What is the ACT?What is the ACT?

The ACT is a national college admission The ACT is a national college admission examination that consists of subject area examination that consists of subject area

tests in:tests in: English - 18English - 18

Measures standard written Measures standard written English & Rhetorical SkillsEnglish & Rhetorical Skills

Math - 22Math - 22 Measures mathematical skills Measures mathematical skills

students have typically students have typically acquired in courses taken up acquired in courses taken up to the beginning of Grade 12to the beginning of Grade 12

Reading – 21Reading – 21 Measures Reading Measures Reading

ComprehensionComprehension

Science – 24Science – 24 Measures the interpretation, Measures the interpretation,

analysis, evaluation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem reasoning, and problem solving skills required in the solving skills required in the natural sciencesnatural sciences

English Test OverviewEnglish Test Overview75 questions, 45 minutes75 questions, 45 minutes

Content Covered:Content Covered: 6 elements of effective 6 elements of effective

writingwriting Usage & MechanicsUsage & Mechanics

1.1. Punctuation (13%)Punctuation (13%)

2.2. Grammar & Usage Grammar & Usage (16%)(16%)

3.3. Sentence Structure Sentence Structure (24%)(24%)

Rhetorical SkillsRhetorical Skills

4.4. Strategy (16%)Strategy (16%)

5.5. Organization (15%)Organization (15%)

6.6. Style (16%)Style (16%)

Format of the test:Format of the test: 5 prose passages5 prose passages

Each passage is Each passage is accompanied by accompanied by multiple-choice multiple-choice questionsquestions

Some questions refer Some questions refer to underlined to underlined portions and offer portions and offer alternative choicesalternative choices

Some ask about an Some ask about an underlined portion or underlined portion or section as a wholesection as a whole

Many questions offer Many questions offer “NO CHANGE” as a “NO CHANGE” as a choicechoice

Math Test OverviewMath Test Overview60 questions, 60 minutes60 questions, 60 minutes

Content Covered:Content Covered: 6 content areas6 content areas

1.1. Pre-Algebra (23%)Pre-Algebra (23%)

2.2. Elementary Algebra (17%)Elementary Algebra (17%)

3.3. Intermediate Algebra Intermediate Algebra (15%)(15%)

4.4. Coordinate Geometry Coordinate Geometry (15%)(15%)

5.5. Plane Geometry (23%)Plane Geometry (23%)

6.6. Trigonometry (7%)Trigonometry (7%)

Format of the test:Format of the test: Multiple-choice Multiple-choice

questionsquestions require reasoning require reasoning

skills to solve practical skills to solve practical problems in problems in mathematicsmathematics

Knowledge of basic Knowledge of basic formulas and formulas and computational skills computational skills are necessary, but you are necessary, but you are NOT required to are NOT required to know complex know complex formulas or perform formulas or perform complex computationcomplex computation

Reading Test OverviewReading Test Overview40 questions, 35 minutes40 questions, 35 minutes

Content Covered:Content Covered: reading comprehension in 4 reading comprehension in 4

content areascontent areas1.1. Social Studies (25%) – Social Studies (25%) –

anthropology, archaeology, anthropology, archaeology, biography, business, economics, biography, business, economics, education, geography, history, education, geography, history, political science, psychology and political science, psychology and sociologysociology

2.2. Natural Science (25%) Natural Science (25%) – – anatomy, astronomy, biology, anatomy, astronomy, biology, botany chemistry, ecology, botany chemistry, ecology, geology, medicine, meteorology, geology, medicine, meteorology, microbiology, natural history, microbiology, natural history, physiology, physics, technology, physiology, physics, technology, zoologyzoology

3.3. Prose Fiction (25%) Prose Fiction (25%) – – intact intact short stories or excerpts from short short stories or excerpts from short stories or novelsstories or novels

4.4. Humanities (25%) Humanities (25%) – – memoirs memoirs or personal essays about or personal essays about architecture, the arts, ethics, architecture, the arts, ethics, language, literary criticismlanguage, literary criticism

Format of the test:Format of the test: Questions relate to Questions relate to

comprehension of the 4 comprehension of the 4 reading passages reading passages

measuring your ability to:measuring your ability to: Determine main ideasDetermine main ideas Locate & interpret Locate & interpret

significant detailssignificant details Understand sequences of Understand sequences of

eventsevents Make comparisonsMake comparisons Comprehend cause-effect Comprehend cause-effect

relationshipsrelationships Determine the meaning of Determine the meaning of

context dependent words, context dependent words, phrases & statementsphrases & statements

Draw generalizationsDraw generalizations Analyze the author’s voice Analyze the author’s voice

and methodand method

Science Test OverviewScience Test Overview40 questions, 35 minutes40 questions, 35 minutes

Content Covered:Content Covered: BiologyBiology ChemistryChemistry PhysicsPhysics Earth/Space (eg. Earth/Space (eg.

