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Tests Grades 4-6: EXPLORE® The Belin-Blank Center uses tests developed by ACT Inc. The tests are multiple choice and measure academic development in English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. Students in grades 4-6 registered for BESTS will take EXPLORE® (www.act.org/explore/ests/). EXPLORE is designed as a test for 8th graders. Each section takes 30 minutes to complete. The total testing time involved is approximately two hours. Students who have participated in BESTS have indicated that the experience was extremely positive. The purpose of testing is to provide students a challenging experience that will yield useful information about their academic readiness. Over 50% of the BESTS participants have scored higher than the average 8th grader. In many cases, the EXPLORE® scores have been used to assist educators in modifying a students curriculum. Grades 7-9: ACT® The ACT® (www.act.org/aap) is a multiple-choice test and measures academic development in English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. The ACT Assessment is a test for college-bound high school students and takes approximately three hours to complete. SAT® The SAT® (www.collegeboard.com) is a three-hour-and-forty-five-minute test that measures the critical thinking, mathematical reasoning, and writing skills that students need to do college-level work. The test's three sections are divided into nine subsections, including a 25-minute essay, which are timed separately. Click here to register. Students who have participated in BESTS have indicated that the experience was extremely positive. The purpose of testing is to provide students a challenging experience that will yield useful information about their academic readiness. Forty percent of the BESTS participants have scored higher than the average 11th/12th grader.