Junior prep for ACT test

ON FEBRUARY 27, Juniors will have the opportunity to take a test that will help determine their futures. The score on this test determines scholarship eligibility or which colleges students can get into. All juniors have to take the ACT test.  On February 27, all other classes are excused except for the junior class.

As the ACT test approaches for the juniors, they may tend to feel overwhelmed or stressed out. A good tip is to take practice tests and to time them.

“They’re just testing you on what you know. If you don’t know the answer to a question, skip it, and go back to it later for time’s sake. Pace yourself,” Ms. Green said.  

While taking the ACT test it’s better to answer the easiest questions first. Some students get overwhelmed and end up choosing the wrong answer. Keep it simple and go with the first instinct. “Don’t stress, if you don’t know the answer come back to it,” Don Nuusila (12) said.

Every junior will have the opportunity to retake the ACT test if he or she is not satisfied with the score from this first attempt. “Taking the test for the second time was easier for me. I felt like it was easier for me because my first time I felt a lot of pressure, and I was new to the feeling of the test,” Diego Garcia Lopez (12) said.

The ACT tests students in math, reading, writing, science, and English. They will be given a time limit on each test. “Remind yourself you can do it, it’s important to depend on it,” Tavite Tonga (12) said.

The ACT will sometimes have more than one correct answer to a problem. The purpose of having more than one correct answer is to see if a student can pick out the best answer.

“One thing that’ll make the test a little easier on you is to make sure you go to sleep at a decent time, eat a good breakfast, and try to prepare yourself for the test” Ms. Czapala said. Before taking the ACT test, get eight hours of sleep every night for a week. Sleep is very important. It helps maintain appetite and memory.

Studies show that sleeping after learning helps one’s memory with retention. When students eat a good breakfast before the test, it helps with concentration, performance, and it helps boost alertness according to www.HealthLine.com.

For students who were dedicated to studies during the last ten years, the test should feel like a review and a be a little easier.

Most juniors freak out because of the time limit on each given test section. Never leave a question unanswered because students never know the chances guessing an answer and getting it right—especially compared to not answering it all and automatically getting wrong.

“Don’t focus too much on how much time you have left while you’re taking the test because if you worry about the time too much, you’ll really lose focus on the main purpose of the test,” Daniel Campos (12) said.

The main purpose of the ACT test is for colleges to make admission decisions. It’s really up to students whether they want to do well or not. It is also very important to focus and take the test seriously, because it can be a ticket into colleges students may want to attend.