ACT

What is the ACT? Why is it so important?

• ACT stands for “American College Test.”
• It is a standardized test used by colleges for admissions, scholarships, etc.
• It is a graduation requirement in the state of Tennessee
• A composite score of 21 qualifies a student for the TN HOPE Scholarship

How is the ACT scored?

• Each subject area receives a scaled score from 1 (lowest possible) to 36 (highest possible).
• The ACT composite score is an average of the four subject-area scores.
• Each subject has a “College Readiness” benchmark that indicates a student’s likelihood of success in first-year college courses.

What score do I need?

• Fortunately, there is no pass or fail for the ACT.
• Tennessee’s benchmark is a composite score of 21 (or higher).
• For admissions, check with each college or university for their expectations

General Tips

• Get a good night’s sleep and be sure to eat breakfast before taking the test.
• Answer every question no matter what. Points are awarded for correct answers; there is no penalty for wrong answers.
• Pick a “letter of the day” and stick with it for instances where guessing is needed.
• Remain calm and use stress management techniques to settle nerves.

What is tested?

There are four subjects tested on the ACT. All sections are multiple choice. From “Preparing for the ACT Test” by ACT.

English

• 35 minutes and 50 questions
• Tested Skills:
  • Production of Writing
  • Knowledge of Language
  • Conventions of Standard English
• College Readiness Benchmark Score: 18

Math

• 50 minutes and 45 questions
• Tested Skills:
  • Preparing for Higher Math
  • Integrating Essential Skills
  • Modeling
• College Readiness Benchmark Score: 22

Reading

• 40 minutes and 36 questions
• Tested Skills:
  • Key Ideas and Details
  • Craft and Structure
  • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
• College Readiness Benchmark Score: 22

Science

• 40 minutes and 40 questions
• Tested skills:
  • Interpretation of Data
  • Scientific Investigation
  • Evaluation of Models, Inferences, and Experimental Results
• College Readiness Benchmark Score: 23

What does the English section assess?

From “Preparing for the ACT Test” by ACT.

• Production of Writing: Topic development, unity, cohesion of text
• Knowledge of Language: Precision of word choice, consistency of style and tone
• Conventions of Standard English: Sentence structure, punctuation, language usage, making revisions for improvement

Strategies for the ACT

• Less is best, meaning the least wordy answer is usually the best answer.
• Since “less is best,” often the longest answer choice is incorrect on the English portion.
• The questions placed in boxes require reading a passage. Guess on box questions using a “letter of the day” and go back to them at the end.
• Read the sentence to yourself without the underlined part. If it sounds correct, then choose “omit.” Less is best.
• Know the four ways to correct a run-on sentence:
  • A semicolon (;)
  • A colon (:)
  • A period (.)
  • A comma and a FANBOY (For/And/Not/But/Or/Yet)
• Understanding the function of prepositions will help eliminate incorrect answer choices, increasing the likelihood of getting the correct answer.
• Pick a “letter of the day” to use when uncertain of an answer.
  If you finish before the 45-minute time limit, go back to the questions guessed and try to determine the correct answer.

What does the Math section assess?

From “Preparing for the ACT Test” by ACT.

• Preparing for Higher Math: Number and quantity, algebra, functions, geometry, statistics and probability
• Integrating Essential Skills: Solving complex problems, combining skills in multi-step problems
• Modeling: Producing, interpreting, understanding, evaluating, and improving models

What to expect, or not expect, on the math section.

• Formulas are not provided
• You may use an ACT-approved calculator, such as a TI-80
• Be careful with calculator use, many problems can be solved more quickly without the calculator
• Pay attention to negative numbers and fractions
• Math is the only portion where the questions become progressively harder

Strategies

• Now, Later, Never:
  • Now: Do the problems that can be quickly solved accurately
  • Later: If a problem looks solvable but time-consuming, do it later
  • Never: If a problem looks too complex or confusing, answer with your “letter of the day” and move on.
• Ballpark It: Narrow choices by estimating the answer
• Eliminate clearly wrong answers
• If necessary, guess from the remaining answers
• Do not leave any answer blank. Use a “letter of the day” if needed
• Word problems:
  • Know the question. Read the problem all the way through and underline the actual question.
  • Let the answer help. Look for clues on how to solve; use process of elimination ball parking.
  • Break the problem into bite-sized pieces. Every problem has a lot of information. Process each piece one at a time and be careful of tricky phrasing.

