Despite the recent transition from traditional in-person schools to more hybrid and online classes, many staples of schooling have stood the test of time and have survived this migration. Students are still attending classes at specified times, working to learn new skills, and are trying to set themselves apart so that they may be accepted into a college of their choice. Of course, one of the most important ways to achieve these goals is to do well on standardized tests. As have many students for the last few decades, the newest generation is readying themselves to take the American College Test, or ACT.
The ACT is one of the most important factors when a student is applying for college. While other things like after school activities, awards, and grade point averages are all looked at as well, the ACT is certainly a big factor for getting into a school of choice. The average ACT score is a 20 for both math and English, putting a student in the 50th percentile. A score of 24 puts a student in the top 25% and a score of 30 puts them in the top 7%. This means that a student that can score a 30 or higher on their ACT will stand out as a top tier student colleges will want to recruit.
So how does one ready themselves for a major test like this? College test prep material, of course! As a recent college graduate and as someone who did not take the ACT all that long ago, I can say from personal experience that the best way to prepare for a test like this is to make sure you have the best material to study from. Ultimately, most students have the ability to perform well on a test like this, it is mostly a matter of who has the resources available to them so that they know what will be asked. Even if a student diligently practices problems for months on end to prepare for the ACT test, if they are not pertaining to the proper topics or are not written in the proper format, then they will be left blindsided when presented with the actual test.
While this is a time of change and new experiences for students, standardized tests like the ACT are still here to stay, and students need to be prepared for what is to come so as to not be left behind. After all, how can students change with the digitization of the world if they are not educated on the basics.