DOS AND DON’TS FOR TAKING THE

ACTIN 7TH GRADE

According to Mrs. Hebda

Middle School Gifted Facilitator

USD 231

HOW TO PREPARE Notice it doesn’t say STUDY! You haven’t taken any high school

classes yet, so think of this more as a pre-test.

So, RELAX!!

My goal is to help you develop an understanding of the ACT in 6 easy steps

STEP 1: DO BE PROUD OF YOURSELF Being asked to take the ACT is a very

big honor, and you should be proud of yourself.

STEP 2: DON’T FREAK OUT Don't think that just because you are

taking the ACT, you have to study like crazy to get a good score. You are taking a test meant for people 4-6 years older than you. They have learned more, so you shouldn't try to compare yourself to them. This is just an opportunity to see how you do on an upper-level test.

STEP 3: DON'T IMMEDIATELY GO OUT AND BUY AN ACT PREP COURSE.

All the preparation you need to do is in this presentation.

The software courses have new editions coming out every year. You should wait and buy the prep software when you’re in high school.

When you take the test again in high school, your junior high scores will be deleted.

STEP 4: DO STAY CALM AT THE TEST. High school juniors and seniors only

have a year or two to take the test. You're in 7th grade, so you have a ton of time and the test shouldn't be a huge deal for you.

Plus, if you’re calm and remember these tips, you’ll do better.

STEP 5: DO THE EASY QUESTIONS FIRST.

Don't spend ten minutes on a question, because there will probably be some that you don't know, especially on the math section. If you're taking the ACT, guess on every

question you don't know. Don't leave any blank.

STEP 6: DON'T EXPECT TO MAKE A 36 WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR SCORE REPORT.

As you can see, the averages of 7th graders on these tests are not that high.ACT:

Mathematics: 17 English: 17 Reading: 17 Science: 18 Composite: 17

TESTING TIPS: BEFORE Try to take the test at a large school. There

may be other 7th or 8th graders that are taking the test with you. Or, better yet, take it at the same time/place as

a friend! There are several breaks and you’ll have someone to hang out with.

Looking at a practice test can’t hurt! In fact, it will help you to understand what type of questions are on the test. http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/

Do what you would normally do for state assessments – get plenty of sleep, eat a good breakfast, and drink water.

TESTING TIPS: DURING (ACT) You have this test PEGged!

P = Pace yourself E = Easy questions first G = Guess

TESTING TIPS: DURING (ACT) P = Pace Yourself

Give yourself checkpoints (halfway, one-third, etc) and check the time to see if you need to speed up or slow down

Test monitor will tell you how long you get for each section and also when there are 5 minutes left

English Section: 45 minutes Math Section: 60 minutes

Calculator is allowed Reading Section: 35 minutes Science: 35 minutes Writing (optional): 30 minutes

TESTING TIPS: DURING (ACT) E = Easy questions first

This is a high school test, so you won’t know ALL the answers.

Don’t spend too much time on a difficult question, you can skip it and come back if you have time.

TESTING TIPS: DURING (ACT) G = Guess

It is important to answer ALL questions, even if you are unsure. A blank answer is scored as incorrect, whereas if you fill in an answer, you have a 1 in 4 chance of getting it right.

Use good multiple choice strategies! Read all choices before answering Use the process of elimination Rule out unreasonable answers (esp. in math)

TESTING TIPS: AFTER It will take a while to get your scores.

Be patient. When you get the scores, remember,

this was just practice! You’ll be amazed how much your score will improve in high school when you have taken all of the classes tested on the ACT.

SOURCES http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/tips/ http://tip.duke.edu/node/313#tipprep http://

www.wikihow.com/Handle-Taking-the-SAT-or-ACT-at-an-Early-Age