High School Assessments

The Aquinas Writing Advantage Writing Program’s Punctuation and Grammar Assessment is designed to help you understand the level of your teen’s punctuation and grammar skills. With a passing score, your student can fulfill the writing prerequisite for the High School Punctuation and Grammar (9-1) course.

Your student will take a multiple-choice test.

The test can be taken anytime, anywhere.

However, we suggest you and your student create optimal testing conditions by finding a quiet, uninterrupted space.

Once completed, the test will be automatically graded.

The Writing Assessment Coordinator will create a report of your strengths and weaknesses per the test score.

You will receive recommendations as to a next-step plan for punctuation/grammar and academic writing.

There are three parts to this assessment: a multiple-choice test, writing a short essay, and answering questions in a handwritten questionnaire. Once completed, the Assessment Coordinator scores your work and contacts you with specific, clear feedback and results. The Assessment measures the critical writing skills needed to enter college — including a specific level of punctuation and grammar, paragraph form, vocabulary usage, and clear linear writing abilities.

Part 1: A MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST

A multiple-choice test is embedded into the online system. Your student clicks on the clearly marked link and takes the test online. Each question provides five possible answers. Your student identifies correct and incorrect punctuation and grammar and answers questions regarding correct writing in paragraph and essay form. Your student chooses the best answer and moves to the next question until all 40 questions are completed. When complete, the test is automatically scored, and explanations are provided. * Within two weeks, the Assessment Coordinator sends you a report with areas of competence and areas that need practice to master specific skills.

Part 2: A PERSONAL ESSAY

After taking the multiple-choice test, your student writes an essay using the guidelines listed. The student uploads his or her essay into the Caravel Learning Management System (LMS) for grading and feedback. Grading is measured by the Advanced Placement type scoring system of 1 to 5, a 1 being low and a 5 being high, with a grade of 4 as passing (for this assessment). Within two weeks, the Assessment Coordinator sends you a report with areas of competence and areas that need practice to master specific skills.

Part 3: A QUESTIONNAIRE

Your student fills out the Questionnaire provided. The questionnaire is designed to find out more about your student’s experiences with writing; it is also a tool to assess his or her writing skills by the questions’ answers. The information in the Questionnaire is used within the Assessment Coordinator’s report.

The time that the test takes depends on your student. There is no time limit for the multiple-choice High School Punctuation and Grammar Test. Regarding the Middle School and High School Writing Assessments, it is highly suggested to upload all documents into Caravel within TWO WEEKS of signing up for the service.

The Punctuation & Grammar Test is automatically graded within the Caravel system; the Middle School and High School Assessments are graded by the Assessment Coordinators—professional writing teachers.

The Assessment Coordinators for the Aquinas Writing Advantage program will assess your student’s work and prepare a detailed Final Report for you regarding your student’s current writing skills and a plan to prepare for future courses and gain exceptional skills in writing.

The Assessment Coordinators will use the information, in combination with the other parts of the test, to help suggest your student’s future course of learning for writing. Recommendations will be sent to you in a final report within two weeks of obtaining your information.

To test out of Punctuation and Grammar and Simplified Writing prerequisite courses, the student must obtain a score of 90% on the quiz. To test out of the Rhetoric and Writing course, the student must obtain a “clean essay” comparable to a score of 4 on the AP English Language and Composition courses.

YES! When all assessment sections are completed, including the test, essay, and questionnaire, you will email the Assessment Coordinator to receive your final report.

You will receive a Final Report in paragraph form, noting scores in the quiz and comments on the essay. Strengths and weaknesses will be noted, and suggestions for improvement will also be added.

This assessment can be used as a supporting document for enrollment in outside courses in writing, as requested by potential schools. A suggested scope and sequence of courses will also be provided to the student. (A scope and sequence is a plan of what and when to take courses.) Families are not required to take the courses with Homeschool Connections (you can take courses elsewhere), but if you choose to follow the Aquinas Writing Advantage program and sign up for courses, we will continue to provide support for your student through LIVE and recorded classes (Instructor Access).