Yesterday, OH juniors took a practice PreACT, and now it is time to start preparing for the real ACT this upcoming spring.
“Pre-ACT is the practice [test] that all of the juniors [took] on October 15th,” said OH Assistant Principal Katherine Lippoldt.
The ACT is an important test that colleges will use. Depending on the college one wants to attend, this test depends on the score. Some colleges prefer students with higher scores for admission.
“If a student doesn’t score well on the PreACT that’s early enough where they can sign up for more practice tests and have more time. If they don’t do well on the actual ACT, they can continue to take it,” said Jessica Kawulia the ACT organization teacher.
“The school only offers it one time for free but they can go on the ACT website and look up testing centers near me. Every few weeks, plenty of different tests are offered to take,” Kawulia shared.
According to Kawulia, students who are trying to score higher on the test should consider preparing by taking extra practice tests on BlueBook or using tools such as Khan Academy to sharpen their test-taking skills.
“A couple of months before, but it depends on what your score is for practice and what you need it to be; if you need a lot more practice you’re going to need several more months,” said Kawulia.
According to Lippoldt, students’ preparation is dependent on their academic goals. “Depending on what you want to do and what school you want to go to, some schools require as low as an 18 for entrance while others require something like a 30-32,” said Lippoldt.
If the goal is to score a higher number on this test, many students use school-given resources to prepare. “It’s preferred to use the ACT official website; they have a lot of different practice tests available to help prepare. There are also websites like Grammar Bytes and Khan Academy,” said Kawulia.
These are available for students and can be accessed on various platforms, including computers, iPads, phones, and even public libraries.
On the testing day, there are specific rules that are in place to protect the students who take the test. If these rules are broken, it could result in tests being voided.
“Only bring the school Chromebook; don’t bring any other electronic device, including a phone, iPad, Apple Watch, or smart glasses. Food and drinks are also not accepted in the testing room, although they are allowed during each 15-minute break,” said Lippoldt.
OH junior John Lee said, “I like to review what I’ve spent the most amount of time away from first.” This tip is helpful for other students at OH because it helps them remember what they may have forgotten.
Furthermore, Lee said, “I eat a whole meal before school because it’s better to be ready for what’s about to come than be starving throughout the whole test.”
Other students may feel tired and hungry if they skip breakfast, which could impact their ability to be at their best. A full breakfast improves student’s focus and clear thinking, which improves test results.
While students are going through their tests, they might wonder how to deal with the process of elimination. Lee said, “For each question you usually have about a minute, you’re trying to go as fast as possible. In the English section, as soon as you see something that you know can’t be true, you cross it off, and you don’t keep on reading the problem unless there’s another question that makes you.”
This is a helpful method for answering questions more quickly and easily. This tip saves time and allows students to find the correct answer without being stuck on every choice. It is always great to try to score the best you can by prioritizing a part of your day to study for a big test.
This is my second year as a staff reporter for 42Fifty and I'm a Senior. You can contact me by emailing 42FIfty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!!
