Changes Coming to ACT

Since the College Board announced its switch to a digital test, ACT Inc. has been trying its best to evolve to keep up with its competitor. While ACT recently began offering a digital version of the ACT to students who prefer testing on a computer, it hasn’t gained much traction. Students we’ve spoken to who have tried the digital ACT have noted that they prefer the paper test since its digital counterpart doesn’t offer some essential tools–like those offered in College Board’s Bluebook testing app–such as, the ability to markup reading passages and access to Desmos (an advanced graphing calculator application).

In a continued effort to offer choice and flexibility to students–and to compete with the College Board as the preferred college admissions test–ACT has announced that they will be making more changes. What are the two fundamental changes ACT is touting? The Science section will become optional, and the test will be shorter.

What is changing?

  • The Science section will become optional
  • The Composite score will be the average of the English, Reading, and Math scores
  • The test will be shorter (2 hours compared to 3)
  • Shorter passages on the English and Reading sections
  • Fewer questions in each section (44 in all), meaning more time to answer each question!

ACT has announced that these changes will roll out beginning with national online testing spring 2025 and then for school-day testing spring of 2026.

We are always excited when the College Board and ACT announce innovative changes to their tests, but it always leaves us with more questions! We look forward to learning more about these changes so we can help students navigate the complex, competitive world of admission testing and guide them to find the best choice to maximize their test scores!

Read the full ACT article here.

Posted in ACT

New Online ACT Will Be Ready for Spring Testers in 2024

Starting in February of 2024, students will have the option to take the ACT online on a computer at an approved testing center. The content and format of the ACT is not changing. Students simply have the option of paper-and-pencil or online when registering.


The students who will benefit most from choosing the computer test are those with accommodations that have proven difficult to implement on the paper test. A text-to-speech option, for example, eliminates the need for a human reader. The ability to zoom in will help the visually impaired.

Of course, most students don’t require these accommodations, but some may prefer the online format, which includes an onscreen timer. For students who opt to take the essay, typing may be easier than writing by hand. The online test also includes a built-in Desmos calculator, which some students may prefer to a regular graphing calculator.

You can read more about the new online ACT here. If you would like to discuss test options with one of our experts, call or email for a free consultation!

Score Optional Updates for Class of ’22!

With the lack of widespread availability for SAT and ACT tests in the last year, many rising Seniors have wondered how a shift in test administrations will affect their college applications. And this has gotten many people excited about the option for schools who won’t require test scores as part of a student’s admissions profile. But what do you need to know about applying to college in 2021?

 

“Score optional,” or “test optional,” means that a university does not require students to submit test scores from the SAT or ACT. But they do allow (and sometimes recommend) students to submit scores if the score reflects academic strength and contributes positively to their overall admissions profile. This is different from “test blind” colleges, which will not review test scores at all, even if they are submitted. The number of test blind colleges is relatively small compared to the increasing number (over 1000) of schools that are currently score optional (or have recently made the decision to be score optional only for the upcoming admissions cycle). It’s important to understand the implications of what score optional means before deciding whether or not to submit scores as part of the admissions profile.

 

Read on for Score Optional FAQ or scroll down for an updated list of Score Optional colleges.

 

SCORE OPTIONAL FAQ

 

IF I APPLY TO A SCORE OPTIONAL SCHOOL, DO MY TEST SCORES MATTER? Yes and no. If you choose not to submit scores, then your test scores will neither support nor condemn your likelihood of acceptance. But if you don’t submit scores, and other students DO, then the students with very high test scores will demonstrate an added strength to their profile than a student who didn’t submit scores at all. That is why when you look at the average scores for students attending a school like the University of Chicago (test optional for several years, before COVID-19), which consistently ranks in the top 20 of national universities and has <10% acceptance rate, you still see very high average scores for admitted students. Those students weren’t required to submit scores, but they did. And their very high scores emphasized the strengths of the academics already recorded on their transcript.

 

RECOMMENDATION: If you have strong test scores, always send to colleges. Scores that place you ranked in the 75th percentile and above are strong scores (1200 on SAT or 24/25 on ACT). And you shouldn’t be afraid to submit those scores even to a score optional school.

 

IF I APPLY TO A SCORE OPTIONAL SCHOOL, WILL MY EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ESSAYS WILL WEIGH MORE HEAVILY IN MY APPLICATION?

Yes. Not submitting test scores will ultimately mean that a university will take a more holistic approach to reviewing an applicant. For a student with a strong academic record, a broad array of activities and time spent outside of school, and many hours of service or volunteer work, applying to a score optional school is an excellent way to ensure that you get noticed for all of the awesome work you do outside of the classroom. But you should still know that your grades and GPA are the primary factors determining college admissions.

 

WILL I LOSE OUT ON SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IF I DON’T SUBMIT TEST SCORES, EVEN TO SCORE OPTIONAL SCHOOLS?

Potentially, yes. Many schools might not require test scores for admissions, but they do use test scores in combination with grades/GPA to evaluate merit-based scholarships. For some “score optional” schools, in fact, test scores are only optional if a student meets a certain GPA requirement. These same schools will typically base who qualifies for assured merit scholarships on the GPA and/or test scores submitted with the admissions application. For the best information, you should always check the financial aid website for an individual college.

 

IF I DON’T SUBMIT SAT OR ACT SCORES, SHOULD I SUBMIT OTHER SCORES LIKE AP TESTS?

Absolutely, yes! Especially if those tests show exceptional strength in certain academic areas. In fact, if a student struggles with the testing criteria of SAT or ACT tests, but thrives in a specific subject matter, then showcasing your strength in that area is definitely a great idea. It’s important to remember that standardized tests are intended to allow a student to show academic strength in an objective way. Though these tests may not be required, if a student can show off their skills and knowledge, then that will only add strength to their application. AP testing only happens once a year, but there are other standardized tests that students can take such as CLEP tests and foreign language national exams that can highlight student excellence.

 

 

So the general consensus? The option to not submit scores can be very helpful for a student who struggles with standardized tests or for a student who wasn’t able to test and retest due to COVID-19 cancellations, precautions, or lack of availability for testing. However, there are still advantages to submitting scores and working to improve existing scores. If a student can prep and test in summer and maybe even early Fall (September and October), it is advantageous for that student to do so. Especially if they could improve their likelihood of gaining acceptance to more competitive schools OR if their grades/GPA aren’t as strong as they would have hoped. And then if a student applies to score optional or test flexible schools, which will already be approaching the application holistically, their scores will only add to their strengths. At More Than A Teacher, we are fond of saying that schools are looking for reasons to let you in, not reasons to keep you out. Knowing how a college or university will view test scores is the key to making an informed decision.

