Who should take it?
Historically, all TSAS graduates take the ACT at least twice: once as a junior in the spring, once as a senior in the fall. This may change as the SAT is revised and many local colleges now accept either.
How do I sign up?
Go to actstudent.org and click “Sign Up.” If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, see Stallings for a fee waiver. The TSAS school code is 373647.
The OK Dept. of Education has announced that all current high school juniors will be offered a free ACT this year. We have no other information at this time; look to TSASNotes for updates.
What are the changes?
The ACT results now offer two new scores: STEM (based on science reasoning and math) and language arts (based on English, reading, and writing sections). This does not reflect a major revision to the questions or subject matter, merely the reporting. The composite score still runs 1-36.
The (optional) writing section is now analytical as well as argumentative. Rather than being asked to simply take a position on an issue, students are asked to read three positions, analyze them, then respond by taking a position. More information and sample prompts at act.org.
How do I prepare?
Pay attention to your studies, ask questions when things are not clear. ACT offers an official study guide, but this is recommended only after taking the exam once. Establish a baseline, then collect tools to improve it.