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• Just 41 percent of graduates in 2005 scored a 22 or higher on the ACT Math Test, indicating they are likely to earn a C or better in college algebra.
• Only 26 percent scored a 24 or higher on the ACT Science Test, indicating the likelihood of earning a C or better in college biology.
• Only 51 percent scored a 21 on the ACT Reading Test, indicating they are likely to earn a C or better in college-level social science courses.
• 68 percent of graduates achieved a score of 18 or higher on the ACT English Test, indicating they are well prepared for a freshman English composition class.

Get on track for college

If you’ve taken the right courses in high school, you’re on the right track for college. Students who take the recommended core courses in high school are better prepared for college than those who don’t. ACT score results consistently show this.

What are the minimum recommended core courses?

• four years of English
• three years each of mathematics (algebra and higher), natural sciences, and social sciences
  1. Take more college prep core courses — Performance on the ACT mostly depends on the classes you take in high school. The ACT measures what you have learned in English, math, reading and science. The more college prep, or core, classes you can take in these areas, the more likely you are to earn higher ACT scores. One ACT study showed that students who took calculus scored an average of 3 ½ points higher on the ACT Math Test and 2 points higher on the Science Test. They also earned a Composite score 2 ½ points higher than the students who didn’t take calculus.
  2. Take practice tests — A simple and effective way to become familiar with ACT format and content is to take practice tests. ACT offers a variety of inexpensive ways to take practice tests. Visit actstudent.org for test prep options.
  3. Answer every question — There is no penalty for guessing on the ACT. Your correct answers are counted toward your score. So answer every question, even if you’re not sure of the answer. Eliminate the answers you think aren’t possible. After narrowing down your list of answers, try to make the best guess you can and move on.
  4. Review additional test taking strategies — These strategies include reading each question thoroughly and making sure that you’ve only marked one answer for each question. You can find more strategies at actstudent.org.
  5. Take the ACT again — If you aren’t satisfied with your performance on the ACT, you can take it again. This is a good idea especially if you have taken additional college prep classes since you last took the ACT. Researchers at ACT have studied test performance of students who took the test more than once and found that 55 percent earned a higher Composite score, 23 percent had a lower score and 22 percent stayed the same. Students who take it a second time increase their Composite scores, on average, by one point. Some students may have bigger gains and some may score lower. If you plan to take the ACT again, look at your current test scores and identify weak areas for additional study and review.
     Think ahead to relieve test-taking stress
  1. One student bought a new calculator the night before the test. He didn’t use it before entering the test room, only to find out it didn’t work when he sat down to take the test.
  2. One student didn’t look at her test admission ticket until the day before the test, only to find out that she wasn’t taking the test at her school but at a test center an hour away. She had to rethink how her test day would go and factor in time to drive to the test.
  3. One student arrived at the test center without a photo ID card. He had to run home before the test started to get his driver’s license.
  4. One student left the lights on in a borrowed car he drove to the test. He worried throughout the test and found a dead battery when the test was over.
  1. Find something that interests you and that you enjoy reading, such as a book series, a magazine or a section of the newspaper. Read often.
  2. Create a reading spot. It’s much easier to read if you’re comfortable.
  3. Establish a daily reading time — lunch, before sports practice or bedtime — whatever works best for you. You might even begin to look forward to that reading time.
  4. Visit bookstores or the library and explore all the types of reading materials available. The choices are endless — sports magazines, graphic novels, how-to manuals, teen fiction and newspapers, just to name a few.
  5. Read a book that’s coming out as a movie. Compare the two and think about what version you liked best and why.
  6. Follow your interests and do some research on the Internet. Read about a new band, a new car or your favorite actor.
  7. Try reading something new. Don’t just stick with your favorites. Check out a daily newspaper, a classic novel or a news magazine. You might be surprised by what you read.

The ideal is to take Biology, Chemistry and Physics, plus Algebra II, Trigonometry and/or Calculus.

Some colleges require other classes as prerequisites for admission, such as two or more years of the same foreign language or courses in the visual arts, music, theater, drama, dance, computer science, etc.
The ACT — It’s your choice

Choice is good. And with the ACT® test, you have some choices to make. The first is whether to take the ACT or the ACT Plus Writing. ACT made the Writing Test optional, so colleges can decide whether or not to require scores from a writing test. If the colleges you’re planning to apply to don’t require a writing test, you won’t need to take one. Go to the test prep section at actstudent.org. to find out what colleges have to say about requiring a writing test.

Another important choice ACT provides is score choice. You can choose to see your scores before deciding to send them to colleges. And if you take the test more than once, you can choose to send only your best score. It costs $7 to send a score report to each college you’re interested in, but if waiting to see your score first is important to you, it might be worth it. It’s your decision.
Improving your ACT scores

It’s no surprise that students want high ACT scores to submit when they apply to college or apply for scholarships. There are no secret tips to ensure high scores, but you can do a few things to improve your performance on the ACT.

