, 2024, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

EXTENDED TIME REQUEST:
Extended time is available for the 8th Grade HSPT on the Saturday, November 16 testing day. If you would like to request extended time, please email a recent psychoeducational evaluation, or additional supporting documentation, to Mrs. Hara Blum at hblum@hkxyit.com and admissions@hkxyit.com. Extended time will not be permitted for the 7th Grade Practice Test.


TEST DAY REMINDERS:
Be sure your child gets a full night of rest prior to the test date and has a well-balanced meal before they arrive for the exam! Please bring the following items to the test: 

  • A snack and beverage for breaks. Please avoid peanut or tree nut snacks and glass bottles.
  • Two #2 pencils and an eraser.
  • Calculators are NOT permitted.


TIPS DURING THE TEST:
Testing may be a rather anxious, but also, exciting experience for students and their parents. Scholastic Testing Services, Inc. (STS) offers the following tips to best prepare for a successful testing experience:
  • Listen to and read the directions for each subtest carefully.
  • Pace yourself – Time limits are set for each subtest. The test administrators will announce when time is halfway through so you can determine if you are working at a pace that will enable you to finish. Try not to spend too much time on one item.
  • Read each question carefully.
  • Work out the problem – Use scratch paper or your test booklet to do any figuring.
  • Answer every question – If you are unsure of an answer, take your best educated guess. Your score is determined by the number of items you answer correctly; there is no penalty for answering incorrectly.
  • Check your work – If there is time left, go back and review your answers. Check to make sure each item has only one response. Throughout the test, continuously check that the answer you are marking on your answer sheet corresponds to the item number in the test booklet. Each answer should be marked with a #2 pencil. The selected answer - in scantron format - should be colored in with a dark mark labeled inside of the lines of each circle.


HOW IS MY CHILD'S TEST SCORED?
The number of questions that your child answered correctly is added up for each subtest. Points are not subtracted for incorrect answers. Your student's raw scores (the number of correct answers) are then converted to standard scores and national percentile rankings for each subtest. The national percentile tells what percentage of students had scores below your student in a national sample. National percentiles range from 1 (low) to 99 (high). A percentile rank of 50 is exactly average.

Your student's composite scores (Total Cognitive Skills, Total Basic Skills, and Battery Composite scores) are computed in the same way.  The raw scores are added together from the subtests that make up each composite score and are then converted to standard scores and national percentiles. See below for the parts that make up each composite score.

-Total Cognitive Skills = Verbal & Quantitative subtests

-Total Basic Skills = Reading, Mathematics, & Language subtests
-Composite = Verbal, QuantitativeReading, Mathematics, & Language subtests


TEST SCORES (NATIONAL PERCENTILES)
Your student’s performance on each area of the test is reported in terms of standard scores and national percentile ranks. Your student’s scores are listed in numeric form under each subtest header. The abbreviated subtest headers are expanded upon in the section titled “What the Test Measures.” Standard scores range from 200-800. Percentiles range from 1-99 and compare your student’s performance with that of other students. Your student’s national percentile rank indicates the percentage of students in the national sample that had lower scores than your student. Your student’s national percentiles are also illustrated in the graph in terms of a performance rating.



TEST DESCRIPTIONS:
This section explains what each subtest measures and defines the parts that make up Total Cognitive Skills, Total Basic Skills, and the Battery Composite.

2501 Pike Creek Road, Wilmington, DE 19808

Phone: (302) 738-3300   Fax: (302) 757-8704
Saint Mark’s, a college-preparatory coeducational Catholic high school, inspires young men and women to create a better world, one more pleasing to God and more helpful to others, by modeling faith, excellence, humility, and integrity.