I have a problem with the ACT

[swimmermom3]

I didn't really know how to title this thread. The problem is probably not just with the ACT, but with timed, standardized test in general, especially ones that can dictate where a student can go to school.

 

Ds took the ACT in March and while his scores were solid and will do for many schools, I wasn't sure if they were reflective of what he can do and what he knows.

 

Most of his classes are finished with the exception of one, so we are devoting the month of May to test preparation. Yes, you read that right. Swimmermom, who loathes so much about standardized testing is jumping through the hoops. We need to.

 

For the first practice test he took in this go round of studying, I let him take as much time as he needed to complete everything that he could.  An extra 25 minutes bought him an 2 extra points in English, 5 extra points in math, 3 extra points in reading, and 8 extra points in science for an overall increase of 4 points in his composite. This composite puts him into a different category of student.

 

On the actual test, the science score really hurt him and labeled him as not ready for college science. Because I see the science portion as really more of a reading comprehension test, I was a bit baffled by the significant gap between regular reading and science reading. The practice test closed much of that gap and is more in line with my experience of his work. So  my take is that he needs a bit more time to process the science reading.The essay portion on the actual test was also no where in line with his AP Eng. Language score from last year, which I consider to be a much more accurate gauge.

 

The way I am looking at this first practice test is that content and skills are a moot point, but speed is everything.  So we are doing the the old drill and kill routine. Tons of testing while tightening up the time constraints and reviewing tips for increased speed.

 

How big a factor will speed play in college readiness?  I already know that the slower reading speed is problematic in a heavy course load. The comprehension is there, but everything takes longer and can limit one's ability to juggle challenging classes.

 

Sailor Dude really ended up enjoying his AP Biology class and is thinks he would possibly like to try another biology class, but obviously it has to be at our state university. That ACT science score has him worried about trying a college-level science course.

 

Will a test that we have prepped and prepped for really be an accurate representation of where he needs to be or will "stacking the deck" possibly put him in an environment that he is not academically ready for? Does not prepping like a maniac leave him where he needs to be or does it undermatch him?

 

Am I way overthinking this as usual? I hate standardized testing. We are also prepping for a couple of SAT Subject tests because he'll need that Math 1 for our state schools and I have heard the curve is wicked.

[EKS]

I think you'll find that prepping will only get you so far.  My son found that after a huge initial gain, practice did not improve his scores.  We did not try any fancy prep programs though, just practice and thinking a bit about strategy.

 

As for the science section of the ACT being representative of the skills needed to do well in college science classes--don't worry, it's not!  I bet if your son practices the science section a few times and really looks at where he is going wrong, he will see that there is a trick to it (the trick is that *all* of the answers given--if you ever use your background knowledge to answer a question, you're doing it wrong).

 

I do see what you're saying about overprepping resulting in a score that is not representative of his true abilities.  Since most (or perhaps all) things in college aren't as tightly timed as the ACT, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Vida Winter]

The science portion of the ACT doesn't really test science skill. They purposely do not give you enough time to read and process the passages. You should take some of the (genuine ACT) real science tests yourself to see what it's like. I actually did better on the science section when I didn't read the passage at all and worked backward from the questions. At least some of the science test can be done this way, saving valuable time and then you can use that time to finish the rest of the questions. Always read the question first, before the passage. Using these methods my daughter was able to raise her ACT science score considerably.

[LinRTX]

I hate that standardized tests matter so much. I have two with test anxiety, two without. All are smart kids.

 

The standardized test scores by no means indicate their ability for college! I have two graduated from college. The older had full scholarship based on his test scores. The younger went to a community college first and got her AA because she thought she could not do college because of how she tested. She later transferred to the school her brother went to. She had the higher overall GPA (even if you counted all grades from the community college)! Both are engineers.

 

I hate standardized tests, but I am prepping the youngest hard because she is a great test taker.

[Tsuga]

Standardized tests do not predict college performance. They are a way of triangulating the grade metric across schools and states. Unfortunately, they are more tied to test-taking ability than to performance because performance requires sustained effort over a long period. I'm great at tests but I am not that great at school because I am lazy! I am sorry this is a disadvantage to your son.