 

SCORE OPTIONAL, SCORE FLEXIBLE, AND TEST BLIND SCHOOLS BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA (updated March 2021)

http://fairtest.org/university/optional/state

 

TEST BLIND – Schools that will NOT consider test scores even if submitted for Fall 2021 or beyond

 

All California State universities (through Spring 2023)
All University of California (UC)* campuses (through 2021 state mandate, through 2024 by vote of Board of Regents)
CAL Tech (California Institute of Technology)
Cornell* (Agriculture, Architecture, and Business)
CUNY (City University of New York – all campuses)
Hampshire College**
Loyola University of New Orleans
Reed College** (2-year trial)
University of Washington-Seattle UW* (1 year pilot for 2020-2021, scores may be advised for waitlisted students)
Washington State University WSU (1 year pilot for 2020-2021)

 

SCORE OPTIONAL SCHOOLS BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA (schools that have chosen to de-emphasize SAT/ACT testing as a qualifier for admissions)

*indicates a top 100 nationally ranked university

**indicates a nationally ranked small liberal arts college (some of which can be found as part of the Colleges that Change Lives www.ctcl.org)

 

TEXAS

Austin College**
Baylor University*
Hardin-Simmons
Howard Payne
Midwestern State
Rice*
Sam Houston State
SMU*
Southwestern**
St. Edward’s
Stephen F. Austin State
Tarleton State (may be requested if student doesn’t meet GPA requirements)
TCU*
Texas A&M* – most campuses, including College Station (some campuses may request scores if min GPA requirements aren’t met)
Texas Lutheran
Texas State University (may be requested if student doesn’t meet GPA requirements)
Texas Tech University
Trinity**
University of Dallas
University of Houston
University of Mary-Hardin Baylor, UMHB (may be requested if student doesn’t meet GPA requirements or for placement/advising purposes)
UNT (may be requested if student doesn’t meet GPA requirements)
UT Austin* – and most campuses (some campuses may request scores if min GPA requirements aren’t met)

 

SOUTH

Babson College**
Belmont University
Eckerd College**
Emory University*
Florida State College (Must submit COMPASS, CPAT, TABE, WAIS, Stanford Achievement Test, ASSET and/or college entrance exam if not submitting SAT/ACT scores)
Full Sail University
Loyola University New Orleans (test blind)
Mississippi State University
Oklahoma State
Rhodes**
Sewanee University of the South**
State College of Florida
Tulane*
University of Kentucky
University of Mississippi (Ole’ Miss) – must meet min GPA requirements
University of Oklahoma OU
University of the Ozarks
University of Tulsa
Vanderbilt*

 

WEST

All Cal State Universities CSU
All UC schools* (test blind ONLY FOR CAL residents)
Arizona State – min GPA requirements
Boise State
Bushnell University
California Institute of Technology CALTECH*
California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Chapman College
City University of Seattle
Claremont McKenna** (check for other schools in Claremont Consortium)
Colorado College**
Evergreen State**
George Fox University
Golden Gate University
Gonzaga*
Grand Canyon University (must meet min GPA)
Harvey-Mudd** (check other schools in Claremont Consortium)
Hawai’i Pacific University
Idaho State
Lewis and Clark College**
Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston ID
Loyola Marymount*
Multnomah University
Nevada State College
New Mexico State
Oregon State
Otis College of Art and Design
Pepperdine*
Pitzer**
Pomona College** (check other Claremont Consortium)
Portland State University
Reed College**
Santa Clara*
Scripps**
Seattle University
Stanford*
University of Alaska – mult. campuses
University of Arizona
University of Denver*
University of Idaho
University of Nevada
University of New Mexico
University of Oregon
University of Puget Sound**
University of Utah
University of Washington (UW – Udub)*
University of Wyoming
USC*
Washington State – mult. campuses
Western Governors University
Whitman College**

 

NORTHEAST

Albright College
Allegheny College**
Amherst**
Bard**
Barnard**
Bates**
Berklee College of Music
Boston College*
Boston University*
Bowdoin**
Brandeis*
Brown*
Bryn Mawr**
Bucknell**
Cambridge College
Carnegie Mellon*
Colby**
Colgate**
College of the Holy Cross**
Columbia University*
Connecticut College**
Cornell*
Dartmouth College*
Davis**
Dickinson College**
Drexel*
Eastern University
Emerson College
Fordham*
Franklin and Marshall**
George Washington*
Hamilton**
Hampshire College
Harvard*
Haverford**
Hobart and William Smith
Indiana University of Penn
Ithaca College
Julliard School
Marist
Mass College of Art and Design
Middlebury**
Mount Holyoke**
New School
Northeastern University*
NYU* (score flexible – choose which standardized tests to send including APs)
Pace University
Penn State – mult campuses
Penn State at Penn State*
Princeton University*
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute*
Rhode Island School of Design
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rutgers – Newark and Camden
Sarah Lawrence**
Skidmore**
Smith**
St. John’s University
SUNY – multiple campuses
Swarthmore**
Syracuse*
Temple University
Thomas Jefferson University
Trinity College**
Tufts University*
UMASS* – Amherst*, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell
University of Connecticut*
University of Delaware*
University of Maine (multiple campuses)
University of New Hampshire
University of Pittsburgh – mult. campuses
University of Rhode Island
University of Rochester*
University of Vermont
UPenn*
Vassar**
Villanova*
Washington and Jefferson
Wellesley**
Wesleyan**
Williams College**
Yale*

 

MID-ATLANTIC

American University*
College of William and Mary*
Davidson College**
Elon University**
George Mason
Georgetown*
Goucher**
Hampton University (must meet min GPA)
James Madison University
Johns Hopkins*
Loyola University Maryland
Maryland Institute of Art
Marymount University
Old Dominion
Queens University of Charlotte
Towson
University of Maryland*
University of Richmond**
UVA*
Virginia State
Virginia Tech*
Wake Forest*
Washington and Lee**

 

MIDWEST

Ball State
Beloit College
Bethel University
Carleton College**
Case Western Reserve*
Chicago State University
College of Wooster
Columbia College
Concordia University Chicago
Concordia University, St. Paul
DePaul University
Franklin University
Grinnell College**
Hillsdale College**
Illinois State University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Indiana State University – must meet GPA requirements
Indiana University* – Bloomington* and mult. campuses
Indiana Wesleyan
Knox College**
KState (meet min GPA)
Loyola University Chicago
Macalester College**
Marquette*
Michigan State*
Minnesota State
North Park University
Northwestern*
Oberlin College**
Ohio State University* – mult. campuses
Ohio University – mult. campuses
Ohio Wesleyan University
Purdue University
Ripon College
University of Chicago*
University of Cincinnati
University of Michigan – Flint campus (must meet min GPA)
University of Minnesota – mult. campuses
University of Missouri Mizzou – mult. campuses
University of Nebraska – mult. campuses
University of Notre Dame*
University of Wisconsin – mult. campuses
Valparaiso University
Washington University in St. Louis*