What does the Reading section assess?

From “Preparing for the ACT Test” by ACT.

• Key Ideas and Details: Central ideas and themes, summarize, make inferences, cause-effect relationships
• Craft and Structure: Word and phrase meanings, author’s purpose and perspective, interpretation
• Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Understand claims, differentiate between fact and opinion, use evidence, make connections

Passages always in same order

1. Prose fiction: excerpt from a novel, short story, memoir, personal essay
2. Social studies: psychology, history, geography, political science
3. Humanities: arts, religion, literature, philosophy
4. Sciences: biology, chemistry, physics, technology

The first passage is the most difficult. Read the passages in order of interest.

Types of questions

There are ten questions for each passage from these question types:

• Identify and interpret details
• Main idea
• Compare and contrast
• Cause-effect
• Make generalization
• Sequence of events
• Author’s voice and method
• Determine meaning of words from context

Strategies

• There’s not enough time to read the full test. Skim it and go straight to the questions.
• Circle key words and main ideas as you go.
• Read questions carefully, circle key words
• Scan the passage, look for key words, then read the line before and after to find the answer.
• Do the detail or fact questions first; they are easiest.
• Do not leave any questions blank. Make a best guess or use a “letter of the day.”

What does the Science section assess?

From “Preparing for the ACT Test” by ACT.

• Interpretation of Data: Manipulate and analyze data presented in tables, graphs, and diagrams
• Scientific Investigation: Understand experimental tools, procedures, and design, and predict results
• Evaluation of Models, Inferences, and Scientific Results: Judge validity of information and develop conclusions or predictions

Data Representation (2-3 passages)

• Graphs, charts, tables, and figures
• Interpret the given information and draw conclusions
• Usually the shortest passage, very few words

Research Summaries (3-4 passages)

• Description and results of an experiment
• Evaluate the methodology, interpret results, understand implications of the findings
• Medium length passage

Conflicting Viewpoints (1 passage)

• 2-3 statements with differing viewpoints
• Evaluate the positions, identify points of disagreement, recognize evidence in support of positions
• Student does not need to identify which position is correct

Strategies

• Most questions can be answered without reading the passage
• Answer questions about graphs, tables, or figures first
• Many questions indicate which statement, table, graph, or figure to reference. Ignore all other information.
• Use reading skills (underlining, circling, notation)
• Some answer choices directly contradict the information presented. Eliminate these choices.

Before Test Day

• Create a free MyACT account on the ACT website. Complete the inventories that appear on the “Plans” tab at the top and the non-test information.
• Write down these items and keep them somewhere secure for future use:
  • ACT ID number
  • User ID
  • Password
• The Information for Examinees page provides free ACT information and practice resources
• Complete the ACT Student Identification Form prior to the test date.

Required Non-Test Information

You will receive a Student Code from your school. On your MyACT account home page, you will see a blue button that says Enter Student Code, this will link you to the non-test items that need completion.

Non-test items include:

• Demographic Information such as race, language, and gender.
  to complete this section.
• High School Resume. Have your high school transcript available to complete this section. It asks for:
  • Courses completed and to be completed.
    • Enter the correct number of courses for each subject area that align with the graduation requirements.
    • For math, look for the “Alternate Math Course Titles” link to enter your Integrated Math or other math classes with non-traditional names.
  • Grades in those courses
  • Your GPA.
• College Plans asks for:
  • Anticipated financial aid needs
  • Future areas of study and employment aspiration
  • Potential areas of support or opportunities to pursue during college
  • Types of colleges/universities of interest
• College Choices
  • Send your ACT score reports to at no charge
  • Choose up to four colleges

When you have completed the non-test information, your homepage will reflect widgets. You will have 48 hours after you complete the ACT to change any of the information you provided for your profile. Watch the MyACT Account Set Up State and District 2021 video for detailed information about completing the non-test items.

