Prepping for the ACTs
By Jay Crump
Taking the ACTs often strikes fear into the hearts of college-bound students. How a student scores on the college entrance exam often determines how successful they will be when heading off to school. The ACT test assesses a high school student’s general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work.
What is the ACT?
The ACT is a national college admissions examination that colleges and universities use for admissions decisions, course placement, academic advising, and determining scholarship and loan eligibility. The ACT consists of subject area tests in: English, mathematics, reading, and science.
The ACT Plus Writing exam includes the four areas plus a 30-minute writing test. Although ACT Plus Writing is not required, more and more colleges and universities are using this as a guide for admissions and placement.
According to the ACT website (www.act.org), the test includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 1/2 hours to complete. If a student takes the ACT Plus Writing exam, testing time is approximately four hours.
“The ACT is a multiple-choice examination,” says Carmine Draude, an academic advisor at Assumption High School in Davenport, Iowa. “And there are many tools available to students to help them study for the exam, including online resources,” she said.
According to Draude, colleges use the ACT results for admissions decisions, course placement, academic advising, scholarships and loans. “We work closely with students and offer them an opportunity to take a diagnostic test with a tutorial to learn skills to develop test taking strategies,” she said.
Linda Noble agrees. A guidance counselor at Pleasant Valley High School, Noble explains, “Their score affects admissions, which classes they’ll be required to take, and it opens a lot of doors regarding scholarships,” she said. “When a student scores a 30 it opens up scholarship opportunities.” However, Noble points out, the types of classes a student takes and the grades they earn during their four years of high school are also important.
“Taking and doing well in core classes and having a good GPA (grade point average) is at least as important for students planning to attend college,” Noble explains.
ACT Versus The SAT
According to Noble, the SAT is designed more for documenting a student’s ability and knowledge in how to take a test while the ACT is more of an observation of what a student has learned while in high school. When it comes to taking college entrance exams, both Noble and Draude explain that most of the students they counsel take the ACT.
“The common perception is that to go to an Ivy League school you must take the SATs … and again, check with the college you want to attend, but most will accept the ACT test,” explained Noble. “The SAT is more of a reasoning-type test, while the ACT is a more knowledge-based test that is based on your school career.”
What Is A Good ACT Score?
Each category: English, mathematics, reading, and science, receives a score between 1 and 36 (being the highest). The scores are averaged to generate a composite score used by most colleges. The average composite score is roughly a 22. That is, about 50 percent of test-takers score below a 22.
Very few students get a perfect ACT score—even those who get into the country’s top colleges. In fact, anyone scoring a 34, 35 or 36 is among the top 1 percent of test-takers in the country.
What Can Students Do To Prepare?
Draude, who has over twenty years of experience in education, says her school’s staff provides a workshop to students to develop strategies for taking the test. “We provide a two-night workshop offered in the spring that helps students strategize on how to study and take the ACTs. We meet with students at every grade level to help them to begin preparing for their college career.” Draude also emphasizes the importance of the student’s entire high school career. “We help them understand that ‘everything counts’ … not just academics, but their extra-curricular activities, too.”
When it comes to preparing for the ACTs—or even the SATs—both Draude and Noble agree that planning your college career is something that should be started early on. “When our students are seniors, we want them to be in the best possible position,” says Draude.
Noble says students have the option to work with an outside agency that comes to Pleasant Valley High School in the spring and fall to conduct workshops. “A lot of how well a student does is based on prep work. We stress that if they’re going to do well, the student needs a minimum of algebra II and chemistry. We encourage students to take a lot of math,” she said.
In addition to high school hosted workshops, both Noble and Draude encourage students to visit the ACT website, contact their school counselors and colleges to help them prepare. “There are also practice ACT prep CDs available,” adds Noble.
And what if a student doesn’t do well taking tests?
“If a student takes the test and doesn’t do particularly well, there is no limit to how many times they can re-take the test,” Noble explains. “They can take the test as many times as they want. There have been times when a student will take the test three, four, and five times to better their score.” However, she points out that surveys conducted on retaking the ACTs show that on average, student scores “only go up or down one point.”
The cost to take the ACT is $32, while the ACT Plus Writing is $47.
More info
A good resource for students to visit is www.act.org. Here they find useful information on: Practice tests with real ACT test questions; practice essays for the optional ACT Writing Test; comprehensive content review for each of the ACTs’ four required tests—English, math, reading, and science; Diagnostic test and personalized study path with anytime access via the Internet.
Take the Test
Test Dates in the U.S.
September 12, 2009
registration deadline August 7, 2009
October 24, 2009
registration deadline September 18, 2009
December 12, 2009
registration deadline November 9, 2009
February 6, 2010
registration deadline January 5, 2010
April 10, 2010
registration deadline March 5, 2010
June 12, 2010
registration deadline May 7, 2010
