ACT COUNSELOR S GUIDE

2018 2019 ACT COUNSELOR S GUIDE

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES that open doors. ACT is about more than just a test. We offer products and services that open doors, build confidence, and unleash the potential of your students. As a counselor, you re incredibly busy, so we want to make understanding and using our tools as simple as possible. Use this guide as a resource to share with your students. There s no telling how far you can help them go. 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS The ACT - What's New for 2018-19...4 ACT Test Dates & Fees...6 Why Check Yes on EOS?...7 ACT vs. SAT...8 Five Reasons ACT Is the Right Choice...9 ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live... 11 ACT Online Prep... 12 ACT Test Prep... 13 ACT Engage... 15 ACT WorkKeys... 17 About Our Solutions... 18 3

WHAT'S NEW for 2018 2019 Assessment, done right, is about opening doors and accelerating learning. It s about creating a more holistic view of students so that, together, we can help our young people make the most of their potential. Here's what's new for the ACT test in 2018 19: Absolutely free, personalized practice for the ACT! ACT Academy is a free online learning tool and test practice program designed to help students get the best score possible on the ACT test, and well on the way to college and career success. Through video lessons, interactive practice questions, full-length practice tests, educational games, and other materials targeted to academic needs, ACT Academy provides a personalized study plan based on previous scores from The ACT test, PreACT, Official ACT practice tests, or in platform diagnostics. ACT Academy features: Personalized resources Accessible anytime/anywhere there is an Internet connection Both a full length ACT test option as well as ACT test sections Educational games to drive mastery of content ACT Academy is the go-to place to get FREE, personalized practice for the ACT. English learner supports: The number of English learners is growing in our country, and we re committed to improving access and opportunities for these students. That s why ACT is providing supports on the ACT to US students who are English learners. These supports are designed to improve access and equality for students whose proficiency in English might prevent them from fully demonstrating the skills and knowledge they ve learned in school. 4

Official ACT Prep Pack: The Official ACT Prep Pack combines the bestselling Official ACT Prep Guide with ACT Online Prep, a powerful computer-based learning program, enabling your students to study for the ACT in the way that suits many different learning styles and moods. The Prep Pack includes: The Official ACT Prep Guide 2018 book Full access to ACT Online Prep for six months Activation code for ACT Online Prep provided in your purchased book 5 full practice tests More than 2,400 practice questions online Mobile app for practice and reporting Game center to further test knowledge 450 Flashcards customized for individual review needs Daily goals to assist with study targets Personalized learning paths And much more! Free Score Reports: Our new policy is to waive the fee of sending score reports to colleges or scholarship agencies for students who register for the test with a fee waiver. The free score reports up to 20 for each test students take with a fee waiver will never expire, so these students may use them whenever they wish. ACT is committed to helping all students succeed in their educational journey. Students from lowincome families face a series of unique challenges and barriers that can reduce their access to higher education, and sending ACT scores to the colleges they aspire to attend should not be one of them. Suzana Delanghe ACT Chief Commercial Officer FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE UPDATES AND MORE, VISIT US AT act.org/the-act-updates 5

ACT NATIONAL & 2018 19 TEST DATES FEES 2018 Test Dates SEP 8 OCT 27 DEC 8 Registration Deadline AUG 10 SEP 28 NOV 2 Register at actstudent.org **Late Registration Deadline AUG 26 OCT 14 NOV 19 2019 Test Dates FEB 9 * APR 13 JUN 8 JUL 13 * Registration Deadline JAN 11 MAR 8 MAY 3 JUN 14 **Late Registration Deadline JAN 18 MAR 25 MAY 20 JUN 24 *No test centers are scheduled in California for the July test date or New York for the February and July test dates. **All material sent by mail must be RECEIVED by the late registration deadline, regardless of postmark date. 2018 19 TEST FEES + ACT $50.50 ACT with writing $67.00 + If you cannot afford the test fee, ask your counselor about requesting a fee waiver. 6

