ACT

ACT Test Overview

First launched in fall 1959, the ACT test is a concentrated exam that covers student knowledge acquired from a four-year secondary education. It is given to senior high school students as an assessment of their educational development and may be predictor of a student’s performance in college.

The ACT is a multiple-choice test that is administered in all 50 states in the U.S. since 1960 up to this date. It covers four areas of study, namely English, reading, mathematics, and science. The ACT test also includes an optional Writing Test, which measures a student’s aptitude in planning and writing short essays to evaluate proficiency in English text construction.

The ACT test was developed by the American College Testing Program, Inc., a non-profit institution that wants to uphold quality education and assess loopholes in the secondary education program.

Most colleges would refer to the ACT and SAT (another standardized test of the same objectives) since both are able to produce substantial variations in curricula, funding, and grading systems. Colleges use SAT and/or ACT scores on top of the high school record to further help admission committees assess a student’s qualifications relative to the national average scores.

Students will be scored based on their performance in the four sections, after which a “composite score” is obtained to get the average of the four tests. Your best bet to score high is to do well in all four sections so your low score in one section will not drag the other scores down. The average ACT score in 2006 was between 20.6 and 21.4, though average scores differ from one state to another.

ACT Prep

ACT test dates for academic year 2007-2008 falls on September 15, 2007 while the deadline for the ACT test registration is on August 10, 2007. However, more tests are scheduled in October, December, February 2008, April 2008, and June 2008. There are separate ACT test registration deadlines for the said schedules.

Although the ACT is no guarantee to acceptance into a top university, your score can largely define the kind of student you are in relation to your academic performance in high school. However, college is a brand new field and students may improve dramatically compared to how they fared in high school. Thus, top universities consider several factors for admission, including your ACT score. The ACT test is more prevalent in the northern and southern United States.

There are two ways that a student can register for ACT: through an online form completed at their website and through the mail by completing a registration packet. The registration packet is made available to many high schools that administer the test and by filling out an online form on their website.

Many students often have to go through spending thousands of dollars in ACT Prep. Whether you can afford it or not, ACT preparation needs to involve a preparation style that you are most comfortable in. If you’re most effective when studying alone, a personal tutor and online programs for the ACT test can help in review. Meanwhile, if you like to participate in a small group discussion and feels it’s more effective, then small group tutoring may help.

If you intend to apply for scholarship or proceed immediately to university after high school graduation, it is advised that you take the ACT test a couple months before the application deadlines of a university, college, or scholarship. This will give enough room for admission officers to assess your score vis-à-vis your high school academic performance.

Taking ACT practice tests can help students acclimatize with the types of question in the exam, but remember that these practice tests are not the same questions in the actual exam. Practice tests can serve as study guide so you’ll know which study areas are to be focused.

Admission to the top universities requires diligence and hard work, and a lot of knowledge.