[MtnTeaching]

I am right there with you regarding the standardized testing.  Ds went into his first test and did not even make proficient in math and the science was low.  His following two tests were MUCH better.  For him, he needed the actual practice in the environment.  

 

Due to his test scores, he received a full tuition scholarship at the college he is attending and other excellent offers.  He also skipped right over all of his lower level courses when registering for fall.  His AP test scores meant absolutely nothing.  I was stunned.  I am so glad he took the courses, but I could have saved him the agony of prepping and taking the AP tests since it really did not mean anything.  Unfortunately, doing well on the ACT/SAT is needed.

 

Now, I am extremely concerned about my dd.  She is dyslexic and VERY slow when reading.  The ACT/SAT is going to be very, very hard for her.  She really wants to go to college, though.  She will be a junior this year, so she will need to take the tests.  Standardized tests are evil for kids like her.

[bettyandbob]

 

Now, I am extremely concerned about my dd.  She is dyslexic and VERY slow when reading.  The ACT/SAT is going to be very, very hard for her.  She really wants to go to college, though.  She will be a junior this year, so she will need to take the tests.  Standardized tests are evil for kids like her.

 

If you have documentation of the disability, both SAT and ACT offer untimed testing. You need to check both College Board and ACT to determine their requirements for getting accommodations. You should start now. You need to be request accommodations ahead of testing and they may delay decision making. 

[EKS]

If you have documentation of the disability, both SAT and ACT offer untimed testing. You need to check both College Board and ACT to determine their requirements for getting accommodations. You should start now. You need to be request accommodations ahead of testing and they may delay decision making. 

 

Not untimed--time and a half and double time.  It is almost impossible to get double time as a homeschooler, even with pristine documentation. 

[elegantlion]

I think it was here I read that the SAT offers more time between sections over the ACT. The science section is last, correct? 

 

Ds agreed that the science section didn't test science skills at all. 

 

 

[MtnTeaching]

If you have documentation of the disability, both SAT and ACT offer untimed testing. You need to check both College Board and ACT to determine their requirements for getting accommodations. You should start now. You need to be request accommodations ahead of testing and they may delay decision making. 

 

I am having her tested again, hopefully this summer if we can get her in.  From what I understand, she needs to be tested within three years of graduation.  Added time would be huge for her.

[8filltheheart]

nm

[EKS]

I am having her tested again, hopefully this summer if we can get her in.  From what I understand, she needs to be tested within three years of graduation.  Added time would be huge for her.

 

We did testing in 9th grade and my son got time and a half.  He took the ACT in April of 12th grade.

[Mom22ns]

ACT gave ds time and a half based on testing from I think third grade. It was public school testing and his last IEP from 5th grade. Having historical documentation seemed more important to them than that the documentation was current. I did write a supporting letter with that explaining the accommodations he had while homeschooling.

 

SAT seemed far less accommodating and we had updated documentation by the time we applied there. He only got extra time for writing and a keyboard from the College Board.

[Guest2]

I'm sorry to hear this. I have a love/ hate thing with these silly tests. If your son needs to get a higher score, i would pay maybe big bucks for test prep. We didn't , but our son missed the NMSF cutoff by a few points. In hindsite, I would have paid for classes from a reputable company that many PS use here - testmasters.

 

If your son can get into the school he wants, I don't think departments look at the scores. Just because he doesn't score as well in the science section, doesn't mean he won' t do wonderfully in science classes. IMHO, the ACT and the SAT measure one thing...how well you can do on the ACT or SAT. I have never seen a study that correlates performance on those tests with actual college success. If the scores will effect admission or scholarship,I think it is worthwhile to prep. If they don't , it is probably more beneficial to do almost anything else:)

[EKS]

ACT gave ds time and a half based on testing from I think third grade. It was public school testing and his last IEP from 5th grade. Having historical documentation seemed more important to them than that the documentation was current. I did write a supporting letter with that explaining the accommodations he had while homeschooling.

 

SAT seemed far less accommodating and we had updated documentation by the time we applied there. He only got extra time for writing and a keyboard from the College Board.

