For fall AOS and AET applicants, test day is one in-person session at the Academies of Loudoun. Students check in with a printed personal test ticket and photo ID, use an ACL-provided laptop, and complete both the STEM Thinking Skills Assessment and the Writing Assessment in the same session.
That simple outline answers most logistical questions. It also gives a student a better way to picture the day: not two separate appointments, not an at-home test, and not a session that depends on bringing a personal computer.
The short version
Print the test ticket, confirm the photo ID, reread the official session email, and plan transportation before the morning of the test. ACL provides the laptop. The student completes 33 STEM questions in 50 minutes and a typed STEM writing response in 45 minutes.
What happens before test day
After submitting the online application, an applicant registers for a test session through the application portal. The current LCPS admissions FAQ says students applying to AOS, AET, or both take the same assessments and need only one test session.
The personal test ticket is emailed to the applicant and to the primary parent email listed in ParentVUE when the student registers. LCPS currently allows applicants to revise the session day and time until the application deadline. After that deadline, changes are not permitted.
If a student needs assessment accommodations, the request must be submitted in writing by the published application deadline. LCPS says it can consider only accommodations documented in an IEP, Section 504 Plan, or English Learner Assessment Participation Plan.
Parent checkpoint
Do not let the test ticket live only in a crowded inbox. Download it, print it, and place it with the student's photo ID several days in advance. Keep the official email available for the assigned arrival and transportation details.
Check-in, laptop, and transportation
At check-in, every applicant must present:
- a printed personal test ticket; and
- a photo ID.
LCPS administers the assessments in person using an online platform. ACL provides the testing laptop. The official FAQ does not ask families to supply a computer, charger, calculator, or other testing equipment.
Applicants may request bus transportation to and from the ACL test session inside the online application. LCPS sends details before the session to families who select that option. If the family is driving, use the assigned arrival instructions rather than guessing how early to line up.
The two assessments in the session
| Assessment | Published time | Published format |
|---|---|---|
| STEM Thinking Skills Assessment | 50 minutes | 33 multiple-choice questions on an online platform |
| Writing Assessment | 45 minutes | Typed response to a STEM writing prompt on an online platform |
LCPS does not publish a minimum score for enrollment consideration. The official FAQ says applicants are evaluated across the entirety of the published criteria. That is a reason to take both assessments seriously, not a reason to chase an unofficial cutoff.
What the pacing actually feels like
Fifty minutes for 33 questions gives an average of about 91 seconds per question, but the useful lesson is not to spend exactly 91 seconds on each one. Some items resolve quickly. Others need a diagram interpreted, a relationship tested, or an unproductive approach abandoned.
The writing assessment creates a different pressure. Forty-five minutes must cover reading the prompt, choosing a central idea, planning, drafting, and revising. A student who writes immediately can produce more words and still leave the reader with a less coherent answer.
A calmer plan for the week before
AcademiesPrep interpretation
The advice below is preparation guidance, not an LCPS rule or packing list.
Five to seven days before
Run one realistic two-part practice block. The purpose is to observe pacing and transitions, not to cram every topic. Afterward, classify mistakes: misread, setup, reasoning, execution, or time management. Fix the pattern that appears most often.
Two to three days before
Complete one short STEM set and one writing outline. Review the student's own pacing plan. Confirm the route or bus request, test ticket, photo ID, and official session email.
The evening before
Stop early enough for a normal bedtime. A final marathon session is unlikely to create a new reasoning habit, and it can make the student slower and less flexible the next morning.
During the session
On STEM items, notice when an approach is consuming time without producing information. On writing, protect a few minutes for revision. Clear thinking is more valuable than trying to look unhurried.
If the family wants a baseline before building a study plan, our free ACL Admissions Diagnostic reviews a STEM reasoning sample and writing response. It is useful because it identifies what to practice, not because it predicts an admissions result.
ACL Test Day Guide FAQs
Do AOS and AET applicants register for separate test sessions?
No. The current LCPS FAQ says applicants applying to AOS, AET, or both register for one session. The STEM Thinking Skills Assessment and Writing Assessment are administered during that same session.
What must a student bring to ACL test day?
LCPS says every applicant must print and present the personal test ticket and a photo ID at check-in. Families should also review any cycle-specific email before leaving home.
Does the student need to bring a laptop?
No. LCPS says both assessments use an online platform and that ACL provides laptops for testing.
Is bus transportation available for the test session?
The current FAQ says applicants may request bus transportation to and from the ACL test session within the online application. LCPS emails transportation details before the session to families who request it.
Keep reading
- Build a pacing plan for the 33-question STEM assessment
- Understand the ACL writing assessment
- Practice no-calculator reasoning without overcalculating
- Review all four AOS and AET admissions criteria
Source note
We checked this guide against current LCPS and Academies of Loudoun materials. Where a dated LCPS page provides historical context, the article labels it by cycle rather than presenting it as a current rule. AcademiesPrep by EduAvenues is independent and is not endorsed or sponsored by the Academies of Loudoun or Loudoun County Public Schools.
Official sources reviewed:
Fact-checked July 16, 2026. LCPS can change criteria, pathway eligibility, selection rules, assessment details, and dates by cycle. Confirm time-sensitive requirements on the active admissions page.