This year, BSM freshmen did something new: they took the Measures of Academic Progress Test, or the MAP test.

In the past, BSM has relied on the Explore test to give students’ projections for the ACT test. BSM decided to switch to the MAP test because it ultimately provides more specific information that students, and teachers can use to improve individual learning.

The MAP test measures the strengths and weaknesses of each individual in the classroom, using that information to track student progress and focus student efforts.

For BSM to receive spring score projections, the students have to take the MAP test once in the fall and once in the spring. “As a school, we’re looking for a test where we could project the growth from students going from the junior high to the senior high,” freshmen and sophomore dean Seborn Yancy said.

These test scores can help teachers better understand what many students struggle with, individually or collectively. “The MAP test gives us immediate results [which can then be] given to teachers, students, and parents,” Yancy said.

The test responds differently to every student. For example, the test will get easier as the student gets questions wrong. “The test is unique to each student, so students who test well, as they’re doing well on the test, the questions get harder,” Yancy said.

Some students were frustrated with not being able to go back and change their answers during the test. “I don’t like how once you click on an answer, you can’t go back and change it,” freshman Ananya Yogarajah said.

The new test did have a quality that students appreciated: the quick turnaround with test scores. “I  liked how I got my feedback right away, and I knew that this was just my foundation, my basis and that I would improve further throughout the year,” Yogarajah said.

The test took anywhere from four to six hours, so some students lost their focus before finishing. “I lost my motivation and attention to complete it towards the end,” Yogarajah said.

Overall the testing went well and everything went very smoothly.  “Testing went great, and we had very little technical difficulties,” Yancy said.