 

My understanding is that a history is extremely important for both ACT and the College Board.  Meaning you don't want the first diagnosis to be in high school.  I've also heard (from professionals) and have seen for myself that kids in school school have a far easier time getting accommodations.  It is important to use an evaluator who has experience with (and success) getting ACT/SAT accommodations *for homeschoolers*.

[creekland]

It took my middle son until his third try to be able to finish the science section in the time allotted.  He is not the type who can read the questions and hunt down the answers.  He needs to understand what he's reading.  Even when he finished, the science section was his lowest score (still high, but not the perfection he was aiming for).  

 

It has had absolutely no bearing on his ability to handle science classes - even the tough pre-med weeder classes.  He just got his first A- in a science course this past spring (of his junior year).  All the rest have been As and he's been asked to TA Orgo and Chem (and a Brain and Cognitive course).

 

It was worth spending the time prepping for the test due to merit aid and just plain getting in where he wanted to go.  I don't think he needed the prep to do well in college.

 

If I had been able to get my other two to really prep, who knows what they could have done, but they weren't as dedicated as he is.  He prepped without my asking him to.  He overprepped more than he needed to, but I don't blame him.  It's what he wanted to do.

[EndOfOrdinary]

Have you considered possibly having him take an SAT II in science to balance outthe discrepency and give him more confidence?

 

I recently succame to theidea that Ds needs to begin testing and prepping now in order to really tackle the test beast. It sucks, but unfortunately school is so very much not about learning anymore.

[wapiti]

Has he tried the SAT yet (the regular one, not the subject tests)?  Isn't there a slight difference in how tight the timing is for SAT vs ACT?

[bettyandbob]

Science is my dd's best subject. That was her worst section on the ACT. Her SAT scores were better, but she will still take the SAT again.

 

It's interesting that another poster found ACT accommodating. My oldest couldn't get the accommodations he needed despite recent evaluations and documentation going back to K. College Board gave him exactly what he needed and offered stuff he didn't ask for.

[1Togo]

With our older children, we prepped on our own.  With our oldest it was my first time at the rodeo, but I wasn't clueless.  That was years ago and a 30 meant enough scholarship from a state fund and the universities for a full-ride at quite a few state unis.  Fast forward to the present with a 32 as the magic number in a different state. We have used a test prep service this year, and it has been worth every penny - strategies, which have developed critical thinking and are being applied to other subjects, accountability, and encouragement. It's been a ton of work, but that 32 is looking like a possibility in the fall.  At the beginning of the year, scores were not in the range of any scholarship money, which was discouraging, not just because of the money, but also because students link scores with intelligence. Dc doesn't live in a box and ACT scores are discussed everywhere - church, cover, orchestra, etc. etc.  Seeing improvement, which has been slow, has motivated dc. We are now working on SAT prep for the June test, including timed essay writing using Bravewriter materials, and I wouldn't say it's the favorite part of the day, but dc sees the work as a challenge.  In fact, yesterday's essay wasn't bad at all, and dc bought into the evaluation and critique by thinking of other ways to support the thesis.  Also, the two of us wrestled through the wrong math problems with quite a few light bulb moments -- exciting stuff for two non-mathies.  So for us, prepping has resulted in an increase in scores and using a service has been valuable.  Fwiw, we also are dealing with slow reading.

 

Adding this.  Prior to this year, I was stubbornly opposed to test prep services, but I no longer feel that way after what I have learned from the people who have helped us.  I now look at what we have learned this year as another set of skills, and I don't see those skills as specific to standardized tests.  Also, earning scholarship money means dc may not have to work during college.  I regret that we did not do this much earlier since this particular service (Beasley College Prep) is having success with early high school and even junior high students.

[HollyDay]

The timed tests are a concern to me as well.  When oldest was prepping for SAT, we found she could do the math problems.  Just not in a minute and a half.  She needed 3, 5 even 10 minutes to do some of the problems.  But, she could do them!  It was very frustrating for her as well. 

 

 

[Lucy the Valiant]

The science section on the ACT really only tests the student's ability to read charts and graphs quickly - if the scientific vocab ("ions" and "phase of metamorphosis") were changed to marketing vocab ("social media trends" and "capital investments"), it would be a business test.