When you head off to take the ACT, don’t let forgetfulness or inattention surprise you with something unexpected that can affect your test-taking abilities. Here are some true stories of unexpected events:

Obviously, unexpected events happen in our lives over which we have no control. But if you take a few steps to prepare for test day, you’ll be comfortable knowing you’re prepared and may even avoid an unwelcome surprise or two. Read your testing information from ACT early and visit actstudent.org to get familiar with test day procedures and what is allowed in the testing room. And don’t forget to try out that new calculator before heading to the test.
Tips for building your reading skills

College will require you to read a lot of material, much of it challenging, and usually in a short amount of time. Before heading to college, there’s also the ACT, which includes a Reading Test and three other tests that require reading comprehension to complete.

Following are some tips to increase your reading time and help build your reading skills:

When it comes to high school . you have enough things to worry about, yes? Peer pressure, grades, popularity, teachers, etcetera. What you should REALLY be worried about is college! Face it . from the nanosecond you set foot in your respective high school, it’s possible to feel overwhelmed about the who/what/when/where/why of choosing COLLEGE X.

If the college search process seems overwhelming, you’re right .. it is. Some students manage to make it next to impossible by letting the research, applications forms and deadlines boggle the mind. But in the end, the objective of your search is to find the school that is right for you. You get to choose. And, you also get to choose how you GO ABOUT finding a school, so why freak out?

Before things start to spiral out of control, remembering the following four principles will make your search process a lot easier.

1) BUDGET SCHMUDGET

The four ugliest words any college advisor can hear is: “I can’t afford college.” But in this day and age . you can’t afford NOT to go to college. Do you really want to work in a job you hate for 40 years? Uh, no. Start researching your budget NOW! Just because you can’t AFFORD Harvard doesn’t mean you can’t ATTEND Harvard. Apply for any and all applicable scholarships. There’s a reason why scholarships were created . use ‘em! And while I’m not sure who created student loans - they are there if you need them. Always see which college can give you the most bang for your buck.

2) LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Throw a dart at any map and, chances are, there’s a college nearby. But ask yourself this . do I want to 1) be close to Mommy & Daddy, 2) be as far away from Mommy & Daddy as possible, 3) like where I’m going to live for the next four years or 4) find a school that has the curricula I want AND cool surroundings? These are important things to consider! Keep in mind, homesickness usually subsides. (And thanks to your cell phone, computer or the US postal service - you can always call, click or carrier pigeon the mother ship.) If you choose to tour a campus . take the time to TOUR THE CITY, TOO. Figure out what’s best for you and then settle in. It’s called progress and it’s usually a good thing.

3) HELP ME HELP YOU!

Once you get to college, your little part of the world will suddenly go SUPERNOVA! You now have crazy-stupid freedom to do what you want . when you want. Uh, not so fast! Why set yourself up for potential failure? Maybe it’s best to find out your strengths and weaknesses now! Who better to point that out than your good friends? Do you have time management issues? Poor study-habits? Teen angst? These are things that need to be considered ahead of time. Is COLLEGE X going to help you or hinder you? And don’t come crying to me when you have a 4.0 G.P.A., but you’ve put on the dreaded Freshman 15!

4) ABC’s and WWW’s

The internet has been around for more than a decade! And, while you may have been in diapers when it started, you’ve probably learned a thing or two since then. When checking out colleges, USE THE INTERNET TO YOUR ADVANTAGE! Why rely on word of mouth from your sister’s friend’s boss’ nephew who went there to COLLEGE X in 1981? Now you can easily surf through class schedules, visit campuses via virtual tours, and get the dirt on your college of choice. And thanks to the web, you can check out endless lists of lists about which college boasts the best placement rate or has the most sororities. True story — I typed in “College Rankings” in my search engine and it came up with 58 million hits.

58 million.

It would seem a lot more high school students are doing a lot more research when it comes to picking colleges. So do your homework, so to speak. And start early. And keep researching. It’s kind of like the lottery . because you can’t win, if you don’t play.

Finally, you’ve made it to your senior year. Take a breath, sit back and relax. Think about all the years of hard work that have brought you to this moment.

Now get back to work.

Blowing-off senior year is not your reward for all those late-night study sessions, time invested in extra-curricular activities and practicing for the ACT’s. In fact, most college admissions representatives continue to follow student performance well into the second semester of the final year of high school to make sure their ready for the challenge of higher education. Letting senior year slide, even if you’ve already received your college acceptance letter, can come with serious repercussions.