WHY CHECK YES on EOS? When you register for the ACT, make sure to sign up for the ACT Educational Opportunity Service (EOS). Here are three reasons to CHECK YES on EOS: CONNECT WITH COLLEGES EOS broadens your college search by introducing you to more colleges. On average, students who check yes have their names selected by more than 16 colleges. FIND SCHOLARSHIPS and FINANCIAL AID Groups that oversee scholarships and other forms of financial aid use EOS to connect with students. MOST STUDENTS USE IT In 2016, about 73% of ACT-tested high school students opted in to EOS. It s free and, if you change your mind, you can switch your preferences online. 7

GOING STRONG ACT OR SAT? It s a question many ask. As the leading college entrance exam, ACT continues to leverage its years of research and focus on your students' success to outpace the SAT. Year after year, more are choosing the ACT to fulfill their college admissions requirements. 2,000,000 ACT vs. SAT NUMBER OF STUDENTS TESTED 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 ACT US Grad Class SAT US Grad Class 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 ACADEMIC YEAR 8

5 REASONS ACT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE ACT customers are all about outcomes. Ultimately, the dedication to student success is the common thread that links ACT and all of the teachers, counselors, administrators, parents, students, test administrators, and others in various student support roles. Why choose ACT? Because, like you, we are dedicated to education and career success it s why we exist. What s important to you is important to us. 1 Measuring Success Is in ACT s DNA ACT scores predict important college outcomes. The ACT has more predictive evidence than any other assessment program, linking ACT scores to students performance in the first year of college through college completion. Our focus on outcomes runs deep. It is, in fact, our mission to help people achieve education and workplace success. 2 The ACT Measures What Matters It s the link between high school curriculum and college performance. The ACT assesses the skills students should be learning every day. We use a dual validity loop and our National Curriculum Survey to continually ensure alignment among: What schools teach What we measure Student performance in college courses This unique approach is one of the many reasons we don t need to make radical changes to our test. 9

5 REASONS ACT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE 3ACT pioneered the concept and practical use of readiness with its College and Career Readiness Standards and Benchmarks. It s an outcomefocused approach: students meeting three or four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks have a strong likelihood of experiencing success in first-year college courses. Readiness: College Completion Begins with a Strong Start 5Scholarships A school counselor at Morse High School in Maine documented over 10 years of her students taking both the ACT and SAT and found more scholarships favored the ACT. Students earning merit awards based on ACT score vs. SAT score 50% 75% Chance of earning a B or higher Chance of earning a C or higher In corresponding credit-bearing first year college courses 4More Students with ACT Scores Get into College The ACT is the most-used predictor of college performance and has become the universal language of readiness. You probably know that the ACT is accepted by all US colleges and universities, but these numbers may surprise you: 133 US colleges and universities receive at least 20,000 ACT scores every year The top 16 institutions collectively receive more than 1 million ACT scores per year One university alone receives more than 90,000 ACT scores per year ACT SAT 66% 44% ACT $1M+ SAT Students may be missing out on more scholarship opportunities and, possibly, college altogether by not taking the ACT. Leslie Trundy, School Counselor, Morse High School $32K The amount of merit awards offered were more than 3 times higher for students who took the ACT compared to those who took the SAT over 4 years of college. See the full story at act.org/milliondollarimpact 10

ACT KAPLAN ONLINE PREP LIVE ACT has partnered with Kaplan Test Prep to offer ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live, a virtual classroom that delivers interactive instruction in real time, all at an accessible price. Students can view live or recorded sessions using their favorite device so they can prepare when it s most convenient. ACT KAPLAN ONLINE PREP LIVE PROVIDES: Live sessions taught by Kaplan-certified instructors Flexible subscriptions from 6 weeks to 6 months Guided learning plans, adjusted and dependent upon their ACT test date ACT practice tests A social community of teachers and peers Instructor assistance delivered in real time, even outside of classroom hours Students registering for the ACT with a fee waiver will also receive free access to ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live, which includes full access to ACT Online Prep. LEARN MORE AT act.org/onlinepreplive 11

