How to Use the PreACT® as the Kickoff to a Strong ACT Test-Prep Plan

Back in March of 2016, ACT® announced its answer to preparation for the ACT®: the PreACT®. The PreACT® is offered to students—PreACT 8/9® for 8th and 9th grades, PreACT 10® for 10th grade—and primarily functions as a means for students to practice for the ACT® college entrance exam. 

When ACT® initially launched the PreACT®, Chief Executive Officer Marten Roorda asserted:

“[The] PreACT® [provides] valuable insights on college and career readiness to students, educators and schools while students still have time to make adjustments and improve. It’s an affordable tool to help empower students and educators with information they can use to better prepare for the ACT® and the future.”

The perfect synopsis for exactly why the PreACT® is an invaluable opportunity for underclassmen. 

Quick Facts About the PreACT®

Here are the basics:

  • The PreACT® simulates the ACT®. Using the same types of test questions, score scale (1-36), content, and formatting, the paralleled test is designed to give students an experience that most closely emulates that of the ACT®. The only notable differences with the PreACT® are less time with fewer questions.

    • English: 45 questions, 30 minutes

    • Math: 36 questions, 40 minutes

    • Reading: 25 questions, 30 minutes

    • Science: 30 questions, 30 minutes

Likewise, the low-stakes PreACT® enables students to experience and familiarize themselves with the testing environment before the high-stakes ACT®. This is critical for our students with test anxiety and/or learning differences.

  • Prepping for the PreACT® is pretty straightforward. Your PreACT® clients need only to focus on developing and strengthening the general skills explored in their English and Reading, Math, and Science courses. 

    • English skills such as: syntax and grammar; vocabulary; punctuation usage and mechanics; sentence structure; organization; topic development and style 

    • Math skills such as: number and quantity; functions; pre-algebra; algebra; geometry; coordinate geometry

    • Reading skills such as: reading comprehension; analyzing and interpreting written material; comparing and contrasting information and texts; main idea; author’s purpose and method; meaning of words and phrases in context 

    • Science skills such as: reading comprehension; finding contextual evidence; analyzing and interpreting data; reasoning; problem solving

  • The PreACT® shares similarities with the PSAT®. Just as the College Board offers the PSAT® in preparation for the SAT®, the PreACT® serves the exact same purpose in preparation for the ACT®. A low-stakes practice test students can take before the high-stakes test.

  • The PreACT® is not associated with any scholarship programs. Taking the PSAT®, enters students into the distinguished National Merit Scholarship Program, which can help college-bound students earn serious cash for school. At this time, the PreACT® is not tied to any such scholarship opportunities.

  • The PreACT® is offered through schools and districts, not individually. The PreACT® is taken at the student’s high school with the school district determining the available dates and times for students to take it. Advise your clients to see their guidance counselors to check for available dates and times, and to register. According to ACT®, the cost for registration at this time is $16 per student.  Some schools cover this cost for students, while others do not.

  • PreACT® test results have a fast turnaround. Schools and students receive test scores in less than 2 weeks, typically between 5 and 10 days after submission. This quick interval allows students to go over their test results with the test relatively fresh in their minds. Moreover, students will receive their scores with ample time to develop an effective test-prep plan in preparation for the ACT®.  

For even more information and specific details, check out ACT’s® PreACT® Overview.

Benefits of Taking the PreACT® in Preparation for the ACT®

The most prominent benefit in taking the PreACT® is getting the opportunity to experience a practice test that most closely mirrors the real thing. As stated, “[The PreACT®] is designed to model the ACT® test experience, providing students with the ultimate preparation and practice.”

In a time when students cannot fully rely on their high school grades and GPAs as accurate measures of academic prowess, the PreACT® serves as a more reliable means of quantifying their knowledge. Taken multiple times or in conjunction with practice tests, they have a way to benchmark their progress as they continue to prep and plan for the ACT®.   

For more on the benefits of taking the PreACT®, click here.  

Using the PreACT® Score Report and Analysis as a Guide to Create a Test-Prep Plan for the ACT®

PreACT® test results provide a diagnostic tool to help students (and tutors!) identify in which areas a student's focus needs to be in preparing for the ACT®. A score report will give a rundown of how the student performed during the PreACT®, and highlight the student’s weaknesses and strengths in each of the tested subject areas.

Additionally, PreACT® results can help students determine correct course placement and levels going forward, allowing students to be fitted into the courses that will lend them the best opportunities for success. In a previous post, we discussed how important it is for high school students to make the best course choices for success in preparation for college. A PreACT® score report can be used as a compass to help keep students on said course, showing them in which subject areas they could stand to be more challenged and in which they may need more support.  

  • For more information on how to use and understand PreACT® test results, click here. 

  • For a sample of ACT’s® PreACT® Score Report, click here.

Using the PreACT® Scores for Test Prep

A solid test-prep plan can be developed using the information in the PreACT® score report. Utilizing the score report will ensure that test-prep time and focus is designated to the areas in which students need the most support. Used correctly, the PreACT® score report can be a means to help students identify where they struggled the most and learn how to dodge those tricks and traps the next time.

Students taking the PreACT® are most likely on the path to taking the ACT® in preparation for college admissions. The PreACT® Score Report can be an essential diagnostic tool in helping students set their test-prep goals by precisely pinpointing their academic strengths and weaknesses before they take a swing at high-stakes ACT®.

 

For more on how Clear Choice Prep can help you and your test-prep business better serve your clients, keep up with our blog! Subscribe here.

Matt McCorkleTest Prep Advice, Test Prep, Test Prep Tips, PreACT®, ACT®