Geology, astronomy, Geology, astronomy, meteorology)meteorology)

Format of the test:Format of the test: Multiple-choice, Multiple-choice,

based on scientific based on scientific information information presented in 3 presented in 3 formatsformats

Data Representation Data Representation (38%) – graphs, tables (38%) – graphs, tables and other schematic and other schematic formsforms

Research Summaries Research Summaries (45%) – descriptions of (45%) – descriptions of one or more related one or more related experimentsexperiments

Conflicting Viewpoints Conflicting Viewpoints (17%) – expressions of (17%) – expressions of several hypotheses or several hypotheses or views based on differing views based on differing premisespremises

General InformationGeneral Information

The ACT includes 215 The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice multiple-choice questions and takes questions and takes approximately 3 hours approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to and 30 minutes to complete with breaks.complete with breaks.

Actual testing time is Actual testing time is

2 hours and 55 minutes2 hours and 55 minutes

The highest possible The highest possible score on the ACT is a 36score on the ACT is a 36

When can I When can I take the ACT?take the ACT?

ALL PCHS Juniors will take ALL PCHS Juniors will take the ACT, free of cost on the ACT, free of cost on Wednesday April 23Wednesday April 23rdrd, , 2014, during the regular 2014, during the regular school dayschool day

In addition, the ACT is In addition, the ACT is administered on five test administered on five test dates—in September, dates—in September, October, December, October, December, February, April, and June. February, April, and June. Test dates can be found and Test dates can be found and

registered for on the ACT registered for on the ACT website at website at http://www.actstudent.org/rehttp://www.actstudent.org/regist/dates.html#firstgist/dates.html#first

You will need to register and You will need to register and pay on your own for any pay on your own for any additional tests you plan to additional tests you plan to take ~approx. $37/testtake ~approx. $37/test

Why take Why take the ACT?the ACT?

The ACT is universally accepted The ACT is universally accepted for college admission in the U.S. for college admission in the U.S.

The ACT is accepted by virtually The ACT is accepted by virtually all colleges and universities in the all colleges and universities in the U.S., including all the Ivy League U.S., including all the Ivy League schools.schools.    The ACT multiple-choice tests are The ACT multiple-choice tests are curriculum based. curriculum based.

The ACT is not an aptitude or an The ACT is not an aptitude or an IQ test. Instead, the questions on IQ test. Instead, the questions on the ACT are directly related to what the ACT are directly related to what you have learned in your high you have learned in your high school courses in English, school courses in English, mathematics, reading, and science.mathematics, reading, and science.

Because the ACT tests are based Because the ACT tests are based on high school curriculum, students on high school curriculum, students are generally more comfortable are generally more comfortable with the ACT than they are with with the ACT than they are with traditional aptitude tests traditional aptitude tests

Why take the Why take the ACT?ACT?

The ACT is more than a The ACT is more than a test.test.

In addition to the tests, the In addition to the tests, the ACT also provides test takers ACT also provides test takers with a unique Interest with a unique Interest Inventory that provides Inventory that provides valuable information for career valuable information for career and educational planning and and educational planning and a student profile section that a student profile section that provides a comprehensive provides a comprehensive profile of your work in high profile of your work in high school and your future plans.school and your future plans.

    The ACT is a good value.The ACT is a good value.

The ACT provides a The ACT provides a comprehensive package of comprehensive package of educational assessment and educational assessment and career planning services for career planning services for college-bound students at a college-bound students at a modest fee that is lower than modest fee that is lower than the fee for the competing the fee for the competing admissions test.admissions test.

What is the difference What is the difference between the ACT and SAT?between the ACT and SAT?

The ACT is an The ACT is an achievement test, achievement test, measuring what a measuring what a student has student has learned in school. learned in school.

The SAT is more of The SAT is more of an aptitude test, an aptitude test, testing reasoning testing reasoning and verbal abilities.and verbal abilities.

