As Juniors and Seniors visit and apply for colleges, students prepare for one major test: the ACT. The ACT is a required test that students must take in order to get into certain colleges. This test includes Math, Science, Reading, English, with an optional Writing portion. Based on the college of choice, students may or may not take the writing test. The 2018 ACT dates are as follows: February 10th, April 14th, June 9th, and July 14th. Students should be sure to pick which date to take the test at least two months in advance to avoid paying a late registration fee.
The ACT is scored out of 36 points. Students will receive scores for each subject and an overall composite score. Different programs at different colleges sometimes require certain minimum scores on the ACT in order to apply and be accepted. Here in Mason City, NIACC does not have a required minimum score but will give out up to $1500 in scholarship money depending on the score received. The University of Northern Iowa also has no cut off where your score must be above, but the average score students have that go there is a 23. The University of Iowa also has no absolute minimum, but their average is a score of 26. Iowa State University does not have a hard cutoff for scores, but their average is a 25. Although the school themselves do not have absolute minimums, the programs available within the college most likely do.
Wanting to improve your score is something everyone goes through after taking the ACT for the first time. The ACT is able to be retaken up to 12 times, and many students retake it at least once. Although the goal is to increase one’s score by retaking the exam, there is a possibility of decreasing scores as well. One way to make sure a lower score does not occur and a higher score does is through the ACT Online Prep app only available with Apple devices. This app gives a lesson outline in order to finish all the lessons before the specific testing date. Many people have found success when using this app. Review books and other online studying aids are also available. The ACT is a stressful topic for any college-bound upper classmen. However, with the right preparation, it doesn’t have to be.