1. 9TH GRADE EXPLORE SCORES: WHAT DO THEY MEAN?
COMPARING YOUR EPAS SCORES WITH YOUR PROJECTED ACT
Taking EXPLORE® in 8th or 9th grade tells you things you need to know—to plan your high school courses, prepare for the ACT, or choose a career direction.
***auditorium clock is not accurate***
Why look at your EXPLORE scores?
Scores show your strengths and weaknesses in English, math, reading and science
Helps you choose appropriate classes for your next three years (need help in math? Take more math!)
Helps you prepare for college (makes sure the courses you take in high school match those recommended for college admissions/college success)
TAKE THESE TESTS SERIOUSLY!!
(EXPLORE, PLAN, Practice ACT)
You will be taking this test again in January and June to measure your academic growth this year.
If you do not do well, or you miss the test, you may be required to take a double English and/or double math next year.
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2. WHAT YOUR SCORE REPORT TELLS YOU
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The EXPLORE Student Score Report gives information about your knowledge, skills, interests, and plans. You can use this information as you plan your high school coursework and begin thinking about college and work.
Your report tells you how you did on the EXPLORE tests and how your scores compare to those of other students in your school.
It contains information about your educational and career plans, interests, high school coursework plans, and the amount of help you think you need in seven areas.

3. WHAT DO MY SCORES MEAN? Scores are between 1 and 25
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Scores are between 1 and 25
Composite Score is the average of English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science
The two scores under English break down how you did in each of the English areas from 1 to 12. (added together they do NOT necessarily equal your English test score.)
Your scores are between 1 (the lowest score you can receive)and 25 (the highest score you can receive) even though you answered a lot more than 25 questions on the EXPLORE test!
Your Composite Score is simply the average of your test scores in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science(rounded to a whole number).
The two scores directly under English tell you how well you did in these two areas of English:
Usage/Mechanics—punctuation, grammar and usage, and sentence structure
Rhetorical Skills—your understanding of the use of strategy, organization, and style in writing
These scores only range from 1 to 12. Added together they do NOT necessarily equal your English Test score.

4. HOW DO MY SCORES COMPARE?
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The percentage of students scoring at or below your score shows you how your scores compare to those of students across the country who took EXPLORE.
The other percents show how you scored relative to other students who took EXPLORE in your school, your school district, and your state.
The example above shows 73% next to the student's English score. This means she scored as high as or higher than 73% of students in her grade across the U.S. who took EXPLORE at about the same time.
The higher the percentage, the higher your score.

5. AM I ON TRACK?
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Your EXPLORE scores can be used to predict how you are likely to do if you take PLAN as a tenth grader and keep working hard.
The Estimated PLAN Composite Score Range is a prediction about how you are likely to score on PLAN if you take the right courses and work hard in those courses.
These scores are only estimates, not guarantees.
After EXPLORE, you will take the PLAN test next to see if you're learning what you need to know for college.
Students take PLAN in the tenth grade.
You can use these predicted or estimated scores to see if you are on track to achieve the scores you want when you take the ACT later in high school. (See EXPLORE, PLAN, and the ACT.)
Keep in mind that these scores are only estimates, not guarantees. Improving your study habits and taking more challenging courses are likely to improve your PLAN and ACT scores.

6. YOUR PLANS FOR HIGH SCHOOL Compare Your Courses to “Core”
College Prep Courses
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When you took EXPLORE, you were asked about the courses you plan to take in high school. This section of your Score Report compares your plans to our recommendations for "core" college prep courses.
In this example, the student should take at least one more year of math, one more year of social studies, and one more year of science.
See your counselor if your high school course plans fall short of our "core" college prep course recommendations.
Graduation requirements for Chicago Public Schools equal MINIMUM requirements for Illinois public universities. But to get accepted into special programs in a university, you may be required to take more advanced core classes in high school
For example: engineering? More science and math
health careers? More science

7. YOUR PLANS FOR HIGH SCHOOL Your reported needs
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When you took EXPLORE, you were asked whether or not you needed help in seven different areas.
Areas checked on your report are the areas you said you needed help with.
Do you see a need for help in areas where your test scores are weakest? How did your scores compare to those of other students? Be sure to talk about this with your parents, teachers, or school counselor.
This is the best way to make sure you get the help you need in high school

8. THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE?
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ACT has developed College Readiness Benchmark Scores. If you meet these benchmark scores, you are on your way to having the skills you will need by the time you finish high school to be ready for college-level work.
The checkmarks show whether you scored above, at, or below the benchmark scores.
Your EXPLORE results give you an early clue as to whether you will be ready for college-level work if you keep doing the same things in school.
Students who score at or above the College Readiness Benchmark Scores for EXPLORE in English, math, and science will probably do well in these subjects in high school and college if they keep up with their coursework.
Students scoring at or above the reading benchmark are on their way to having the reading skills they will need in all of their high school and college courses.
Scoring below these benchmark scores means you need help in these areas.
Note: during the college admissions process, you will most likely take a placement test for English and math. If you do not score well on these two placement tests, you may be required to take a pre/introductory class before you begin taking college level classes. You will still have to pay tuition for these remedial classes even though they WILL NOT COUNT towards your college degree.