Receiving and Sending your Scores

• You can view your score using your MyACT account and following the on-screen directions.
• ACT score reports are mailed up to 8 weeks after they receive your responses.
• If after you receive your mailed reports your scored reports are not showing up on your MyACT account, contact ACT.

Don’t cram!

Cramming for a test does not help you do better. It is more important to familiarize yourself with the types of questions and passages throughout the ACT in advance. Cramming causes unneeded stress.

Get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast, bring your materials

Sleep is beneficial for testing situations. Get a good night’s rest and wake up early enough to eat a healthy breakfast. These two actions will help you avoid sleepiness and hunger during the test. Don’t forget your:

• Photo ID
• Calculator and extra batteries
• Sharpened pencils
• A snack for the break

Familiarize yourself with the test before the test day

Download a copy of the Preparing for the ACT Test, read the information at the beginning to understand how the test is constructed and what to expect. Complete the included full-length practice test and score it using the answer key in the back to understand areas to work on for improvement.

Answer the easy questions first, guess on the others

Select a “letter of the day” to use on the most difficult questions. If you find yourself spending too long on a question, GUESS, and keeping moving. Flag that question to come back to if time allows.

You only need to get half the answers correct to earn a 21

That’s right; you only need to get half the questions correct in all four subtests to get a 21 composite on the ACT. Focus on answering at least half the questions on each subtest, but don't leave any answer blank. Use your "letter of the day" when you need to guess.

Write in the booklet

Write, underline, make notes inside the test booklet. Make note of the questions you guessed on and want to revisit. Record your answers in the booklet first, then fill in the bubbles on the answer sheet.

Budget time wisely

Each section is timed. Keep in mind how much time you’re spending on a question; guess and move on if needed. Take practice tests with a timer set to learn the pace needed to answer all questions.

Read carefully to avoid careless mistakes

Some questions include the word “not” which is easy to miss if reading too quickly. Read carefully so you get the easier questions correct.

Don’t change your answers

Trust your gut by sticking with your initial answer choice. Otherwise, you might cause an error by not erasing the bubble well enough.

Mark an answer for every question, even if you must guess

There is no penalty for wrong answers, only points awarded for correct ones. Make certain every item has a bubble filled in, even if you have to guess or use your “letter of the day” to complete it.

Elementary School, PreK-5th Grades

Many of ACT’s tested skills are taught in elementary school, some as early as kindergarten. Schedule a meeting with your child’s teacher or school counselor to review the reports listed below to determine areas of academic strength, areas of needed improvement, and to develop a plan for intervention or remediation.

The Elementary School College and Career Preparation webpage provides a summary of academic topics, assessments, and activities to help students in kindergarten through fifth grade develop the skills needed to successfully transition to middle school.

Middle School, 6th-8th grades

Most of ACT’s tested skills are taught in middle school. Schedule a meeting with your child’s teacher or school counselor to review the reports listed below to determine areas of academic strength, areas of needed improvement, and to develop a plan for intervention or remediation.

The Middle School College and Career Preparation webpage provides a summary of academic topics, assessments, and activities to help students in sixth through eighth grade develop the skills needed to successfully transition to high school. 

Additional test preparation resources include:

• A downloadable PDF from ACT called Preparing for the ACT
• Tennessee Electronic Library System’s (TELS) College Admissions Test Preparation
• Khan Academy’s videos Overview of the ACT

Early High School (9th, 10th grades)

Most of ACT’s tested skills are taught in elementary and middle school, but some skills appear in the high school curriculum.

Students in 9th and 10th grade should focus on improving areas of academic challenge while building on areas of academic strength. Schedule a meeting with your child’s teacher or school counselor to review the reports listed below to determine areas of academic strength, areas of needed improvement, and to develop an intervention or remediation plan.

The High School College and Career Preparation webpage provides a summary of academic topics, assessments, and activities to help students in high school develop the skills needed to successfully transition to the college or career option of their choosing.

Mastery Prep Resources:

MNPS also offers Mastery Prep, an online ACT preparation platform, free to all high school students. The platform includes:

• Three full-length practice tests, which provide immediate results
• SnapCourses for insight to the ACT and test-taking strategies
• Study Hall lessons for independent subject-area review
• Mastery Curriculum for in-depth content skill development

Students access the Mastery Prep platform through ClassLink by clicking on the "Ready Platform" icon.

