The American College Test, more commonly known as the ACT, is an entrance exam used to measure a student’s college readiness. The test contains four multiple-choice English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science tests, with the optional writing test. The test takes 2 hours and 55 minutes, and with the addition of the writing test, 3 hours and 35 minutes. But how did the ACT become what it is today?
In 1959, Professor Everett Franklin Lindquist from the University of Iowa developed the ACT to compete with the SAT, which had been established for 20 years as the mainstream college admissions test. The ACT was initially based on the current Iowa Tests of Educational Development at the time. Professor Everett Franklin created the ACT to be an alternative to the SAT, in which it would not just test cognitive reasoning but would instead test information that was learned in school. It focused more on identifying strengths and weaknesses to guide student placement and less on determining cognitive reasoning strength. The first ACT was administered in 1959 to 75,460 total students. Its original sections included English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Natural Sciences. Each team had a time limit of 45 minutes, and scores were based on a scale of 0-36. The ACT began to gain popularity in central and midwestern US areas where the SAT had not yet fully established its dominance. In fact, by the year 1972, the number of students taking the ACT had grown to more than one million.
An “enhanced” ACT was released in 1989, like the test’s current version. The minor change to the trial was the shift from the scale tests were scored on. The new test would now range from 1-36. The significant changes to this new test included changes to the sections themselves. The Natural Science section was replaced with Scientific Reasoning. The purpose of this shift was to move away from emphasizing specific knowledge within science and focus instead on testing a student’s analytical and problem-solving skills.
Similarly, Social Studies was replaced with Reading. Ironically, this change moved the reading section closer to the SAT. The original Social Studies section tested specific information about the history of the United States, whereas the new Reading section was created to test a student’s reading and comprehension abilities. Additionally, there were also changes to the Math and English sections. Math skills like trigonometry and pre-algebra were added as topics students would be tested on. In the English section, the test focused more on specific writing skills and less on grammar.
The final significant change to the ACT occurred in 2005 when the ACT decided to add an optional Writing section. This section would allow students 30 minutes to complete the written essay. Such an addition to the test occurred to help the ACT directly compete with the SAT, which required an article. So, how can students be successful on the ACT? The answer is clear…preparation!
The first way to prepare for the ACT is through practice tests. Though it may seem off to take a practice test before even taking the actual ACT, the student will be able to see where their strengths and weaknesses are. Once students know what they need to work on, they can begin studying in those areas rather than attacking the full test head-on and studying material they already know. Additionally, taking practice tests will allow the student to become comfortable with the structure of the test. One of the most significant issues students face is a lack of time management. Though taking the test slower at the beginning can be helpful, it is highly beneficial to be conscious and aware of the time remaining during the ACT to ensure that all questions are answered. Taking practice tests will allow the student to get a feel for the time restrictions so that they can plan their pace accordingly before the official test, ensuring they are not going too slow or too fast. To get an approximate idea of how much time a student should spend on each question, divide the number of questions in each section by the correlating time limit; then, practice staying on pace.
The second way to prepare for the ACT is to reverse engineer the questions. In the reading and science sections, specifically, there are more complex questions that a student needs to understand well to answer correctly. The process of reverse engineering the questions is simple. First, read through the question and try to predict the answer. Next, read through the answers and see if any of the provided answers match the one you created. This trick can help students get their ideas in place before getting tempted by incorrect answer choices. If, for some reason, the answer choices do not match the answer the student created, try going through each option and then re-reading the question to see if anything stands out as correct or incorrect (and if it is discovered an answer is wrong, cross it out!). The more students practice this technique, the more they will be able to notice patterns and tendencies within the style of ACT questions, allowing them to make quicker, better answer choices.
The third way to prepare for the ACT is through other resources. The best place to start is with an ACT prep book or through online videos and practice worksheets. When seeking help, try to find options with robust explanations and quality practice questions. Additionally, some students choose to utilize tutoring services. Though an increase in scores is never guaranteed with the use of these services, they can be an excellent resource for guidance through areas where you may struggle. The tutors themselves often achieved perfect or near-perfect scores on the test and, therefore, may be able to provide more tips and tricks that are specific to you.
The fourth way to prepare for the ACT is to ensure the student’s mind and body are ready for the test. Make sure to get a good breakfast and a good night’s rest. If the student feels stressed, try some relaxing activities to settle their nerves. Remember, if students study hard, they should trust themselves to do their best. Worrying will not help to get more questions right!
The fifth and final way to prepare for the ACT is to ensure that on the day of the test, the student has everything they need. Ensure the student has a few sharpened #2 pencils, a quality eraser, an approved (and charged) calculator, a watch to keep track of time, their ACT ticket, and an accepted ID. Double-check everything to ensure the student has all the necessary materials to take the test successfully.
You did it! All your hard work preparing for the ACT has paid off, and you are now ready to use all your new skills and succeed on the test. Watch your time, reverse engineer the questions, and read carefully. Once you have completed your test, plan some fun and relaxing activities to celebrate all the hard work you put in to prepare.
