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Talent Search ACT - laid back prep?


dauphin
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DD12 qualified to take the ACT this coming year. Based on her Explore results, I am thinking she'll do fine on the core subjects with zero prep (she had none for the explore), but some of her other scores, including science, weren't what I would have expected, especially for a science loving kid, although she generally does NOT free-read in science much at all, more logic and mystery and sometimes fun math. 

 

I could be up for integrating some prep materials into our morning time (I have seen Marie's Words recommended many times and I think both DD12 and 7 would LOVE it). 

 

If it would be helpful to know her scores to make recommendations, I'd be happy to post them...

 

I'm not invested in putting a lot of time in to get some kind of stellar scores (although she might be in the range of possibly qualifying for DYS if we actually put some effort into it?), but why not put a little bit of effort towards helping her prepare for some of the content since we are outside of the PS scope and sequence (which I think was part of what hurt her on science?).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My DS10 will be taking this October. For him, we would need to practice coloring the bubbles. The last time he had to fill out the scantron was in 2013.

 

We would also need him to do a set of practice tests in one sitting as it has been a long time that he had to sit for > 4 hours (8am-12:15pm) for testing.

 

I did download the sample ACT but there are no answer key so I didn't let him try yet as I won't be able to mark the language sections without answers.

 

I downloaded this sample from the ACT website

http://www.act.org/aap/pdf/Preparing-for-the-ACT.pdf

 

ETA:

We are going for the ACT without writing. We don't need the writing score for anything and kid loathe writing tests.

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The week of the test, I printed the sample (the link Arcadia gave you is the current sample), & he did one subtest/day for 4 days under timed/testing conditions using the bubble answer sheet. So, just a few minutes/day x 4 days.

 

I didn't introduce any new information, only make sure he knew what to expect on testing day. So, he didn't study, but he did familiarize himself with the format & process. It is a much more challenging test than the EXPLORE (of course), so it was helpful for him to realize ahead of time that the time constraints were going to be a very big deal. 

 

Arcadia, the sample you linked to has the answer key on p. 56.  It's easy to overlook b/c it has all of the blanks all over it, but the answers are there :).

 

 

ETA: Fwiw, both of my sons took the EXPLORE last year, & my kid that did great on the science section said it was not testing science knowledge, it was reading comprehension about science related topics. He said all of the answers are right there, it's a reading/extrapolating information test.

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Arcadia, the sample you linked to has the answer key on p. 56. It's easy to overlook b/c it has all of the blanks all over it, but the answers are there

I saw the page but the answer key resembles some personality test score sheets so it didn't strike me as the answer key :lol: Thanks

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My kids just tried the sample I linked upthread. All four tests in a row with a toilet break after test 2.
No factual science knowledge required.
DS10 ended up with a composite score of 25 and I told him he flop when he asked :p He hasn't done a timed test in a long time.
He would have ended up with 31.75 for composite score if untimed. So test prep for timing is needed.

 

ETA:

For Science, DS10 had 26 (timed) 34 (untimed, as in I make him finish the rest of the questions)

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4ofus,

 

How close is the scale score for the ACT sample compared to your older child's actual score?  My hubby wants to know because he is thinking of letting DS9 do it for fun. we have already registered to test for DS10.

 

This is what we got for DS10 on the sample

When following time limits:

English 25
Math 26 
Reading 23 
Science 26 
Composite 25 

 

When finishing the questions he didn't have time for:

English 30
Math 33
Reading 30
Science 34
Composite 31.75​

 

DS9's composite for sample was 19.75 for timed and 30.75 when he did all the rest.

 

ETA:

DH is interested because the cost is about the same as any other standardized tests and DS9 is close to hitting ceilings.

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We use The Real ACT prep book. It's the big read book. She does a few questions from a couple sections a few times a week.  It takes 5-10 min max. She reads the info about the testing procedures and recommendations each year before she takes the test to remind herself of the actual procedures and rules.

 

She takes a full math section practice test once every couple months or so to practice timing and refresh her memory on math she hasn't done recently. The first year she took the ACT she did the ACT question of the day from a site online. That was good because she hadn't covered some material yet because we were going deeper with AoPS instead of faster. That put her at a disadvantage for not having covered topics she was completely capable of doing just because of the curriculum she was using. Doing the question of the day and studying anything she wasn't familiar with filled some gaps. Looking back, we should have used a different math program to begin with, but that's a different thread...

 

I see ACT prep as a great way to review info and keep it fresh. It's useful for reasons beyond the actual test.

 

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Arcadia, it was pretty close. I don't remember exactly, & that practice test is packed away somewhere right now, but the composite came out within about a point iirc.

 

The conditions were kind of a big deal for ds. He was the only person there not in their jr/sr year, & they all had to muster in the cafeteria for a good 30 minutes before splitting into rooms. It was a very social 1/2 hour.

 

He told me later that the most intimidating part of the test was being the only kid in with all these people preparing for college. And he's 12. And 5'7". No one even looked twice at him, because he blended right in. Be he didn't feel like he was blending. He felt overwhelmed. Once the testing began, he was able to relax & get into a groove, but that muster-time gave him lots of time to feel like a fish out of water.

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 He was the only person there not in their jr/sr year, & they all had to muster in the cafeteria for a good 30 minutes before splitting into rooms. It was a very social 1/2 hour.

 

 

Thanks.  I thought they would be ushered to their rooms straight away after check in. I would have to let my 5' tall DS10 know that there is a possibility of "stand around and be bored before the exam".  I think I found your son's question paper on the internet.

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Thanks.  I thought they would be ushered to their rooms straight away after check in. I would have to let my 5' tall DS10 know that there is a possibility of "stand around and be bored before the exam".  I think I found your son's question paper on the internet.

 

He should probably be prepared for either possibility. DD was immediately ushered away after signing in. I thought we would have time to chat a bit, but she was told to step across a line and go directly to her room. (They did permit a quick goodbye as long as she didn't step away. The next year we knew what to expect from this test site.)

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