9. YOUR FUTURE
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When you took EXPLORE, you answered questions about your educational and career plans.
This information can help you learn more about careers, clarify your goals, and begin to plan your future—including your high school courses and, perhaps, a college education.
College grads make more money than someone who ends his/her education with a high school diploma.
With 2 years of college, $500,000 more over one’s lifetime
With 4 years of college, $1,000,000 more over one’s lifetime

10. YOUR CAREER POSSIBILITIES
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It's not too soon to begin exploring possible careers!
Your EXPLORE Score Report helps you start by focusing on a few career areas.
Exploring careers is easier if you have a good map. Visit theWorld-of-Work Map at act.org to begin exploring careers and occupations that might be right for you.
Students should look at the shaded areas on the bottom half of the front page of the EXPLORE score reports for careers they may be well-suited for.
(give a few examples)
Talk to people in your life who may have the jobs in which you are interested. Ask about what kind of education they pursued. Ask about what they do on a daily basis in their job. Don’t be shy, people like to talk about what they do!

11. HOW CAN I IMPROVE?
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The back of your Score Report describes the skills and knowledge you already probably have.
You'll also see some ideas for improving even more in the different subject areas. The suggestions are based on your scores and can help you do better.
You will definitely want to discuss these ideas with your counselors, teachers, and parents so that you can work together to get the most from your courses and be "college ready."
(Review the back of the score report with students, especially
‘suggestions for improving your skills’)

12. EXPLORE, PLAN, AND THE ACT
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PLAN is the second part of a testing system that starts with EXPLORE and ends with the ACT.
Typically, students take EXPLORE in the 8th or 9th grade, PLAN as 10th graders, and the ACT as juniors or seniors.
All three test you in English, math, reading, and science. However, the material tested in each program gets more difficult.
This is why the top scores are different.
Program
Grade Level
Composite Score Range
EXPLORE
8 and 9
1 to 25
PLAN 10
1 to 32
ACT
11 and 12
1 to 36
These three tests are a sequence that are intentionally meant to be compared.
They measure your academic growth and readiness to be successful in a college setting.

13. SCHEDULING YOUR SOPHOMORE CLASSES
Each student will meet individually with his or her counselor to choose classes to be taken next year – this process will begin in late January when English 1 teachers are notified that freshmen should see their counselors during lunch periods
Students who do not show up will receive two more notifications to visit the counseling office; if none of these appointments are kept, counselors will CHOOSE CLASSES ON BEHALF OF THE ABSENT STUDENT
Teachers will be making recommendations electronically for regular/honors level courses as well as electives. Students should speak to their teachers to be recommended for classes in which they are interested
Both student and counselor will sign the course selection sheet, which is a contract that NO CLASSES WILL BE CHANGED next year
Students must take this process seriously and are encouraged to discuss class choices with his or her parents
Please visit the Student Programming Handbook on the Taft website to explore all that our school has to offer.

14. SCHEDULING YOUR SOPHOMORE CLASSES
The following chart lists all required graduation courses in Chicago Public Schools:
SUBJECT
YEARS REQUIRED
COURSES
English 4
English 1, 2, 3, 4
Mathematics 3
Algebra, Geometry, Advanced Algebra 2 with Trigonometry
Science
Biology, 2 of the following options: Biology 2, Chemistry, Physics
Social Studies
World Studies, US History, 1 SS elective
Foreign Language 2
2 years of the same language: Spanish, French, Polish, Arabic
Physical Education or ROTC
4 semesters of PE or ROTC
Fine Arts
1 year of music, 1 year of Art

15. Your EPAS Scorecard Your EPAS scorecard will show:
All scores taken at a CPS school, including your 8th grade scores and those from this fall

16. Your EPAS Scorecard Your EPAS scorecard will show:
College Readiness Benchmark scores for next year’s PLAN exam

17. Your EPAS Scorecard Your EPAS scorecard will show:
The level of college readiness indicated by the composite score you achieve by your junior or senior year ACT assessment

18. Your EPAS Scorecard Your EPAS scorecard will show:
The range of composite ACT scores typically required for admission to various colleges and universities.

19. COLLEGE SELECTIVITY
Please refer to the bottom of your EPAS Scorecard to view the college selectivity categories
Highly selective/most competitive colleges
30-36 ACT; Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Chicago, Northwestern, Berkeley, etc.
Selective/competitive colleges
24-29 ACT; University of Illinois, UIC, Purdue, Loyola, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, University of Southern California, UCLA, etc.
Selective/moderately competitive colleges
18-23 ACT; Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Northeastern Illinois, Western Illinois, Elmhurst, Chicago State, etc.
City colleges, 2-year colleges, community colleges
ACT 16 or less; City Colleges of Chicago, Oakton, Triton

20. What’s Next?
January: Quarter 2 High School Interim assessments will determine your strengths and weaknesses in specific skills. This will help your teachers determine what areas to focus on.
Feb – March: Classes will review the questions from your fall Explore exam and review test strategies specific to each subject area.
March – April: Quarter 3 High School Interim assessments will check for growth in skill areas and help you prepare for the end of the year EPAS test.
May: The end-of-year Explore assessment will check whether your college and career readiness skills are on track.
Jan – June: Teachers will be including EPAS style questions in your unit or chapter exams so that you are better prepared for those type of problems.
What activities will be happening in your classes to help increase your college & career readiness skills?

21. 9TH GRADE EXPLORE SCORES: A ROADMAP TO ACT AND COLLEGE SUCCESS
For more information,
parents should visit
All 9th graders should be
Visiting colleges (visitation days are specifically designed for high school students, i.e. public school holidays are great times to visit colleges! Call ahead to make an appointment for a tour, etc.)
Exploring career possibilities
Speak to parents, relatives, friends
Search the internet
Learn about the entry requirements for the career in which you are interested
If you don’t have a clue about what you want to do, DON’T WORRY! Most people your age don’t.
is a great tool to explore your interests and skills.
You already have an account! Login today with your student ID #.
Username = cps + ID: cps password is the same, cps