Test Cancellation Updates and Advice for Class of ’21

The SAT and ACT are typically offered a combined number of fourteen times during a given school year. This year, however, COVID cancellations and postponements eliminated at least half of those opportunities for the class of 2021.  Many test sites have announced that they are cancelling or postponing the August SAT. What does this mean for high school seniors? Well, it depends. Seniors who tested as juniors in the fall of 2019 or early spring of 2020 may not even notice the cancellations or changes in admission policies. They are the fortunate ones. Seniors who don’t have an SAT or ACT score yet aren’t so lucky. They have two options: 1) forget about it and apply to score-optional colleges/programs (more on this later) or 2) prepare and test this fall. But when will a test actually take place? No one can guarantee anything right now, especially when it comes to college admissions, but here’s our two cents for seniors who are either done testing, thinking about score-optional admission, or still hoping to take an SAT or ACT this fall.

Done testing:

Good for you! Seriously, good job. Your hard work and advance planning paid off. Finish up your college essays and plan to apply just like this was any other year. We recommend submitting everything by the end of October for this group of students.

Wondering about score-optional admission:

Many schools are going score-optional or test-flexible for class of 2021. This is great news for students who do not have scores yet or who are not satisfied with the pre-pandemic scores they have on record. Our advice to this group of students is to do your research and make sure your application is beautiful! Read what your top-choice schools are doing for your graduation class. If they have waived the score requirements, and you do not have the time or energy to take an SAT or ACT, you can put your energy into your application, resume, and essays. Will they be looking at these items more closely if you do not submit scores? You bet! Double check new deadlines and read every word of the admission requirements for class of 2021. Make sure you understand the new policy on testing before getting too excited! Will you need scores for merit-based aid or admission to a particular program (i.e. engineering or business)? If so, you might need to read the advice below.

Hoping to test this fall:

Don’t test cold! You may only have one shot at the test this year. Prepare by taking practice tests, attending a prep class, and/or working with a friend or private tutor one-on-one. If you are signed up for the August SAT, keep checking your College Board account and confirm with your school to see whether or not the test will be taking place. If you are faced with a cancellation, shift your focus to the September or October SAT instead. The adjusted deadlines might give you time to test this winter or early spring of 2021. Find out whether your high school is offering a school-day SAT for seniors this fall. If it is, sign up ASAP! Many schools are offering a school-day SAT for seniors on the same day that juniors are taking the PSAT.

We are here to help! Attend a free webinar or contact us to book a complimentary, thirty-minute consultation. One of our experts can help you create a custom plan for preparing, testing, and completing your college essays. Good luck, seniors. Take a breath and relax. You’ve got this.

Applying to Score Optional Schools – Updated!

With the unprecedented cancellations of SAT and ACT tests this spring, many rising seniors are wondering how the situation will affect their college applications, particularly for schools that now do not require test scores as part of a student’s admissions profile.

“Score-optional” or “test-optional” schools do not require students to submit test scores from the SAT or ACT. But these schools do allow students to submit those scores if the student feels that their score reflects academic strength and contributes positively to their overall admissions profile. This is different from “test blind” colleges, which will not review test scores at all, even if they are submitted. The number of test-blind colleges is relatively small compared to the increasing number (over 1000) of schools that have gone score-optional (either permanently or just for the class of 2021 admissions cycle). Many news reports unwittingly imply that score-optional schools are test-blind, which can cause confusion. It’s important to understand the implications of score-optional status to successfully navigate the fall 2020 application process.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

IF I APPLY TO A SCORE-OPTIONAL SCHOOL, DOES THAT MEAN THAT MY TEST SCORES DON’T MATTER?

 

If you choose not to submit scores, then your test scores will have no bearing on your acceptance (the school won’t see them). But if you choose not to submit scores, and other students do submit their scores, you may be at a disadvantage. A student who submits high test scores will have a stronger application than a student who doesn’t submit scores at all. That is why when you look at the average scores for students attending a test-optional school like the University of Chicago (consistently ranked among the top twenty national universities, with an acceptance rate under ten percent), you see very high average scores for admitted students. Those students weren’t required to submit scores, but they did, and their high scores complemented the academic strengths indicated by their transcript.

 

If you have strong test scores, you should always send them, even to test-optional schools. Scores in the 75th percentile (1200 on SAT or 24/25 on ACT) and above are strong scores.

 

IF I APPLY TO A SCORE-OPTIONAL SCHOOL, THEN WILL MY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ESSAYS WEIGH MORE HEAVILY IN MY APPLICATION?

 

Yes. Not requiring test scores will ultimately mean that a university will take a more holistic approach to reviewing applicants. For a student with a strong academic record, a broad array of extracurricular activities, and many hours of service or volunteer work, applying to a score-optional school is an excellent way to ensure that you get noticed for all of the awesome work that you do outside of the classroom. However, grades and GPA are the primary factors determining college admissions.

 

WILL I LOSE OUT ON SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IF I DON’T SUBMIT TEST SCORES, EVEN TO SCORE-OPTIONAL SCHOOLS?

 

Potentially, yes. Many schools might not require test scores for admissions, but they do use test scores in combination with grades/GPA to evaluate applications for merit-based scholarships. In fact, for some “score-optional” schools, test scores are only optional if a student meets a certain GPA requirement. These same schools will typically award merit scholarships based on GPA and test scores submitted with the admissions application. Keep in mind that the situation is evolving. Some schools who have recently made the decision to go test-optional may not yet have made a decision on how they will award merit scholarships for fall 2020 applicants. For the best information, you should always check the financial aid information available on individual colleges’ websites.

 

IF I DON’T SUBMIT SAT OR ACT SCORES, SHOULD I SUBMIT OTHER SCORES LIKE SAT SUBJECT TESTS or AP TESTS?

 

Absolutely! Especially if those tests show exceptional strength in certain academic areas. In fact, if you struggle with SAT or ACT tests, but excel at subject-specific tests, it is a good idea to think about taking some of those tests in the fall in order to boost your admissions profile. AP tests are administered only once per year, but SAT Subject tests and CLEP exams happen throughout the year. Both are part of the College Board array of tests. You can view schedules and pricing at collegeboard.org and determine if one or more might help improve your admissions profile.

 

ARE UT AND A&M SCORE-OPTIONAL?

