ACT tomorrow???

[Miss Marple]

Let's remember to say a little prayer for all those students who will be taking the ACT tomorrow!

 

I have 3 who will be taking the ACT. The youngest 2 will be taking it for the first time. We try to do this in order to tweak our high school years so I have a good idea of strengths and weaknesses. We've used the past 2 weeks to take practice tests, learn how to bubble in their names and addresses (a skill which has eluded them so far), and get a general idea of timing and pacing.

 

The younger boys are excited to take it, but also are sure they will fail (which they won't if their practice tests are any indication - they'll do great). I told them to look at it like a game - they spend forever practicing X-Box technique and this is the same thing. Practice, practice, and more practice will help them score higher, higher, and higher :D Once I put it into their "world" they seemed more OK with it.

 

I'll be praying right along with the rest of you who have kiddos taking the test. Best wishes to all :001_smile:

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Good luck to your dc. I will be praying for peace of mind and strength for the last hour!

 

My DS took his inaugural ACT in Feb. He was excited and barely slept the night before. He said he was exhausted by the end and wished that that section (Science) would have been first. He said his brain hurt so much by then he could barely concentrate.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

Yes. Please.

I have 1 dd taking the test. She's the one with some mild LD problems and a lot of difficulty in math.

Thanks for the prayers!

[KAR120C]

Good luck to them all - and get a good night's sleep!

[creekland]

My middle son will be taking it. He's a sophomore, so it doesn't really need to count, but if he does as well as he does at home, we'll probably just keep the score... which, of course, is what I'm secretly hoping for - or maybe openly hoping for on here. ;)

 

My best wishes to all who are taking it! May everyone get a good night's rest and no one oversleep or have other issues getting to the testing site on time.

[8filltheheart]

I have 2 taking it tomorrow, my 8th and 10th graders.

 

Does anyone know if there are bathroom breaks? I never worried about it with the boys, but my dd is going to need one!

 

I am worried about finding the testing location. It is way downtown in an area I have never been to before. We are leaving really early to have plenty of time to find it.

[newbie]

I have 2 taking it tomorrow, my 8th and 10th graders.

 

Does anyone know if there are bathroom breaks? I never worried about it with the boys, but my dd is going to need one!

 

I am worried about finding the testing location. It is way downtown in an area I have never been to before. We are leaving really early to have plenty of time to find it.

They do have bathroom break.

 

Prayers for all.

[8filltheheart]

Thanks! One more question! Do they need to fill out codes on the ACT? Is there a school code or a recipient code or was that all only needed during the registration process?

 

My dd's scores aren't being reported to anyone but us. However, my ds's scores are being reported to CTY.

 

Thanks!

[brendafromtenn]

Oldest ds is taking the ACT here in sunny TN!

 

Prayers of peace and wisdom for all tomorrow.

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda:001_smile:

[newbie]

Thanks! One more question! Do they need to fill out codes on the ACT? Is there a school code or a recipient code or was that all only needed during the registration process?

 

My dd's scores aren't being reported to anyone but us. However, my ds's scores are being reported to CTY.

 

Thanks!

 

There are codes, it should be on their registration form.

[SusanAR]

Ds will be taking it tomorrow.:001_smile:

 

:grouphug:

[TravelingChris]

My older dd is taking it today with writing. SHe is a good writer but is much more used to writing on the computer. I will be praying for all those taking it today.

[creekland]

We're doing breakfast now - praying for all and wishing the best!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Good luck ACT testers. Praying for you right now!

[creekland]

How does everyone think they did?

 

It's ended up being a practice test for us... my son is pretty certain he did well on Reading, Writing, and Math, but Science - his EASIEST section normally - got him. He hasn't done transistors, current, etc, yet and there was a reading section on it, so he took time to figure it out being the inquisitive and curious lad he's always been. That, of course, meant he didn't finish that section and blindly filled in 8 bubbles. So... unless his guessing skills are superb (and we haven't practiced that!)... he'll be retaking since he wants to be a SCIENCE major (albeit biological or chemical). It won't look good to have mid 30's on everything BUT his intended major.

 

I'm glad we have a practice year! Next time he knows not to get bogged down if he comes across an unknown section - save that one for last.

 

Here's hoping everyone else did better...

[8filltheheart]

My 10th grader feels like she did better on English, math, and science than she did on the practice. She said the reading selections were very boring and she doesn't think she did well on them b/c she couldn't concentrate. (Reading is normally her best section.)

 

My 8th grader thinks the English and math sections were both easier than the practice. But he said he didn't finish tons on the last 2 sections b/c the readings were so long and he was getting tired. (I figured that would happen. We are only interested in the math scores anyway.)

