IN JUST over a month, Granger’s juniors will be taking the ACT. Designed as a test of a high schooler’s knowledge and college readiness, the ACT is used by universities to evaluate students’ content are knowledge. With the major impact test scores have on college admissions and scholarships, Lancers need to prepare for a strong performance.

Kaylie Terhune (11) thinks she is ready. She says that the ACT matters to her for scholarships and to show her hard work in high school. “I’ve been working hard in my classes, doing prep online, and reviewing my Pre-ACT scores,” she said. She says she isn’t worried about any particular section, but she’s concerned about her test endurance and being able to push through the whole test.

Allison Torres-Hernandez (11) isn’t worried either. She says she’s been getting ready by looking at her Pre-ACT scores and focusing particularly on math, as she says that’s her weakest subject on the ACT. “I’m worried about the stress of the test, I don’t work great under pressure,” she said. Overall, her plan: “I’ll do OK — not bad, but not great.”

However, these aren’t the only ways to prepare. Mr. Dain, who teaches ACT Prep for the science section, has his tips. He says the things to be most wary of are the timer and your endurance, as science is tested last on the ACT. He has some practical advice, too. “Never leave a blank and keep moving. Also, set an alarm reminder to charge your Chromebook the night before!” he said.

Mr. Dain also suggests resources for students wanting some extra preparation. He says that Shmoop is an excellent online test prep platform available to all Utah students. He also says to look at Pre-ACT results to get an idea of what needs work.

Ms. Green, an English teacher, also has some tips for the ACT. She says that in her classes, she mostly goes over punctuation rules and ACT practice problems. “Some students think more writing is better when usually the opposite is true for the ACT,” she said. She says that if students need some extra support in the English and reading sections, they should attend Granger’s ACT Boot Camp and use websites like Shmoop and Noredink.

Ms. Green wants to make sure that students don’t squander the opportunities provided by the ACT at Granger. “I think of the ACT as an opportunity for students to show off what they know. The school pays for it! Back in my day, we had to pay $60 to take it on a Saturday morning. Now the school pays for every junior’s test, and they get to take it during school hours,” she said.

The importance of this preparation cannot be understated. According to a study from the ACT itself, students who prepare in advance get, on average, a one-point composite score increase over students who did not prepare ahead of time. This preparation includes a range of things from getting enough sleep the night before to paying for private tutoring.

No matter what, any amount of prep is better than nothing. Test day is just around the corner, so get started today!