ACT Resources:

ACT offers many free and fee-based resources to prepare students for the test. All high school students should sign up for a free MyACT account. Through the account, students can:

• Register to take the ACT on a national test date
• Purchase study guides or sign up for an online preparation course
• Take a free full-length ACT test and view results to develop a targeted study plan
• View their scores from previously completed ACT tests
• Send their scores to universities and other institutions
• Complete career inventories, search careers, colleges, and major areas of study
• Preparing for the ACT contains detailed information about the test structure, important scoring information, and a full-length practice ACT with an answer key.
• Additionally, ACT provides a My Answer Key option on three national ACT test dates. For an additional fee, or at no cost if a fee waiver was used to register for the test, students can obtain a copy of:
  • a digital copy of the multiple-choice test questions
  • their responses
  • the correct answers
  • the conversion table used to determine the ACT score

  Using this information and a strategic plan to address areas of needed improvement, a student could positively impact his or her scores on future retakes.

Additional test preparation resources include:

• A downloadable PDF from the Tennessee Department of Education called the ACT Toolkit
• Preparation materials from ACT
• ACT Online Sample Questions webpage that includes accommodation options and full-length subject-area tests
• Tennessee Electronic Library System’s (TELS) College Admissions Test Preparation
• Khan Academy’s videos Overview of the ACT and Deciding whether to retake the ACT
• Oasis Center’s Oasis College Connection

Late High School (11th, 12th grades)

Success on the ACT depends on students acquiring strong academic skills throughout their educational career. Most of ACT’s tested skills are taught in elementary and middle school, but some skills appear in the high school curriculum.

Students in 11th and 12th grades should focus on building on areas of academic strength, improving areas of academic challenge, and developing a plan to enter college or trade/technical school, the workforce, or military service. The Seniors page on the MNPS website includes more post-secondary planning information and tools.

Schedule a meeting with your child’s teacher or school counselor to review student test results and academic performance to determine areas of academic strength, areas of needed improvement, and an intervention or remediation plan.

The High School College and Career Preparation webpage provides a summary of academic topics, assessments, and activities to help students in high school develop the skills needed to successfully transition to the college or career option of their choosing

ACT Resources:

ACT offers many free and fee-based resources to prepare students for the test. All high school students should sign up for a free MyACT account. With a MyACT account, students can:

• Register to take the ACT on a national test date
• Purchase study guides or sign up for an online preparation course
• Take a free full-length ACT test and view results to develop a targeted study plan
• View their scores from previously completed ACT tests
• Send their scores to universities and other institutions
• Complete career inventories, search careers, colleges, and major areas of study
• Preparing for the ACT contains detailed information about the test structure, important scoring information, and a full-length practice ACT with an answer key.
• Additionally, ACT provides a My Answer Key option on three national ACT tests dates. For an additional fee, or at no cost if a fee waiver was used to register for the test, students can obtain a copy of:
  • a digital copy of the multiple-choice test questions
  • their responses
  • the answer key
  • the conversion table used to determine the ACT score

  Using this information with a strategic plan to address areas of needed improvement could positively impact the student’s scores on future retakes.

Mastery Prep Resources:

MNPS also offers Mastery Prep, an online ACT preparation platform, free to all high school students. The platform includes:

• Three full-length practice tests, which provide immediate results
• SnapCourses for insight to the ACT and test-taking strategies
• Study Hall lessons for independent subject-area review
• Mastery Curriculum for in-depth content skill development

Students access the Mastery Prep platform through ClassLink by clicking on the "Ready Platform" icon.

Additional test preparation resources include:

• A free, full-length online practice ACT test using the same platform students will use on their October (seniors) or March (juniors) ACT. No log-ins needed, click "Practice Tests" below the sign-in button to access the test.
• A downloadable PDF from the Tennessee Department of Education called the ACT Toolkit
• Preparation materials from ACT
• ACT Online Sample Questions webpage that includes accommodation options and full-length subject-area tests
• Tennessee Electronic Library System’s (TELS) College Admissions Test Preparation
• Khan Academy’s videos Overview of the ACT and Deciding whether to retake the ACT
•  Oasis Center’s Oasis College Connection