ACT PREP: PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

What is the ACT?  The ACT test measures academic achievement  It does NOT measure your child’s intelligence or ability  This means, your child can increase his or her score by preparing for this test

What is the ACT?  A multiple choice standardized exam that is supposed to measure your child’s knowledge of some of the subjects taught in high school.  The test takes 3.5 hours with one break  The test is divided into 4 different tests (called sections) always given in the same order  Your child’s composite score is the average of the 4 subscores or score of the sections: 1 (low) – 36 (high)

The Four Sections  Time management is ESSENTIAL to ACT success!  English Test ( 45 minutes-75 questions)  Math Test (60 minutes-60 questions)  Reading Test (35 minutes-40 questions)  Science and Reasoning Test (35 minutes-40 questions)  Optional Writing Test (30 minutes)

So…how can I help?  Help your child set goals!  Create a college plan: Know what your child’s goals are Find a college or vocational school that fits his/her needs Know what ACT scores/subscores are required for entrance Know what ACT scores/subscores are required for scholarships  Aie.org  Bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/for-parents  Act.org/path/parent/resource

So…how can I help?  Practice, practice, practice!  There are so many FREE tools out there to help your child practice ACT questions:  Actstudent.org/testprep/ ACT Question of the Day Sample questions Test tips! Free practice booklet  Powerscore.com

So…how can I help?  Plan for your child to take the test more than once  Use their first score as a base score, and build from there  Know whether or not the college that your child wants to attend requires the writing section  Do NOT compare scores!  ENCOURAGE and BE POSITIVE!

So…how can I help?  Monitor your child’s progress in their classes  Ultimately, it will be what your students are learning in their classes that will help them succeed on the ACT, not practice tests, not take strategies, but their actual English, Math, and Science courses  The more confident your child is with the subject matter, the less anxiety he or she will have  Reading comprehension is key in ALL sections, so make sure your child does their homework, asks good questions, and reads diligently – even if it’s a mystery novel!

What Now?  Know what your child’s weak areas are  Communication with teachers, principals, and your child are key  Monitoring their progress with the practice tests  Your child should be exposed to the kinds of questions on the ACT  He/she should know to manage their time well and fill in ALL answer choices  The ACT is scored by how many your child got right and not penalized for incorrect answers

Any Questions?  Ms. Taylor:  Additional Resources:  Parents.pdf Parents.pdf  ntsandFamilies.pdf ntsandFamilies.pdf  ollegeParent.pdf ollegeParent.pdf