 

Yes, but only for Class of ’21 applicants. UT and A&M have both recently announced that they are not requiring SAT or ACT scores for Class of ’21 admissions.  Both universities are still going to offer assured admissions for students with certain grades/class ranks. High test scores may still be useful for placement in specific programs (for example the School of Engineering or School of Business at either campus). “Students may continue to submit standardized scores from their SAT and/or ACT tests for consideration for admission. Submission of tests scores will not create any unfair advantage or disadvantage for those students who provide them.” Chris Reed, executive director of admissions, TAMU.

 

CONCLUSION

 

The option to not submit scores can be very helpful for a student who struggles with standardized tests or for a student who wasn’t able to test in the spring due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, but there are still advantages to submitting scores and working to improve existing scores. If a student can prep and test in late summer and early fall, it is advantageous to that student to do so. Especially if they are applying to the big public universities in our state, as both UT and A&M are still requiring students to submit test scores for SAT or ACT. If a student applies to score-optional or test-flexible schools, impressive scores will only add to their strengths. At More Than A Teacher, we are fond of saying that schools are looking for reasons to let you in, not reasons to keep you out. Knowing how a college or university will view test scores is the key to making an informed decision.

 

SCORE OPTIONAL SCHOOLS BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA (schools waiving testing requirements for 2020 admissions ONLY) https://www.fairtest.org/sites/default/files/ACT-SATWaiversfor2020Admissions.pdf

 

TEXAS

Baylor University

St. Mary’s University, San Antonio

Schreiner University (applicants with GPA of 3.25+)

Texas Tech

University of Texas

Texas A&M

 

SCORE OPTIONAL SCHOOLS BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA (schools that have chosen to de-emphasize SAT/ACT testing as a qualifier for admissions)

*indicates a top 50 nationally ranked university

**indicates a nationally ranked small liberal arts college (Colleges that Change Lives)

 

TEXAS

Baylor University

Austin College**

Concordia University

SMU

Southwestern**

St. Edward’s

TCU

Texas Lutheran

Trinity**

UT-Arlington

 

SOUTH

Eckerd College**

Florida State

University of Miami

Loyola University New Orleans (test blind)

Tulane*

Davidson College**

Elon University**

Wake Forest*

Rhodes**

College of William and Mary*

University of Richmond**

Virginia Tech

 

WEST

Arizona State – min GPA requirements

University of Arizona

CAL TECH

All Cal State Universities*

Claremont McKenna (check for other schools in Claremont Consortium)**

Loyola Marymount

All UC schools (test-blind for California residents only)

Colorado College**

University of Denver

Lewis and Clark College**

Oregon State

University of Oregon

Evergreen State**

Gonzaga

University of Puget Sound**

University of Washington (UW – Udub)

Whitman College**

USC*

 

NORTHEAST

University of Connecticut

American University*

George Washington*

Amherst

Boston University*

Northeastern University*

Brandeis*

Cambridge College

Tufts University*

UMASS

Smith**

Goucher**

Bates**

Bowdoin**

Colby**

Bard**

Barnard**

Colgate**

Cornell*

Wesleyan**

Fordham

Davis**

Hamilton**

Marist

NYU (score flexible – choose which standardized tests to send, including APs)*

University of Rochester*

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute*

Sarah Lawrence

Skidmore**

Vassar

Allegheny College

Bryn Mawr**

Bucknell**

Haverford**

Swarthmore**

Temple University

Villanova*

Middlebury**

 

 

MIDWEST

Columbia College

DePaul University

University of Chicago*

Ball State

Indiana University – Purdue

KState (meet min GPA)

Michigan State

Carleton College**

Case Western*

Oberlin College**

Navigating College Admissions Amid COVID-19

College Admission Test Cancellations

It may seem difficult to plan for college when everything keeps changing. While important admission test dates have been cancelled or postponed, we want to encourage students to keep their goals in sight and focus on a strong finish!

Here is a review of some of the recent changes affecting students and the college admissions process, and ways students can stay on track and achieve their goals.

Spring SATs Cancelled

The College Board has cancelled all remaining test dates for the current school year, which means that the next anticipated testing opportunity is not until August 29th. What does this mean for students? Use the time you have now to prepare for the August SAT! With fewer testing opportunities and a smaller window to submit test scores, why wait? Gain essential test-taking strategies now and use this time to refine your skills to ensure your August test score counts! All MTAT prep classes have moved online until we can safely meet in person. You can view all SAT course offerings HERE. Remember,  previous MTAT students have unlimited, FREE return privileges to future SAT classes. Prepare now, and review later. This will alleviate the stress of cramming for a test while preparing to submit college applications, writing college essays, visiting campuses, etc.

Is the ACT a good option for you? Take this time to find out. Take a practice ACT so you can make an informed decision about which test to target! Download a practice ACT from ACT.org or email info@morethanateacher.com to get a printable version you can take from home.

 

Spring ACT Options

ACT cancelled the April test date due to COVID-19; however, unlike College Board,  ACT plans to follow through with June and July testing. As we are all aware, plans are continually changing. Like the SAT classes, all of our ACT classes are also moving online until we are able to meet in person. A complete list of ACT class schedules is available HERE. Students currently enrolled in an ACT class should plan to continue their preparation so they can gain a strong foundation in the strategies they’ll need to conquer the test, and plan to take advantage of our free return policy should they need to test again, or should their test date be postponed.

 

What about Test Optional Schools?

Some schools have adopted a Test Optional policy for Class of 2021 applicants. What does this mean for you? Colleges understand the situation that juniors are in right now. They know that at least four major testing opportunities have been cancelled. For this reason, some schools are dropping the SAT/ACT requirement for Class of 2021. Some schools are going test optional permanently! Keep in mind, even though SAT/ACT scores are not required, you may still benefit from submitting your scores. Do your research to make sure that you understand the requirements for the schools you will be applying to. Check to see what their average SAT/ACT scores typically are. If your SAT/ACT is close to the average (or better yet, higher than the average), go ahead and send your scores. SAT/ACT scores might still be necessary for your desired major or ensure your eligibility for certain scholarships.

If you are struggling with your online coursework or if you find yourself overwhelmed because of the test cancellations, a test optional or test blind college might be a great choice. Your mental health is your top priority. Just make sure to do your research.

 

College Research, Applications, and Essays

Students have a unique opportunity to overcome the challenges of this season and to show colleges their grit and tenacity during challenging times. One of the ways you can keep moving forward is to spend time researching colleges and make a plan for completing your applications and essays. Become an admission expert when it comes to the colleges you want to apply to. Our college advisor prepared a great resource you can view for free to help you get started (College Admission Prezi by Kim Lewis).