How often can students How often can students take the ACT?take the ACT?

Students may take Students may take the ACT a maximum the ACT a maximum of 12 times, but only of 12 times, but only once per national or once per national or state test date. state test date.

Many students take Many students take the test twice, once the test twice, once as a junior and again as a junior and again as a senior. as a senior.

Does it help to take the Does it help to take the ACT more than once?ACT more than once?

ACT research shows that of the ACT research shows that of the students who took the ACT more than students who took the ACT more than once:once:

57% increased their composite score on the 57% increased their composite score on the retest retest

21% had no change in their composite 21% had no change in their composite score on the retest score on the retest

22% decreased their composite score on 22% decreased their composite score on the retest the retest

The ACT: The ACT: Think of it as a trainable game!Think of it as a trainable game!

Students that practice taking Students that practice taking the ACT, will do better on the the ACT, will do better on the

ACTACT That is why you That is why you

have BEEN have BEEN PRACTICING! PRACTICING!

Like anything… Like anything… practice makes practice makes perfectperfect

General StrategiesGeneral Strategies Practice so you know Practice so you know

what the test is likewhat the test is like

Do the tests more than Do the tests more than once so you can get once so you can get comfortable with the comfortable with the types of questions types of questions being askedbeing asked

The more you practice, The more you practice, the more confidence the more confidence you will have in doing you will have in doing well on the ACTwell on the ACT

ACT Test Prep SessionsACT Test Prep SessionsWhat will YOU get out of it?What will YOU get out of it?

PRACTICE! Answer PRACTICE! Answer practice test questions to practice test questions to improve your test taking improve your test taking skills and increase your skills and increase your content knowledgecontent knowledge

See the types of questions See the types of questions you can expect to see on you can expect to see on the testthe test

Review content specific Review content specific information and conceptsinformation and concepts

Learn general and content Learn general and content specific tips, tricks and specific tips, tricks and strategies to help you do strategies to help you do well on the test well on the test

Understand how you are Understand how you are scored on each content scored on each content testtest

General Information about General Information about our Test Prep Sessionsour Test Prep Sessions

We will meet every day.We will meet every day. All PCHS 11All PCHS 11thth grade students will take the grade students will take the

ACT on Wednesday March 5, 2014ACT on Wednesday March 5, 2014 Sessions will run during 4Sessions will run during 4thth period. period.

Please arrive with pencil, paper as well Please arrive with pencil, paper as well as your laptop and be on time.as your laptop and be on time.

Additional ResourcesAdditional ResourcesTo best prepare yourself for the ACT you should be To best prepare yourself for the ACT you should be

spending time practicing outside of schoolspending time practicing outside of school USA TEST PREP USA TEST PREP – try to put at least 3 hours into USA Test Prep – try to put at least 3 hours into USA Test Prep

every week. It is one of the best prep programs available and is every week. It is one of the best prep programs available and is accessible to you FOR FREE through your PCHS account.accessible to you FOR FREE through your PCHS account.

The ACT Website is a WEALTH of great information The ACT Website is a WEALTH of great information www.actstudent.orgwww.actstudent.org

Other helpful & FREE resources can be found online. There are Other helpful & FREE resources can be found online. There are several good sites that provide prep for the ACT. Most include several good sites that provide prep for the ACT. Most include answers and explanations to all the exercises and some even answers and explanations to all the exercises and some even include an excellent review of topics covered on the exams.include an excellent review of topics covered on the exams.

http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/ http://www.4tests.com/exams/examdetail.asp?eid=13http://www.4tests.com/exams/examdetail.asp?eid=13 http://www.testprepreview.com/act_practice.htmhttp://www.testprepreview.com/act_practice.htm http://www.princetonreview.com/college/free-act-practice-test.aspx?http://www.princetonreview.com/college/free-act-practice-test.aspx?

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Final RemindersFinal Reminders

All of our Test Prep Resources can be All of our Test Prep Resources can be found on the Pamlico County High School found on the Pamlico County High School WebsiteWebsite Click on “Guidance” Click on “Guidance” ACT ACT

Next week, bring pencil, paper, and your Next week, bring pencil, paper, and your calculators for Math Test Prep!calculators for Math Test Prep!

Questions? Questions? Contact Mr. Standifer, Mrs. Reid and/or Mrs. Contact Mr. Standifer, Mrs. Reid and/or Mrs.

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