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The Big Deal about the ACT

If you are a high school student and you are still reading this post even after reading the title, congratulations! Give the person next to you (or yourself because that’s cool too) a big ‘ol high-five.��So what’s the big deal about the ACTs? ACT testing can be one of the vaguest, most mysterious or scary experiences of the transition from high school to college for any student. There are so many ideas about the ACT out there. Some people think it is really important. Others think it’s a waste of time. Others don’t even really know what it is.

 

The ACT test, or the “American College Test,” is a standardized test that was originally created to help students decide where to go to college and what to go for. The ACT has evolved since then to become more of a “college readiness” test that helps universities, colleges, and other institutions have a better idea of the educational level of a student.

 

The test is broken up into four parts with an optional fifth: English, mathematics, reading, and science with the optional being a writing section. The test is scored from 1-36 with a score of 21 as the national average. The levels of scores for admissions in certain institutions look something like this:

• Highly selective(the majority of accepted freshmen in top 10% of high school graduating class): scores��27–36
• Selective(the majority of accepted freshmen in top 25% of high school graduating class): scores��25–27
• Traditional(the majority of accepted freshmen in top 50% of high school graduating class): scores��22–24
• Liberal(some freshmen from the lower half of high school graduating class): scores��18–21
• Open(all high school graduates accepted, to limit of capacity): scores��17–20

 

What does all of this mean for you?

 

Scholarships – know that most institutions will have some sort of Academic Merit scholarships that are partly based on ACT score. Doing your best on the test can help you financially once you get into college. ��If you want to take a look at ����ԭ��’s scholarship, take a look at /scholarship/academic-merit-scholarship/ for our specific policies.

 

Practice – while not widely done, studying for the ACT can actually help if you are seeking to score a high mark on the test. There are multiple different ways to be more prepared for the ACT. You can find many of those ways on the ACT website, .

 

Say no to procrastination – while the ACT is important to most universities and colleges, letting the ACT slow you down is unnecessary. Don’t put off taking the test. Letting the test scare you or putting it off could slow down your application process to the college you are hoping to attend. Get in there and get it done.

 

Big Takeaway – Take this test seriously and it can help you in many ways.

 

 

1. ��(). ACT, Inc. Retrieved��September 9,��2017.
2. American College Test INC. (ACT). Research and Policy Issues-Information Brief 2002–1. (n.d.). “Interpreting act assessment scores: College admissions.” Retrieved October 8, 2012.