Testing, Testing

The next deadline to sign up for the ACT is on October 14. According to counselor Barbara Miller, it’s important that students take steps to score higher on the ACT in between testing dates. The counseling center offers a free test preparation book, complete with a full-length practice test, useful strategies to help you prepare for the test and to use while taking the test, as well as information on what to expect on the day of the ACT. “Students will take it February of their junior year, which is paid for by the state,” Miller said.

The ACT can be taken up to 12 times. The cost is $50.50 to take the test once, and $67.00 to take it with the optional writing test. The Counseling Center can offer some assistance if the price is too high. “Between Junior and Senior years, a student who receives free or reduced lunches can get two fee waiver forms,” Miller said. “This will allow them to take the ACT for free three times.”

Miller states that if you are a student wanting to go to college, the ACT is important to take. Colleges in Arkansas such as University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University, Harding University, and many more use ACT scores along with the person’s GPA to admit students and to award academic scholarships. “If you are a student who is wanting academic scholarships to go to college, the ACT is important to you,” Miller said.

A student’s superscore will be higher the more times the ACT is taken. A superscore is the composite of the highest scores in each section of the test from multiple single test score composites. Superscores are usually higher than a person’s single test score. A single score is a singular composite of the results from a single ACT test. Colleges in Arkansas such as University of Arkansas, accept ACT superscores, as well as single scores. “Does it offer certain benefits if you have a good score? Yes,” Miller said. “But if you don’t, do not let that dictate what you can become.”