An intro to the ACT

If you have children who are in high school, there is likely one major thing on their minds: college. To get into post-secondary school, most colleges and universities require an entrance exam to see what students have learned and assess if they are ready to achieve at a higher level of thinking. Here is some information on the ACT, one test students may take before heading to college:

What is the ACT
Much of the Midwest requires ACT scores to apply to colleges, but every four-year college and university across the country accepts the score as an entrance exam. This is not an IQ test but rather examines what high school knowledge test takers have acquired. This shows the schools if students have the foundational information to build off with higher learning.

The tests are made up of four mandatory and one optional sections. There are 75 English questions, 60 in mathematics, 40 for reading and 40 in science. These exams all contain multiple-choice questions. Then, there is a potential for students to take a writing test which is made up of one prompt. If your children are looking to get into a writing-related major or have taken AP courses in English or literature, they may want to take this test to show what they've accomplished. 

Preparing for the ACT
Test taking can make anyone nervous. To ease your children's worries and give them the confidence to succeed, encourage your kids to do ACT prep. They can go to the ACT website and see sample test questions, as well as work on examples of the test. In high school, preparing for the Common Core is also working toward acing the ACT as the subject matter is similar. Plus, just the act of taking standardized tests provides a similar atmosphere to that of the ACT.

The day of the test
The ACT is given by proctors at specific locations. Make sure your kids know where they are going and get there on time. They must bring photo IDs as well as a printed copy of their test ticket which can be purchased online. They must bring sharpened number two pencils. Certain calculators are allowed on particular sections of the math test, but there are very strict rules so your children should study the ACT Calculator Policy beforehand. Cellphones are not allowed during the test or the break, so it's not a bad idea to just leave them at home. For more test-day rules see the ACT website

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