Preparing for the ACT

Schools across the country use standardized tests to help them decide whether to admit students.  For years those students and parents have tried to figure out the best way to approach the exams. Although some students take SAT, the ACT is a more popular test in this region.  Many high school students in the Ozarks know the ACT can be the difference in where they will go to college or if they'll qualify for certain scholarships.

What's in a number? Ask Forrest Brown.  He's applying to Yale.
 
"My sophomore year I got a 32," said Brown, a student at Central High School in Springfield.
 
"I felt like to make myself competitive with other applicants that I probably needed to score 34 to 36," Brown said.
 
He started filling in answers on ACT in middle school, and so did Lydia Berns.
 
"Probably the biggest pressure is just getting that score within the amount of time that I have," said Berns.

She wants into the Oxbridge program at William Jewell in Liberty, Missouri.

"I think they want around a 30," said Berns.
 
The highest possible score is a 36.   Nationally the average composite score is a 21.1.
 
"First and foremost kids need to take hard classes," said Clint Nunrberg.  He teaches an ACT prep course at Parkview High School. "That's the best preparation."
 
Students have 175 minutes to get through 215 questions in English, Math, Reading and Science.  ACT, Inc. also offers an optional 30-minute writing section.
 
Preparation tip #1: Manage your time.
Nurnberg says one of the biggest things students struggle against is the clock.

"Students, a lot of times, aren't prepared for the time limitations," said Nurnberg. "That's really the key to doing well on the ACT."
 
Preparation tip #2: Know the exam.    
Nurnberg also says, to get the best score, students should learn how to attack each section.  Berns says she bought a book about the test. The strategies she learned for the reading section helped her score on that part of the exam.
 
"Read maybe the first sentence and the last sentence of each paragraph and get an idea of what it's about.  Then look at the questions," said Berns.  "See what you can answer out of what you just skimmed through, and then go back and look through the details."
 
Preparation tip #2: Study.
Nurnberg recommends studying for the test.  He says test takers should focus on English and math.
 
"Those tests cover real specific concepts," Nurnberg said.

In a discussion paper the National Association for College Admission Counseling released this year the group notes: "...students and families would be wise to consider  whether the cost of a given test preparation option is worth what is likely to be a small gain in test scores." 

"If a student has a 3.5 grade-point-average we don't even hold or test scores to make an admissions decisions," said Don Simpson the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at Missouri State University.
Some schools are more selective.  So the question of how to prepare is often best left to the student or the family. Sometimes even small gains can make a big difference when it comes to college admission or scholarships.
 
"We have a sliding scale based on a combination of rank and test score and ACT, and that's where it may become more of a factor," said Simpson.

"There's no magic recipe to getting a 34 on the ACT," said Nurnberg.  "That is a reflection of working hard in school from first grade all the way through."

Forrest Brown says he'll also take the SAT.  He is a semi-finalist for a National Merit Scholarship which can be worth thousands of dollars. He has to take that exam if he wants to have a chance to become a finalist.


Information from ACT, Inc.:

NACAC: