What’s So Important About the ACT Parent/Student ACT Informational Meeting

Reasons To Take the ACT The ACT is accepted by all US colleges and Universities Can be “Super-Scored” Is the nation’s most taken college entrance exam Includes an educational and career planning component Provides four free score reports Is based on correct answers only

Goals For the ACT What is the “required” score for admission to your 1st choice school? Are you applying for scholarships with ACT score requirements? In addition to a composite score goal, set a goal for each test and sub-score. Set the bar high, but make it reachable!

General ACT Test Prep Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school. Pace Yourself (Announcements only made when 5 minutes/1 minute remain) Read directions before test date, Read questions carefully (annotate) Answer easy questions first Answer EVERY question (no penalty for guessing) Be precise in marking answer and don’t make notes on answer sheet Don’t panic! Work the entire time.

When Should You Take the ACT? 1st: March of Junior Year 2nd: August/September of Senior Year 3rd: December/February of Senior Year Don’t forget to register a month ahead. www.ACT.org is where you register

How is the ACT scored: You'll earn one ACT score (1 to 36) on each test (English, Math, Reading and Science) and a composite ACT score, which is an average of these four tests. Usually, when people ask about your score, they're referring to your composite ACT score. The composite score falls between 1 and 36. The national average is about 21. If, for example, you scored 31 on the English, 30 on the Math, 29 on the Reading and 30 on the Science, your composite ACT score would be 30. You'll receive sub scores in English, Math and Reading. These scores provide you with more detail about your performance, but they are not actually used by colleges or universities. Learn more about interpreting your ACT score report. The ACT includes an optional essay, known as the writing test. If you take the writing test, you will receive a writing test sub score and a combined English/writing score. Visit www.ACT.org for detailed information about how your ACT writing test will be scored.

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ACT Writing Test Prompt provides context to an issue Presents 3 perspectives Students are asked to: Analyze and evaluate perspectives State and develop their own perspective Explain the relationship between own perspective and those provided Prompt provides guiding questions What insight do perspectives fail to consider? Student will receive scores in four areas (2-12 score range): Ideas and Analysis Development and Support Organization Language Use Overall Writing score will be on the 1-36 score scale

ACT Writing Test, cont. 1 PROMPT/30 MINUTES Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school. 1 PROMPT/30 MINUTES The test consists of one writing prompt that will define an issue and describe two points of view on that issue. Students may adopt either of the perspectives described in the prompt, or may present a third point of view on the issue. Scores will not be affected by the point of view taken on the issue. Do some planning (in your Writing Test booklet) before writing the essay. At the beginning of your essay, explain your point of view in a clear and logical way. Discuss the issue in a broader context or evaluate the implications or complications of the issue. Address what others might say to refute your point of view and present a counter-argument. Use specific examples. Vary the structure of your sentences. Use transitional words and phrases. End with a strong conclusion that summarizes or reinforces your position. If time remains, check your work for spelling and grammatical errors.

ACT English Test 75 QUESTIONS/45 MINUTES (9 minutes per passage) Usage/Mechanics: 40 Questions Punctuation Grammar and Usage Sentence Structure Rhetorical Skills: 35 Questions Strategy Organization Style Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school.

Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school. ACT English Test, cont. Answer diction and grammar questions first; they are usually the easiest to answer quickly. Listen for errors as you read the answer choices. You can often hear an error as you say a sentence in your head. If you can scan, read the first and last paragraph of long passages, reading the first and last sentence of the paragraphs inside. Read ALL answers carefully; answers often look similar, sometimes differing only by a comma. “NO CHANGE” is the correct choice about 25% of the time.

ACT Math Prep 60 QUESTIONS/60 MINUTES (1 question per minute) Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school. ACT Math Prep 60 QUESTIONS/60 MINUTES (1 question per minute) Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra 24 Questions Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry 18 Questions Plane Geometry/Trigonometry

Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school. ACT Math Prep, cont. Draw a picture if one is not provided. Figures given are not drawn to scale, so mark them with given measures or symbols. Know the following translations: of means multiply and per means divide. Know the area and perimeter formulas for triangles, rectangles, and circles, and how to find the volume and surface area of a box. If a problem is given in terms of fractions, decimals, or percent's, consider using an alternate form to find the answer. If the question and/or answer set are given in terms of variables only, substitute simple numbers to help determine the answer. Most answers are listed from least to greatest, so you can use a technique called backsolving to find the correct answer. Do not overuse your calculator! The test is written so that every problem can be solved without a calculator. Set up the problem in your test booklet first and take a moment to consider what a reasonable answer would be before using the calculator.

ACT Science Test Prep 40 QUESTIONS/35 MINUTES (5 minutes per passage) Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school. ACT Science Test Prep 40 QUESTIONS/35 MINUTES (5 minutes per passage) Data Representation: 15 questions Research Summaries: 18 questions Conflicting Viewpoints: 7 questions

ACT Science Test Prep, cont. Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school. ACT Science Test Prep, cont. If a passage seems difficult, skip it; data representation passages are often the easiest. When reading passages, aim at a general understanding on the first reading and do not dwell on a specific aspect of data. If the passage contains conflicting viewpoints, consider similarities and differences between the scientists’ arguments. When reading tables and charts, focus on labels, trends in data, and maximum or minimum values. Look for connections between multiple data representations.

ACT Test Prep. 10% Understanding Test 80% Reviewing Skills Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school. ACT Test Prep. #1 4+ Years of Math, Science, English #2 ACT Preparation Course #3 Practice Workbook/On-line Resources Edgenuity March2success.com Ideal Preparation Plan: 10% Understanding Test 80% Reviewing Skills 10% Test-taking Strategies

What to bring on test day Based on what you learn in school The ACT test has always been about what you learn in high school core courses. Every day you attend class you’re preparing for the ACT. Students frequently tell us that they feel more comfortable taking the ACT since it is directly related to what they learn in most of their high school courses. Accepted by all US colleges ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Optional Writing Test Since not all colleges and universities require a writing test for admission, ACT offers students the choice to take the writing test—it’s optional. Check to see if the schools you are interested in require the ACT with writing by visiting: www.actstudent.org/writing. More than an admissions exam In addition to being a college admissions exam, the ACT includes a profile and education/career planning section to help you plan for life after high school. You will receive personalized career information and develop a comprehensive profile that tells colleges about your work in high school and future plans. You can also see your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested to help direct your future education. No penalty for guessing Your ACT scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. Do your best, and be sure to mark an answer to every question. You choose which scores to send If you take the ACT more than once, you can select which test date results you would like to send to the schools of your choice. Scores are only sent for the test dates you select. When registering for the ACT, you can select up to four colleges to send your scores to for free. A good value Preparing for college can be expensive. The ACT is a good value because it offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for one modest fee. And you can make yourself visible to colleges and scholarship agencies across the country by taking the ACT. It’s a complete package of services to help you get ready for life beyond high school. What to bring on test day Pencils   Calculator Identification and Registration (ACT ticket) Snack and Drink Wrist Watch Tissues (for winter test dates)