THE EXPLORE TESTTHE EXPLORE TEST

WHAT YOU NEED WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!TO KNOW!

EXPLORE includes EXPLORE includes Four multiple-choice tests:Four multiple-choice tests:

Subject Number of Questions How long it takes

English 40 30 minutes

Math 30 30 minutes

Reading 30 30 minutes

Science 28 30 minutes

• Your skills in these subjects will make a big difference - in school and, eventually, in your career.

• Once you know what each test covers, your EXPLORE test results can show you where you're strong or weak.

The English TestThe English Test

• The EXPLORE English Test measures your understanding of standard written English—punctuation, grammar and usage, and sentence structure (Usage/Mechanics)—and your understanding of the use of strategy, organization, and style in writing (Rhetorical Skills).

• You receive a total score for the English test and separate scores (called "subscores") for Usage/Mechanics and Rhetorical Skills.

The Math TestThe Math Test

• The EXPLORE Math Test measures your mathematical reasoning. The test focuses on your ability to reason in math rather than on how well you have memorized formulas or can do involved computations.

• Questions on the test cover four areas—knowledge and skills, direct application, understanding concepts, and integrating your understanding of concepts—in pre-algebra, elementary algebra, geometry, and statistics and probability.

The Reading TestThe Reading Test

• The EXPLORE Reading Test measures your ability to understand written material from different school subjects. The skills measured include referring to details in the passage, drawing conclusions, and making comparisons and generalizations. The test does not cover information outside the passages, vocabulary taken out of context, or formal logic.

The passages are typical of materials The passages are typical of materials you might read in school, including:you might read in school, including:

• Prose Fiction – Short stories or excerpts from short stories or novels

• Humanities – Excerpts from memoirs and personal essays, and from works on

architecture, art, dance, ethics, film, language, literary criticism, music, philosophy, radio, religion, television, and theater

• Social Sciences – Excerpts from works on anthropology, archaeology, biography,

business, economics, education, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology

The Science TestThe Science Test

• The EXPLORE Science Test measures your scientific reasoning skills and your ability to understand scientific information and draw conclusions from it.

Six sets of scientific information are Six sets of scientific information are presented in one of three formats:presented in one of three formats:

• data representation (graphs, tables, and other forms)

• research summaries (descriptions of several related experiments)

• or conflicting viewpoints (two or more hypotheses that are inconsistent with one another)

• Materials for this test are drawn from the life sciences, Earth/space sciences (e.g., geology, astronomy, and meteorology), and physical sciences. The test emphasizes your scientific reasoning skills rather than how well you can recall scientific facts, or your skills in mathematics or in reading

EXPLORE, PLAN, and the ACTEXPLORE, PLAN, and the ACT

• EXPLORE is the first part of a testing system that goes on to include PLAN and the ACT.

• Typically, students take EXPLORE in the 8th or 9th grade, PLAN as 10th graders, and the ACT as juniors or seniors.

• All three test you in English, math, reading, and science.

What Your What Your Score Report Tells You!Score Report Tells You!

• The EXPLORE Student Score Report gives information about your knowledge, skills, interests, and plans. You can use this information as you plan your high school coursework and begin thinking about college and work.

• Your report tells you how you did on the EXPLORE tests and how your scores compare to those of other students across the nation.

• It contains information about your educational and career plans, interests, high school coursework plans, and the amount of help you think you need in seven areas.

What Do My Scores Mean?What Do My Scores Mean?

• Your scores are between 1 (the lowest score you can receive) and 25 (the highest score you can receive) even though you answered a lot more than 25 questions on the EXPLORE test!

Your Composite Score is simply the average of your test scores in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science (rounded to a whole number).

The two scores directly under English tell you The two scores directly under English tell you

how well you did in these two areas of English:how well you did in these two areas of English: • Usage/Mechanics—

punctuation, grammar and usage, and sentence structure

• Rhetorical Skills—your understanding of the use of strategy, organization, and style in writing

• These scores only range from 1 to 12. Added together they do NOT necessarily equal your English Test score.

How Do My Scores Compare with Those of How Do My Scores Compare with Those of

Other Students Who Took EXPLORE?Other Students Who Took EXPLORE? • Next to your

scores, you'll find the percent of students scoring at or below your score. This shows you how your scores compare to those of students across the country who took EXPLORE.

• The example above shows 74% next to the student's English score. This means she scored as high as or higher than 74% of students in her grade across the U.S. who took EXPLORE at about the same time.

• The other percents show how you scored relative to other students who took EXPLORE in your school, your school district, and your state.

How Can I Improve?How Can I Improve?

• The back of your Score Report describes the skills and knowledge you already probably have.

• You'll also see some ideas for improving even more in the different subject areas. The suggestions are based on your scores and can help you do better.

You will definitely want to discuss these ideas with your counselors, teachers, and parents so that you can work together to get the most from your courses and be "college ready."

Your FutureYour Future

• When you took EXPLORE, you answered questions about your educational and career plans.

• This information can help you learn more about careers, clarify your goals, and begin to plan your future—including your high school courses and, perhaps, a college education.

Your Plans for High SchoolYour Plans for High School

• Compare Your Courses to "Core" College Prep Courses

• When you took EXPLORE, you were asked about the courses you plan to take in high school. This section of your Score Report compares your plans to our recommendations for "core" college prep courses.

In this example, the student should take at least one

more year of math, one more year of

social studies, and one more year of

science.See your

counselor if your high school course plans fall short of our "core" college

prep course recommendations.

Thinking about College?Thinking about College?

• Your EXPLORE results give you an early clue as to whether you will be ready for college-level work if you keep doing the same things in school.

• ACT has also developed College Readiness Benchmark Scores. If you meet these benchmark scores, you are on your way to having the skills you will need by the time you finish high school.

The checkmarks show whether you scored The checkmarks show whether you scored

above, at, or below the benchmark scores.above, at, or below the benchmark scores. •Students who score at or

above the College Readiness Benchmark Scores for EXPLORE in

English, math, and science will probably do well in these subjects in high school and college if they keep up with

their coursework.

•Students scoring at or above the reading

benchmark are on their way to having the reading skills they will need in all of their

high school and college courses.

Your Career PossibilitiesYour Career Possibilities

• It's not too soon to begin exploring possible careers!

• Your EXPLORE Score Report helps you start by focusing on a few career areas.

Exploring careers is easier if you have a good map. Launch the World-of-Work Map at http://actstudent.org/wwm/explore_world.htmlto begin exploring careers and occupations that might be right for you.

Small Learning CommunitiesSmall Learning Communities

• In high school you will choose a “Small Learning Community” (SLC)

• The Explore Test helps you to identify the kinds of careers you might want to pursue.

• Small Learning Communities are pathways to help you prepare yourself with specific knowledge related to that career.

• You will take specific classes related to your SLC to help you be better prepared for College.

SLC ChoicesSLC Choices• Arts & Technology• Business & Finance• Health Occupations • Engineering & Design • Social Justice & Law• International Studies• and more…

This is just the BEGINNING!This is just the BEGINNING!

• Once you have completed 8th grade, you will be entering the next part of your education to get you closer to a successful education at a College or University.

• Then you WILL be on your way towards a successful future & chosen career.

• REMEMBER:

BELIEVE! (IN YOURSELF)ACHIEVE! (YOUR GOALS)SUCCEED! (IN LIFE)