<p>My D didn’t prep more than a few practice questions from each question to get the feeling for it. What she did do was meet with a family friend who gave her a tremendous pep talk. She also told her emphatically to FINISH THE EXAM. ACT does not downgrade for wrong answers, so filling every circle is almost as important as knowing which one is the right circle. </p>
<p>My D went in ready to “be a robot” and get it done. That was a huge confidence enhancer for her.</p>
<p>But for the next time she wants to practice more on the sections on which she wasn’t as happy about her score. She also sees that from PLAN to this one, there’s a huge difference on which test you happen to get, so she knows there’s a lot she can’t control. Three cheers for superscoring!</p>
<p>ACT does an official practice test in the fall of sophomore year. It’s pretty much exactly what an ACT is, but it doesn’t go on your permanent record with them, and when you get your scores, you also get your test back. You can see exactly what you did right and wrong, and they interpret your strengths and weaknesses. They also “scientifically” predict how you might do in the future.</p>
<p>historymom, it is the practice ACT (the SAT has the PSAT, and the ACT offers the PLAN). I think that the PSAT is really designed as a junior year test, and the PLAN is designed to be a 10th grade test, but I could be wrong. I realize that 10th graders could also take the PSAT.</p>
<p>The biggest difference is that the PSAT is a public score, and is the only way students qualify for National Merit Scholarships. And the PSAT is a fall of junior year rather than fall of sophomore year test, yes. Both are only offered at that one time.</p>
<p>historymom, I don’t know the answer, but I would think that one could. The ACT is very user friendly. You might want to contact them. I found them to very friendly. Since we are from the northeast, the ACT is fairly new to us and I had several questions. They were more than helpful in getting them all answered.</p>
<p>Oh, historymom, one other little warning. The PLAN is scored on a DIFFEFENT scale than the ACT. I thought I’d warn you, so you won’t get upset when you see a lower number than you might expect. The ACT’s highest score is a 36. I don’t recall the highest score on the PLAN, but it is not a 36 (it might be a 32, but I am guessing).</p>
<p>How did she prepare, you ask? well, did tons of practice tests…and was tutored for “tips” to take the test (which can be found in some practice books, but she does better with one-on-one)…she is a very nervous test taker and really stinks at standardized tests…but she was sick the day of the test; and I think she was so worried about being sick (she was REALLY sick, high fever,), that she wasn’t really “worried” about the test…we told her it was just practice; that it didn’t matter and that she would take it for real in June and September…</p>
<p>The truly ironic part is that she came out of the test feeling physically better (antibiotics kicked in at 24 hours) and thought she actually did ok…we told her that she was probably feeling the effects of the medication and not to get her hopes up…</p>
<p>When she checked online last night, we actually thought she was lying…no, really, we actually accused her of lying…until we saw it with our own eyes…</p>
<p>Sometimes stuff happens that you can’t really explain (positive and negative); this falls into that weird category of, “who knew?”</p>
<p>Great story Rodney - that is just wonderful!</p>
<p>My D - class of 2011 - is not a great test taker at all and has a GPA of 4.5 right now, lots of AP classes and varisty letter in 3 sports. </p>
<p>We really need merit aid for her & have been very concerned that her SAT scores and her AP test scores so far & her GPA are so out of synch that it will be a negative flag. </p>
<p>She is taking the SAT again (2nd time) in June 2010 as well as the ACT to see if she does better. </p>
<p>Rodney - your D’s story gives us all hope. </p>
<p>Clarkalum and CCL, glad to hear your kids have chosen Clark. My S2 has also decided become a Clarkie. We know several kids who have gone to Clark and hear such positive things from parents and students. Also, S2 did an overnight related to the sport he will play; I think that experience really sold him on Clark. He was impressed that the athletes he met were not stereotypical elitist bodybuilders, but solid, highly skilled players. When we returned for an admitted student day, the players he had met were very friendly.
Best of luck to all.</p>
<p>^^^lol, when I read the words “becoming Clarkies” it sounds like a reference to a race of aliens on a Star Trek episode! I believe they would be a friendly group…</p>
<p>Another poster child here for the ACT. D’s PSAT scores were in the 500’s. We spent $1000 on a Kaplan SAT prep class. Complete waste of money. Her SAT math went up 100 points, but the verbal went down and writing stayed the same. D tried the ACT and got a 27 - the equivalent of nearly 200 points higher than her SAT scores. She re-took it and again got a 27. </p>
<p>If your kid struggles with the SAT - and even if they don’t - I highly recommend taking both the SAT and ACT once, with very little prep, and see which one they do better on. Then focus prep on that one and re-take. (With the caveat that the ACT seems to be less coachable than the SAT).</p>
<p>If your school doesn’t offer the ACT, you can take it at a neighboring school. And the ACT has some nice practice questions and the rules of the test on their website, so your child can do some basic prep easily and for free!</p>
<p>The PLAN also give an anticipated “range” of ACT scores that the student might expect when they take the ACT in 11th grade. My kids tended to end up at the top of that range so the plan is a great way to PLAN for college and the 11th/12th grade class schedule and to get an idea of where the student’s weaknesses are. Practice tests during 11th grade are very helpful for the ACT to reach those upper levels of expected range since the ACT is so time sensitive.</p>
<p>Sorry for the weird wording. What I meant by not “public” was that the PLAN score isn’t sent out with your regular ACT scores to schools. It’s just a score you get for your own learning purposes.</p>
<p>I agree that there are “ACT” types and “SAT” types and it’s definitely worth checking how the other one goes, especially if the one you’re using doesn’t seem to give you a score that makes sense. </p>
<p>rodney - your story is so touching! Hurray for your D! I’m all for test-taking tips. It’s really kind of a game, and nice kids who don’t get the game really do get unfairly slammed. My D pulled up all of her competitive instincts (which are very few, believe me) at the test, gave herself a massive pep talk, and had fun filling in the blanks on questions she didn’t know (“gee, I haven’t used B for a while, guess I’ll try that,” etc.) I’m not trying to trivialize the test, but there is a bit of that to it. It reduced her fear and allowed her to concentrate on what she really did know.</p>
You know, the more I talk to smart people who struggle with standardized tests, and think about my own experience as a good test-taker, the more I think that “trivializing the test” is not only OK but a really good idea. I think people who struggle often respect the test too much and let it intimidate them, and as a result they get distracted by worry and second-guessing.</p>
<p>S insisted on taking the SAT a third time (standby) in December and it was his best score overall in CR, MATH & WRITING. I was glad I listened to him & paid the extra fee for standby! Later, the Collegeboard sent us a check for $23.00, evidently I overpaid. I am so glad I listened to him when he said he knew he could do better!</p>
<p>Good morning - Here’s the place I can snivel a little bit, where you’ll understand.</p>
<p>My D went to school yesterday feeling good about her ACT, and still does. Two girls she sings with got 32s … they’re A students, and my D admitted they study all the time, but it did take the shine off to hear about their scores. Ah, well. She knows how to put things in perspective, but I was saddened to have the “real world” hit so soon.</p>
<p>But her choir teacher shook her hand about the state singing award, and she was touched by that. He’s usually just an “Oh, that’s cool” kind of guy.</p>
<p>She and I talked a little about how everyone’s different, different ways to look at achievement, etc., etc. She’s OK. I’m just kind of hurting for her, or me, or whatever. I know - we all know here - there are always people who will seem “better” than you. She wasn’t suddenly going to become a different person because she did better on the ACT than she expected; understanding who she is and what she wants is still the same slow, careful process.</p>
<p>But there’s nowhere like high school to have someone crush your high!</p>