Want to get started on your essays now? Year after year, our college essay coaches see students struggle with what to write about and how to make their essays unique when everyone is answering the same, broad essay prompt. Taking this time to get a head start on your essays may allow for more time later to focus on summer testing, postponed college visits, and completing applications! We are offering our College Essay Workshop package in a one-on-one, virtual platform so students can get ahead . Click HERE or contact our office for more information.

While essay prompts can vary slightly from year to year, our experts will focus on crafting essays that will be widely applicable. If there happens to be a dramatic shift to the application process, we will adjust accordingly to ensure students needs are met and essays meet the necessary requirements.

 

Need help staying informed when it comes to College Admission Testing? Sign up for our blog or follow us on FaceBook!

Congratulations Class of 2018!

Congratulations to the class of 2018!

In the last two years, More Than A Teacher worked with over 2,000 students from this year’s senior class.

We are so proud of each of them and excited to hear what they are going on to do next. A special congratulations and thank you to the graduates who shared their success stories and let us know about their plans!

Aaron R. – University of Texas Arlington, Scholarship Recipient
Abby S. – Tufts University
Alan J. – Austin College, $100,000 Scholarship
Alex S. – Texas A&M
Cheryl C. – Texas A&M, Visualization
Christopher L. – National Merit Scholar, University of Texas Dallas, Scholarship Recipient
Cole T. – Ole Miss
Cooper B. – University of AK, Honors School of Business
Corinne S. – Evergreen State College, Awarded Five Scholarships
David J. – Texas A&M, Biochemistry
Drew B. – Texas A&M, Computer Science
Ellie N. – National Merit Scholar, University of Texas at Austin
Emhely G. – St. Edward’s University, Biomedical Engineering
Grace D. – University of Texas at Austin
Isabel K. – San Diego State University
Jack M. – Texas Tech, Honors Program
Kai F. – Samford University
Kaylee K. – Texas A&M
Lauren H. – Presidential Scholar, George Washington University, Elliot School of Public Affairs
Libby M. – National Merit Scholar, University of Texas at Austin, Economics
Matthew Z. – Austin College
Nathan H. – Willamette University
Nisha K. – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Electrical Engineering
Rylan D. – University of Texas in Austin, Arts and Entertainment Technology
Sharika M. – University of Texas at Austin, Business and Plan II

Meredith S. – Texas A&M, Mays Business School

Corbin S.  – National Merit Scholar, Stanford

Tara W. – Commended Scholar, Trinity University

Joseph S. – University of Texas Dallas, Scholarship Recipient

Trenton N. – University of Texas Dallas, Computer Science

Alyssa R. – Chapman University, Honors Program, Provost Scholarship Recipient

Spencer S. – University of Chicago, Economics and Cancer Biology

 

Want to share your admission or scholarship story with us? Email info@morethanateacher.com.

 

ACT Academy is LIVE… and I would give it 0 stars if I could

Some of you may have heard about ACT Academy, the new, free, targeted online preparation for the ACT. I got a very excited-sounding email from ACT, Inc. a few weeks ago announcing that this feature was available for use. Since students (and parents) frequently ask me where to find additional practice for the ACT, I decided to check the site out for myself.

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with what I found. My biggest complaint is that the quiz questions all appear to come from a released practice test (the 2012 test, in case you were wondering). Granted, I’ve only completed about a fifth of the quizzes so far, but all of the questions that I saw were disturbingly familiar. The practice test that is offered on the site is also reused—it is the 2015 test, the most recent practice test available. Not only is this problematic in that some students will have seen the questions before, but it also means that there are two fewer full-length practice tests available to students who have used ACT Academy.

Another concern that I have is the small number of quizzes available—for about a quarter of the topics, there is only one quiz available, making it difficult to assess learning. For almost half of the topics, there are only two. When you miss a question on a quiz, by the way, the only explanation currently available is “Rationale: incorrect”. Not very helpful!

The content on the Resources page is inadequate, to say the least. Nearly all of the content on the Resources page is videos, despite advertising about games and rap songs. (Actually, the lack of rap songs might be a good thing.) More concerning, though, is the fact that the videos don’t seem to be ACT-specific. In fact, I found a video in the resources for the Reading Test that was designed for an AP English class. Additionally, the Science Test resources include a video entitled “AP Biology Practice 5”. In it, the narrator describes what “the College Board will ask.” The College Board, maker of the SAT, is ACT, Inc.’s biggest competitor!

Many of the resources seem designed to teach students the content that they should have learned in the classes that are supposed to prepare them for the ACT (their Algebra, Geometry, other math, and English classes, in particular), rather than teaching students about concepts that the ACT considers to be particularly important (and therefore is likely to ask questions about). For instance, I found videos about ellipses and parabolas, but none about circles—the one type of conic that is often included in the test. I also found videos about how to use a ruler, how to write a summary, and how to create a dot plot—none of which are relevant for the ACT. Additionally, while videos demonstrating a skill or explaining a concept can be helpful, they offer no way for students to practice the skill or test their understanding.

Interestingly, I have found no mention whatsoever of the Writing Test on this website. However, many of the resources for the English Test (which covers revising and editing) are more likely to be helpful for the Writing Test (the essay).

The Tips & Strategies page is helpful, but all of the information is included in the free “Preparing for the ACT” guide, which also includes the most recently released practice test.

One feature that could be useful, but that I am unable to test, is the option to enter results from an ACT or Pre-ACT (my scores are too old!). If this feature is actually used to guide a student’s practice, it has the potential to be useful. If it just means that the student doesn’t have to take the quizzes to have a starting point, it’s probably not going to be very helpful.

Overall, I would not recommend ACT Academy at this point. My recommendation (to get more benefit out of the same free materials) would be to come take a free, proctored practice ACT (or, if you’re not in the Austin area, download the test here [you’ll need pages 11-51, 57-60, and 64] and print it out—take it with a pencil, like you will the real test!). When you score your test, DON’T mark the correct answers! Just mark the questions you got wrong, and keep moving. Afterwards (and after you’ve taken a break), review the questions that you missed. Actually re-attempt each question, and see if you can figure out where you went wrong. For any concepts you’re really stumped on (maybe you don’t remember how to use a semicolon, or have forgotten the formula for area of a trapezoid), look them up online. Generally, you’ll be able to find an explanation from a quick Google (or YouTube) search. Once you’ve reviewed the concepts, take the second practice test by signing up for another free practice ACT, or downloading it here.

At this point, you will have used the same materials available on ACT Academy, but in a more focused and productive manner. And, as a bonus, you’ll have scores available from both of these practice tests, rather than just the first one (since you will have taken the 2012 test as a full-length test instead of as a series of untimed, unscored quizzes).