Take the following quiz to see if you’ve got a case of senioritis.

1. Your classes this year include:
   1. AP and college-track courses. You’re even considering taking a class open to high school students at the college or university in your area.
   2. Mostly college-track courses with a few fluff courses. You know you’ll breeze through most of the year.
   3. The easiest course you could take to fulfill the requirements to graduate. You’ll have plenty of time to socialize throughout the many study halls you’ve signed up for.
2. After school, you’re busy:
   1. Volunteering at the local community center or practicing with the team. With all of your extra-curricular activities, it’s a wonder you’re able to maintain your grades.
   2. Trying to extra-curricular activities, schoolwork and friends.
   3. Figuring out how to convince your parents that staying out until midnight on a school night isn’t a big deal - you’re almost eighteen aren’t you?
3. When you picture your life after graduation, you see yourself:
   1. Attending a great college. After receiving so many acceptance letters, you feel confident the school you chose is a perfect fit. It should be, right? You worked your butt off to get here!
   2. Getting into school. You know you’ll get a great education. So what if it wasn’t your first choice?
   3. Happily experiencing the freedom of life after high school.
4. Becoming a senior means:
   1. It’s time to buckle-down and pull out all the stops. Now’s the time to prove you’ve got what it takes to succeed in the world of higher education.
   2. You’ve worked hard throughout high school, now you can finally relax a little. Maybe you’ll let a few extra-curricular activities slide.
   3. You’ve hit easy street. It’s time to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. You’ve only got one year left to enjoy being a kid and you’re going to make the most of it.
5. On average, you work around ___ hours a week at your after-school job.
   1. 0 - 10. With trying to balance schoolwork, family, friends, and extra-curricular activities you don’t have the time to work any more.
   2. 10 - 20. You’ve got a lot on your plate. If you worked anymore, your grades would suffer or you’d have to give up your extra-curricular activity.
   3. 20-40. You’ve got to pay for car insurance some how. So what if you have to sacrifice sleep or skim through Moby Dick instead of reading it?
6. On average, your grades are:
   1. Great. You’ve been working hard to maintain you’re A’s, and even harder to bring up your B’s.
   2. Fine. They’re about the same as always.
   3. Suffering. You’ve been busy concentrating on other things.
7. When you think about college life, you feel:
   1. Completely prepared and totally excited. You’re ready to conquer a new challenge.
   2. Good. You’re slightly anxious about such a huge change, but you’re ready to face the future.
   3. Terrified! How are you supposed to figure out college-life when you haven’t even figured out yourself?
8. You see AP courses as:
   1. A great opportunity to earn college credit while you’re still in high school.
   2. Classes you wish you had time and energy for.
   3. A waste of time. Who’s thinking about college credit now? You haven’t even graduated yet.
9. Your class attendance is:
   1. Great. Nothing could tear you away from that desk!
   2. Pretty good. There are just some classes you can get away with skipping.
   3. Enough to get by. You spend as little time in class as possible.
10. When your teacher assigns a big project you:
    1. Get started on research immediately. You want to do the best possible work in the time allowed. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with turning work in early.
    2. Do a little preliminary work and then scramble to complete it the night the before it’s due.
    3. Ask for an extension on the due-date. You forgot all about it.

Let’s review the results. If you got:

Mostly As
You’re on the right track! Senior year comes with a lot of responsibilities. Managing to balance school work, extra-curricular activities, friends, family and the pressure of knowing “the real world” is just a graduation ceremony away can be extremely difficult. You can breathe a little easier - the effort that you’re putting into your final year of high school proves to admissions representatives that you’re ready for the transition to higher education.

Mostly Bs
You’re doing a dangerous dance - one that has the potential to keep you from getting admitted to the school of your choice. The good news is that you haven’t completely slipped into the pitfalls of the senior slump. Even though you’ve let your performance slide, you still know that senior year is important. Step it up a notch by staying active in extra-curricular activities. Or, earn college credit by taking AP classes or by enrolling in your local community college. You’ve put your all into the first three years of high school; don’t let one misstep keep you from a future you’ve always dreamed about.

Mostly Cs
You’ve got a nasty case of senioritis. Allowing laziness to overshadow the performance of the rest of your high school career is dangerous. It can cause your admission to college to be revoked, or in extreme cases, keep you from crossing the stage with your peers. It’s time you asked yourself some tough questions. Is your future important to you? Is partying with your friends more important than your education? Senior year is the last phase of life before you enter “the real world” - does that scare you? Whatever your reason for falling into the slump, it’s time you moved on. Find a charitable organization to volunteer with, join the soccer team or find a study club. Do whatever it takes to stay active. You’re classmates are headed into the world of higher education, there’s still time for you to join them.