TEST PREP ON DEMAND Even one point on an ACT Composite score can make a difference in receiving scholarships and gaining admission to a student's college of choice. Their coursework already prepares them to take the ACT, but additional practice can help your students feel comfortable, confident, and ready to do their absolute best. ACT ONLINE PREP With personalized learning paths for all four ACT subject areas, ACT Online Prep is an interactive, online program for on-the-go ACT test practice. It helps: GET READY It s a great way to prepare for the ACT, especially since it s built by the test makers themselves. GET COMFORTABLE The practice questions and tests are taken from previous ACT tests, which familiarizes students with the format. GET CONFIDENT As your students see scores and percentages change with each course and practice session, they'll know they're getting the hang of it. ACT ONLINE PREP PROVIDES: A FREE mobile app ACT practice tests A personalized learning path with daily goals and progress tracking Customized flashcards A game center to further test knowledge LEARN MORE AT act.org/aop 12

ACT TEST PREP THE OFFICIAL ACT PREP GUIDE Anywhere, anytime, your students can prepare for the ACT with The Official ACT Prep Guide. It includes ACT tests students can take at their own pace, with clear explanations for every answer. They ll also find test-taking strategies and ideas for boosting scores on the English, math, reading, and science tests, as well as the optional writing test. Three practice tests Explanations for all correct and incorrect answer choices Test-taking strategies Hundreds of additional practice questions in the online bonus content area With The Official ACT Prep Guide your students will be prepared from registration to test day. Tell your students that they can purchase their own copy at act.org or from other retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 13

ACT TEST PREP START HERE ACT Academy A FREE online ACT test prep tool with personalized, self-guided plans based on test results from the PreACT and the ACT test, as well as official ACT practice tests. act.org/academy FINISH STRONG Prep Guide Online Prep Prep Pack Online Prep Live Test prep book from the makers of the ACT test Online prep for the ACT anytime, anywhere Bundles Prep Guide + Online Prep ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live + Online Prep act.org/prep 14

HELP YOUR STUDENTS REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL ACT Engage can help your students achieve their academic goals, regardless of their starting point. And the best part? It only takes 30 MINUTES. ACT ENGAGE HELPS: Identify potential personal challenges that go unreported in standardized academic tests Evaluate self-reported social and emotional learning Define the level of academic risk Use suggested interventions to help improve academic achievement FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO act.org/engage-student 15

Together, [academic and non-academic assessments] can really pinpoint multiple aspects of a student that affect learning. With the data from these assessments, we have worked directly with students and can see definite increases in their social and emotional skills, as well as their grades. Jeff Allmon, School Counselor McPherson Middle School Social and Emotional Learning assessments help students achieve important academic goals: improving grades, succeeding in and out of school, and making a commitment to completing their education. 16

CAREER-READY SKILLS Whether their plans after high school include an internship, working during college, or going straight into the workforce, students can showcase their skills to employers of all kinds with ACT WorkKeys. More than ever, people are entering the workforce unprepared. After taking WorkKeys, your students will understand their strengths, weaknesses, and how they stack up to what employers expect. If your students complete the three WorkKeys assessments Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents they can earn the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC ). With WorkKeys, the student is in control they can take it on their own time, as many times as they want, and only share scores with employers when they're ready. LEARN MORE AT act.org/workforce 17

ABOUT OUR SOLUTIONS ACT ENGAGE Grades 6 12 Measure attitudes and behavior critical to success LEARN MORE AT act.org/engage-student ACT ACADEMY Grades 10 12 ACT Academy is the go-to place to get FREE, personalized practice for the ACT LEARN MORE AT act.org/academy PREMIUM TEST PREP All Grades preparing for the ACT Gain confidence and be ready for the ACT test LEARN MORE AT act.org/the-act/testprep THE ACT TEST Grades 11 12 College admissions exam and career planning LEARN MORE AT actstudent.org ACT WorkKeys Grade 12 Measure and build workplace skills while earning a career credential LEARN MORE AT act.org/workforce 18

2018 2019 ACT COUNSELOR S GUIDE FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT ACT.ORG 2018 by ACT, Inc. MS5846