[Miss Marple]

Ds#2 thinks he did very well on everything except the science. Again, we had trouble with timing. The proctor left the room (in charge of an underling of sorts) and didn't come back until 1 minute before the end of the test. So there was no 5 minute warning. He had to bubble in about 5 answers. The last time he told me he did well on the English, he got a score of 33. He felt he did even better this time. He was also more confident in his math and reading scores. Hopefully his "feeling" will pay off :-)

 

The other 2 are exhausted but think they did OK except on science. Again, they didn't get through the section. I had told them to get a snack during the break but they didn't:glare: and consequently ran out of steam at the end. But this was their first time and now they know what to expect. Ds#3 felt that the practice tests he did at home really helped on the English portion especially. Ds#4 is just awed that he didn't die from the experience:D but I'm sure he did about as well as Ds#3.

[KAR120C]

How does everyone think they did?

It's a "practice" year for him in any case! I'm curious to see the scores... his practice test had a perfectly flat profile, but Math and Science were entirely due to time (did really great on everything he got to), where English and Reading he finished but didn't get as many right. If only he could donate five minutes of English and Reading to spent more time on Math and Science! LOL

[Michelle in AL]

Congrats everyone!

[creekland]

It's interesting reading everyone's assessment. My guy also thought his practice tests were easier - except for that one science section where he didn't have a clue about what they were talking about, and therefore, got curious and interested in it - forgetting there were time constraints for a little bit and the fact that he ought to set about checking out the graphs, etc.

 

I haven't looked online and my computer time is limited - when are scores posted from this test? Like everyone else, I'm curious to know how his scores compare to his thoughts and practice tests. I've written off caring about science for this test, but I do want to know the others.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes.

DD16 came out feeling ok about it. Knowing how to better study for the math section next time.

Then we had a nice lunch eating outdoors at Panera.

:)

[KAR120C]

I haven't looked online and my computer time is limited - when are scores posted from this test? Like everyone else, I'm curious to know how his scores compare to his thoughts and practice tests. I've written off caring about science for this test, but I do want to know the others.

They'll email you, but between our experience last year and my tutoring kid the year before, I think about 2 1/2 or 3 weeks. It's really fast!

[creekland]

They'll email you, but between our experience last year and my tutoring kid the year before, I think about 2 1/2 or 3 weeks. It's really fast!

 

Thanks - I looked it up this morning and results are online starting April 26th. It's nice that it's so quick! Of course, I'd rather know NOW. :tongue_smilie:

[Heather in AL]

My ds, 14, took it because he needs a certain math score to dual enroll in the fall.

 

He felt that the math was easier than the practice tests he took here (from three different publishers), but they only gave 45 minutes, so he ran out of time and had to 'guess bubble' from #48 to the end. He didn't say much one way or the other on the Engish & English reading portions, but ran out of time WAY too soon on the Science (only answered about half when the 5 minute warning was given), which was exactly the thing that happened in his practice tests. The timing is something we *really* have to work on.

 

He took the test at a testing center, and it was crammed.... on the eval it asked if there was a minimum of 3 feet on all sides of him, so he answered 'no'---- desks were practically touching and the kid behind him kept kicking his feet under the desk!

 

We are concerned, though, because there was no place on the answer form for a 'homeschool code', and I thought he needed it. I even went in and asked the lady, and she said he didn't need it. :confused:

 

I'll be on pins and needles until the results are in. *insert fingernail chewing smiley*

 

Good luck to everyone's kids!

[Michelle in AL]

Hi Heather, dd didn't need a homeschool code either and the results did come to our house without any problem. They even came before the posting online. She did need the code for PSAT and AP.

[Heather in AL]

Hi Heather, dd didn't need a homeschool code either and the results did come to our house without any problem. They even came before the posting online. She did need the code for PSAT and AP.

 

 

Whew! Thanks Michelle! You have released that bit of anxiety for me. Any chance I can get rid of the 'waiting for the scores anxiety'? :lol:

[TravelingChris]

Here is my dd's report. In reading, the teacher made a very bad error. While my daughter was about to start the last section of reading, she announced 5 minutes left. SO she quickly read the questions and tried to answer and did. She then looked at her own watch and saw the teacher was off on the time by about 10 minutes. SO she went back and read the selectiuon and redid her answers. Now, she knew exactly where she was and could do this. I think it was very unfair to the kids. My dd thinks she started timing on one watch and changed to looking at the clock in the room or something. The total time called was right but the five minute warning happened with about 13 minutes left.

 

DD also didn't get what one guy was doing. This was during the science portion. He had been tapping his pencil and he stopped early in the test. SHe looked around and he had his head down on the desk and wasn't doing the test. It was about five minutes in so he couldn't have answered the questions right. She had no problems with the science portion and thinks she did better this time. (SHe got 24 last time on science, I think). She always has enough time to finish the tests.

 

THe one thing I was happy about was that on her writing test, she had enough time to write the essay and go back and check over it. SHe had been having trouble on the practice tests but she was doing those in the afternoon probably when her medication was running down).

 

You can start checking on the scores about two weeks after the test.