If you’re looking for even more preparation, you can explore our ACT class and private tutoring options, or call our office at (512) 453-7272 to schedule a free 30-minute consultation designed to help you plan your test preparation.

If the site improves (which I hope it will), I will post an updated review and suggestions for best use. But, for now, I would just avoid it.

The ACT Part 6: Essay

Note: this post has been updated to reflect recent changes to the ACT essay.

This is the sixth in a six-part series on the ACT.

Read Part 1 – Intro, Part 2 – English, Part 3 – Math, Part 4 – Reading, Part 5 – Science

And finally, we come to the Essay section. The Essay is optional but required by some colleges. Unless you’re 100% sure that every college you’re applying to doesn’t require it, then you should take it. It’s just an extra 40 minutes at the end of the test. If you don’t do the essay and apply to a college that requires it, you’ll have to retake the entire test.

As I said in Part 1, the Essay score doesn’t count toward your composite score. So why should you even care about it?

Because some colleges care about it. You might have a composite score in the 30s, but if your essay score is dismal, that could raise a red flag for the admissions department: this student can’t write! You don’t want that to happen, so take the essay seriously. Don’t freak out over it; just do your best.

Learning to write well is the most important skill for success in college. You can go to class every day, complete all the assigned reading, and have brilliant things to say about what you’ve learned. But if you can’t communicate your thoughts in writing, your professors won’t know how brilliant you are!

Furthermore, most high-paying jobs require some amount of writing. If your emails to your boss or to clients are filled with mistakes and nonsensical sentences, you can bet they’ll notice.

But learning how to write well isn’t easy. It takes years of practice. I can’t teach you how in a two-hour class, much less a blog post. But I can recommend a wonderful little book called Writing with Style by John Trimble. It’s very short and easy to read. He basically shows you all the mistakes every college freshman makes (everybody makes the same mistakes) and then shows you how not to make them. He’s got a lot to say, but the most important part is: Write to be understood. Keep your sentences short and to the point.

Back to the essay . . . You will be presented with three viewpoints on an issue (environmentalism, healthcare; it could be anything really). Your job is to analyze and evaluate the three perspectives, provide your own perspective, and explain the relationship between your perspective and the three perspectives given.

Two graders will score your essay on four metrics, each on a scale of 1-6:

Ideas & Analysis (1-6)
Development & Support (1-6)
Organization (1-6)
Language Use (1-6)

These four scores are averaged for each grader, so you’ll get two scores on a scale of 1-6, which are then added for your final score, on a scale of 2-12. Simple!

Short essays get low scores, so be sure to use the full 40 minutes, and make your essay as long as possible (without repeating yourself).

The best way to prepare for the essay is to read the sample essays and scoring explanations on the ACT website.

If you’re concerned about the essay, you may want to contact your target schools and find out if they require the essay and what kind of score they’re looking for. In most cases, an 8 (on the 2-12 scale) is probably good enough, but higher is always preferred.

Again, the essay does not affect your composite score, and the composite is the primary benchmark colleges will be considering.

Want to know where you stand? Send us your essay, and we’ll grade it for free! Just send us an email with “practice essay” in the subject line, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

This concludes our series on the ACT. If you live in the Austin area, you can sign up for a free practice test. And, of course, we’ve got ACT classes going all year long. If you’ve still got questions about the ACT (or anything!) we’d love to hear from you!

Posted in ACT

The ACT Part 5: Science

This is the fifth in a six-part series on the ACT.

Read: Part 1 – Intro, Part 2 – English, Part 3 – Math, Part 4 – Reading

If the Science section looks intimidating, that’s because it’s designed to be. The test makers like to brag that the ACT tests what you learn in school. And yet one of their favorite subjects on the Science section is geology. No one takes geology in high school! You will see words and concepts that are completely foreign to you. But don’t panic! You don’t really need to know what’s going on in all these studies and experiments. Most of the questions test your ability to read charts and graphs, which really isn’t that difficult. The hardest part about the Science section is dealing with information overload. The good news is: you don’t need all that information. In fact, you don’t even have to read 90% of it. And that’s good because you don’t have time.

ACT Science
40 questions
35 minutes
7 passages
5 minutes per passage

Some students who excel at science classes in high school will actually bomb the ACT Science section the first time they take it. Why? Because they try to read and understand all the paragraphs, charts, graphs, and tables before going to the questions, and they inevitably run out of time. Most of that information is irrelevant anyway. Some passages will even contain one or more charts or graphs that the questions don’t even ask about. They’re just for show!

Go straight to the questions. Most questions will tell you exactly where to look. If a question says, “According to Table 2 . . .” then the answer is on Table 2.

Important: The easiest way to miss a question on the Science section is to look in the wrong place. Table 2 is not the same thing as Figure 2.

If a question says, “According to Experiment 1 . . .” then find the chart or graph associated with Experiment 1. (It’s usually right below it.) Nine times out of ten you do not need to read the paragraph introducing Experiment 1. Read these paragraphs only if the question directs you to. For example, if a question says, “According to the hypothesis of the scientist in Experiment 3 . . .” then you need to read Experiment 3 so you know what the hypothesis is. These questions are rare. Also, if you ever feel completely lost, you might want to read the introductory paragraph, which is usually pretty short.

A few tips:

When looking at a graph, always read the labels on the axes. You need to know what’s being measured, and in what units.

The last question on any passage is usually the hardest. Remember: on the ACT you have to keep moving. If you’re stuck on a question, it’s best to guess and move on.

The Conflicting Viewpoints passage is the hardest one. You’ll recognize it because it has fewer charts, graphs, or illustrations than the other passages (usually none at all). It will also have passages labeled “Scientist 1” and “Scientist 2” or “Student 1” and “Student 2” or “Hypothesis A” and “Hypothesis B” or something similar. Occasionally there will be more than two viewpoints. Since there are few (or no) charts and graphs, you will have to do some reading on this one. Read the intro paragraph and the first sentence of each viewpoint. Then you can go to the questions. You can find the answers to most of them by scanning for key words. For example, if a question says something like, “Scientist 2 would most likely state that the vertical circulation that is present in most of the oceans today is maintained, at least in part, by the presence of . . .” then you should scan Scientist 2’s paragraph for the words “vertical circulation.” The sentence with that phrase will probably contain the answer to the question. If you struggle with time on the Science section, it might be a good idea to guess on the Conflicting Viewpoints passage.

In our final post of this series, we’ll take a look at the Essay section.

Posted in ACT

The ACT Part 4: Reading

This is the fourth in a six-part series on the ACT. Read: Part 1 – Intro, Part 2 – English, Part 3 – Math.

