pencil by D Sharon Pruitt
Tests in high school never seem to stop. It’s almost guaranteed that every week, at least one teacher will give a test or quiz. They’re boring and little fun, and often don’t seem to serve a purpose.
But if there’s one test that isn’t filled with bullshit during high school, it’s the ACT.
What is the ACT?
The ACT is a standardized test (meaning that a score from a student in California is comparable to the score of a kid in New York) that colleges use to gauge how well you can handle college level work. This doesn’t mean that you can’t go to college if you score low, but scoring high is definitely the goal. Basically, it shows whether or not you’re “college ready”. Scores range from 1-36 with 36 being the best.
Why is It Important?
Without taking this test (or the SAT), almost no U.S. University will accept you. While colleges also take into account your GPA and essays, a standardized test puts everyone on equal footing. What do I mean by this? At my school, an A requires a 93 average. But at other schools, an A might only require a 90 average.
Another reason the test is so important is that it can determine how much money you receive in scholarships. Someone with a 30 will certainly receive more money than someone with a 25. And the best thing is that this type of aid is usually given automatically by the college once you’re accepted. I just got a letter in the mail from a university that said I’d been awarded a $1,500 scholarship for each year I attend. That’s huge!
So How Do I Kick Its Ass?
First, take a practice test. You can usually find these in your guidance counselor’s office. Go home, break out the kitchen timer and pretend like it’s the real thing. Do this and you know exactly what to expect. Plus, you can see what areas you need to work on. This is the one thing I didn’t do and wish I had.
Sleep. I hate being tired. I hate doing bad on a test because I’m tired. Yes, getting up on a Saturday to take an 8am test sucks. It really does. But it must be done. Don’t screw it up.
Wear a watch, digital if possible. Yes, there will probably be a clock in the room. Whether or not you can see it is another matter. A digital wristwatch let’s you easily see how many minutes you have remaining. I even started the stopwatch function. When you know you have 1 minute per question, you suddenly start moving a whole lot faster.
Read fast because you just don’t have the time to waste, sorry. I’m convinced that half the test is actually the time limit. You absolutely cannot expect to finish all the passages and questions by reading leisurely. Read slow enough to gather the information you need, but fast enough that you’re blazing through the questions.
Do not be afraid to guess. There is absolutely no penalty for guessing. Of course, see if you can narrow down the choices a bit beforehand. But if you absolutely no idea, just pick a letter and hope for the best. There’s a 25% chance that you got it right.
Be comfortable. You don’t know how warm or cool the testing room is going to be on a weekend. Wear layers.
Relax! This test is not the most important thing you’ll ever do in your life. Do the best you can. Don’t be anxious, you’ll just freak yourself out. Besides, you can retake it as many times as you’d like. Don’t let one bad score keep you down.
That’s the basic summary of the ACT. It’s a long (3 hours) test, but the rewards from performing well are enormous. Good Luck!