The Reading section is the hardest section for most students for the simple reason that most students don’t read much. Most students don’t like reading, and that’s a shame. But I’ll save that sermon for another post. Let me just say this: if you read for 30 minutes or more every day, after a few months you’ll find the Reading section a lot easier. (And all the other ones, since they all—including the math section—require reading.)

Another major challenge is time. There are four passages with ten questions each, and you’ve only got 35 minutes. That’s eight minutes and 45 seconds per passage.

ACT READING
4 passages
35 minutes
40 questions
8 minutes & 45 seconds per passage

Some students simply cannot do it. For them, there’s Plan B, which we’ll return to in a moment. Plan A is to answer every question. Here’s how to do it.

Read the questions first. Unlike on SAT Critical Reading sections, the questions are not in order. In other words, the first question might be about the last paragraph. If you try to read the whole passage first, you’re likely to zone out and start daydreaming (the passages aren’t exactly riveting). But if you read the questions first, then when you get to the passage, you’re actively looking for information, which keeps you focused and engaged. You still need to read the entire passage. You just pause every once in awhile to answer a question.

Ask yourself what each question tells you about the passage. For example, if the question asks, “Which of the following statements most accurately expresses Fran’s feelings when she hands her mother the letter from Linda Rose?” then you know Fran is going to get a letter from Linda Rose. Then, when you read about Fran getting a letter in the first paragraph, you already know who it is (most likely) from.

Underline key words. When a question contains a word or phrase that is either unusual or very specific, underline it so that you’re more likely to remember it when you’re reading the passage. In the above question, for example, you should underline “hands her mother the letter.” When you arrive at this part of the passage, you’ll probably remember that there’s a question about it. You won’t remember which question, but you can probably find it pretty quickly.

Mark the line number questions. Many questions come with line numbers. You should write these question numbers in the margin of the passage. For example, if question 14 asks, “Which of the following statements best summarizes Lincoln’s thoughts about what Jefferson achieved when he wrote the Declaration (lines 21-28)?”, then you should write the number 14 in the margin next to line 28. Then, when you’re reading the passage, and you see that 14, you’ll know it’s time to answer question #14.

By the time you’ve read the passage, you should have answered about half the questions. Now quickly answer the rest of them.

Do not get bogged down on a hard question. Even if you end up getting it right, if it keeps you from getting to another question down the line, it’s not worth it. It’s better to just guess and keep moving. Try to do as little re-reading as possible. If you’re 70% sure the answer is C, then there’s no need to double check; just pick C! Put a star by the question, and go back to it later if you have time (but you probably won’t.)

Plan B

If you’ve attempted at least two Reading sections and genuinely given it your best shot but were unable to finish, then count the number of questions you have left. If it’s fewer than five, you can finish. Push yourself. Go faster.

If it’s more than five, go with Plan B: spend the full 35 minutes on the first three passages and guess on the last ten questions. Just bubble in letters in a straight line (A, F, A, F, A, F . . .) and you should get at least two of them right. If you also get every question right on the first three passages, then you can still get a good score (anywhere from a 26 to a 30 depending on the test).

The passages always come in the same order: Fiction, Social Science, Humanities, Natural Science. I think Natural Science tends to be the most difficult (technical, dry), and it is conveniently last. However, I have met students who genuinely do not do well with fiction. If that’s you, then guess on the first passage, and spend the full 35 minutes on the other three. The Social Science passage also tends to be difficult and dry. The Humanities one is all over the place. It might be about Shakespeare or Star Trek, so it’s hard to generalize. Some tutors instruct their students to read the intro of each passage first and then decide which one to skip, but I think that’s just one more decision to make and a waste of precious time.

But everyone’s different. These are just guidelines that work for the majority of students. Feel free to experiment with strategies as you practice. But on test day, have a plan and stick to it!

Next time: Science!

Posted in ACT

The ACT Part 3: Math

This is the third in a six-part series on the ACT. Read: Part 1 – Intro, Part 2 – English.

The second section on the ACT is Math. It is the longest section (one hour) and the only one that gets harder as you go on. There are 60 questions, so you have one minute per question, but many of the early questions will take less than one minute while some of the later ones might take a little more.

ACT Math
60 questions
60 minutes
1 minute per question, but later (harder) questions may take longer

The test covers not just algebra and geometry, but higher-level concepts including quite a bit of trigonometry. There are also a few questions on relatively obscure topics like imaginary numbers, matrices, and logarithms.

There are no formulas provided. Here’s what you need to know.

The last ten problems are pretty tough. Students who struggle in their math classes at school might be better off spending the full hour on the first 50 questions and guessing on the last ten. (Remember, when you’re guessing, to bubble your answers in a straight line: A, F, A, F, A, F, etc.)

A few tips:

Most trig problems can be solved with SOH CAH TOA. If a problem gives you a right triangle and tells you that:

sin equation

 

 

rewrite the equation like this:

sin equation 2

 

 

Some problems contain irrelevant information. Take a look at #34 on p. 458 of the Official ACT Guide. This problem is easy, but many students get confused because of all the distracting information. All you have to do is plug in 50 for d in the formula and put it in your calculator; all the other numbers are irrelevant.

Show your work! This is good advice for doing math generally. Showing work is important for a couple of reasons. First, writing things down helps you think. When I’m doing a math problem for the first time, I usually don’t come up with a multi-step plan and then follow it through. Instead, I just write down what I know (I’ll even re-write equations given in the problem) and go from there. Showing your work will also help you minimize arithmetic errors. You are much more likely to forget to distribute a minus sign, for example, if you do everything in your head.

Also, when you review missed problems (the key to improvement when training for any standardized test), if you don’t have anything written down, you can’t retrace your thought process. You won’t know where your mistakes occurred. So show your work, and make it nice and neat! Try to make your steps look like the steps in a math textbook. Anyone else should be able to look at your work and follow your thought process.

If you make good grades in your math classes, you will probably do just fine. The math section really does test what you learn in school. If you feel under-prepared, get a copy of the Official ACT Guide, and work through a couple of the math sections, looking up the answer explanations to any problems that give you trouble. Most of the problems are pretty basic if you understand the concepts being tested. Unlike on the SAT, the ACT Math has very few trick questions and trap answer choices.

The next post will cover what many students find to be the most challenging part of the ACT: the Reading section.

Posted in ACT

The ACT Part 2: English

This is the second in a six-part series on the ACT. Read: Part 1 – Intro

The first section of every ACT is the English section. You have 45 minutes to answer 75 questions. That’s 36 seconds per question.

The questions are based on five passages. Each passage has 15 questions. You have nine minutes per passage.

ACT ENGLISH
75 questions
45 minutes
5 passages
9 minutes per passage
36 seconds per question

Most of the questions ask you to choose the best version of the underlined portion of a sentence. Other questions are more specific, asking things like “should this sentence be kept or deleted?” A few questions will ask about the passage as a whole.

Since most questions focus on only a few words in a sentence, many students do not read the entire sentence. This is a huge mistake. To see why, consider the following example:

. . . the walls has been painted to match . . .

If you read only this much of the sentence, you’ll think there’s a problem with the underlined portion. But the whole sentence says:

The washers and dryers are lime green, and the paneling on the walls has been painted to match, although it was later varnished with some kind of artificial wood grain finish.

The noun “walls” is inside a prepositional phrase; the subject of the underlined verb is “paneling.” The sentence is correct as it is. So read the whole sentence every time!

Here are some other tips:

The “no change” option is right about 25% of the time—in other words, as often as anything else. So don’t be afraid to choose it. Don’t be afraid to choose it twice in a row.

Most problems on this section have the four answer choices and that’s all. But some come with questions. Read the questions carefully. Sometimes all four answer choices will be grammatically correct, but only one will answer the question.

If a question has the word NOT, LEAST, or EXCEPT, be careful! Even though these words appear in all caps, it is very easy to overlook them. Think about it: you’ve just answered 50 questions in a row where your job was to choose the BEST version of the underlined portion. Now, all of a sudden you’re asked to choose the WORST version. It’s hard to suddenly change tactics. Circle the word as soon as you see it so you won’t forget it’s there.

Read every word of every passage. When a passage has three or four lines of text with nothing underlined, students tend to skip over them. But the last question is usually about the passage as whole, so you shouldn’t skip around.

When the four answer choices are all the same except for the punctuation, the choice with the fewest punctuation marks is probably right. For example, if you see answer choices like this . . .

A. Joe ate a sandwich
B. Joe ate: a sandwich
C. Joe ate a sandwich,
D. Joe, ate a sandwich,

. . . then the answer is probably A. Of course, you can’t know for sure without any context, but the odds are very good.

Okay, so much for the “tips and tricks.” What is the ACT English section actually testing?

It’s mostly grammar. Things like subject-verb agreement, comma splices, possessives, and parenthetical phrases. But it’s also rhetorical skills. Many questions require students to identify redundant information. To borrow an example from Philosophy 101, if I tell you that my friend Brian is an unmarried bachelor, I’ve just told you the same thing twice. A bachelor is by definition an unmarried man, so I should have just said he’s a bachelor and left it at that.

Another important concept is relevance. If I’m explaining to you how a car engine works and I mention that Elvis once owned a car—actually several of them, you’d probably wonder why I brought that up. It’s not relevant to the discussion.

So anything irrelevant or redundant is wrong. By the way, when “OMIT the underlined portion” is an answer choice, it’s right more often than not, usually because the underlined portion is irrelevant or redundant.

There’s way too much grammar to cover in this post, but there’s one thing that I want to explain because 95% of my students do not know it. Here’s how to use apostrophes to show possession:

1 dog’s house (a single house owned by a single dog)
2 dogs’ house (a single house owned by multiple dogs)

It’s simple, and it’s on practically every ACT, so memorize it.

Also:

it’s = it is
its is possessive. For example: I told my dog to get in its house.
its’ is not a word.

The Official ACT Guide has answer explanations for every problem. If you complete the English section of the first three tests and look up the explanations for every question you miss, you should learn just about every grammar rule you’re likely to encounter on test day.

Next time, we’ll take a look at the Math section.

Posted in ACT

The ACT Part 1: Intro

This is the first in a six-part series on the ACT.

Note: The SAT referred to in this article is the current SAT. For information about the new SAT coming in 2016, click here.

Many people think of the ACT as the SAT’s less important little brother, and while that may have been true in some parts of the U.S. years ago, times have changed. In fact, the ACT has been accepted by all U.S. colleges since 2007 and actually surpassed the SAT in popularity in 2012. For some students, it’s a great alternative to the SAT. Students applying to highly selective universities may want to submit scores for both tests.

The ACT was introduced in 1959. (The SAT dates back to 1926.) For many years, universities on the East and West coasts (and Texas) preferred the SAT, while those in the Midwest and South preferred the ACT. Today, all U.S. colleges and universities will accept the ACT, though regional differences in popularity remain, probably due to misconceptions about which test is “better” or “preferred.”

For a quick overview of the differences between the tests, see our post on the SAT vs. ACT. We’ve also got a handy chart.

The two most important things to know if you’re taking the ACT are:

1. There is no penalty for wrong answers. If you don’t know the answer to a question, just guess and move on.

2. You do not have a lot of time per question. If you’re spending too long on a question, guess and move on. If you’re about to run out of time on a section, fill in the rest of the bubbles in a straight line (A, F, A, F, A, F, etc.). You should get about 25% of them right (20% on the Math section).

What’s “too long” to spend on a question? That depends on the section. Over the next few days, we’ll be devoting an entire post to each section: English, Math, Reading, Science, and Essay. But first, let’s talk about scoring.

A perfect score on the ACT is a 36. The average score is around 20. This composite (overall) score is an average of the English, Math, Reading, and Science scores. The Essay is scored separately and not factored into the composite score. It is optional but required by some colleges. If you choose to take the ACT without the essay and then apply to a college that requires it, you will have to retake the entire test. So we recommend that students take the essay.

What’s a good score? Well, it depends on what schools you’re applying to and what the rest of your application looks like, but here’s an informative (if somewhat oversimplified) chart to give you a rough idea. To better understand how colleges view your test scores, you should read this.

The short-short version: 20 is average, and 30+ is very good.

It’s unusual for a student to get the same score on every section; most of us have strengths and weaknesses. The best way to identify yours is to take a diagnostic test. (If you live in the Austin area, come take one with us; if not, you can download a free ACT with grading instructions here.)

Many people assume that students should focus on their weaknesses. I’ve heard parents say, “My kid doesn’t need any help on the math; he got a 30.” Okay, but if he could bring it up to a 34, he’d bring his composite score up one point, and on the ACT, that’s significant. So, while it makes sense to work on your weak areas, you shouldn’t neglect your strengths.

In addition to the scores for the four main sections and the essay score, every ACT score report (and practice test) comes with a chart outlining “subscores” for things like Usage/Mechanics on the English section, and Arts/Literature on the Reading section. Colleges don’t use these scores, but they can help students identify areas they need to work on.

Next time, we’ll take a detailed look at the English section. See you then!

Posted in ACT