ACT Discriminate Against Mechanical Pencils?

Test Preparation
1

<p>I read somewhere that the ACT requires soft-lead pencils, the wooden kind (as opposed to mechanical ones)? Is this true? I know it's not important but I just wanted to know why they require it out of curiosity.</p>

2

<p>ACT directions DO say to not use a mechanical pencil.</p>

<p>However, I did use a mech pencil (and always have for standardized tests) and I'm positive it didn't affect my score.</p>

<p>Still, there probably ARE some types of mechanical pencil lead that cannot be read by the ACT grading machines.</p>

<p>This was a pointless post, I know...</p>

3

<p>Yea when i took the ACT, the proctors were like DONT USE THE MECH!!!! It was kinda sad</p>

4

<p>Wow, the majority of my ACT testing classroom used mechanical pencils. I guess next time I'll just bring wooden pencils for the scantron and use my mechanical pencil that's more comfortable for the essay.</p>

5

<p>That's strange. What's the difference between the two leads?</p>

6

<p>no difference. unless you buy sketching pencils, most of them are the same darkness nowadays.</p>

7

<p>It doesn't really matter.</p>

<p>But I would adivse you to use wooden pencils: it's much faster to fill in ovals this way. For the writing section, just use a mech. pencil, unless they require pen -- I've never taken the new ACT. If they require pen, like most AP's, use it. Their reasoning is that pen is easier to read.</p>

8

<p>...The heck! Nobody ever said I could use mechanical pencils on anything...and now I find out it doesn't really matter? O_o</p>

<p>Oh well, it wouldn't have made a difference with bubbles...I have specially sharpened wooden pencils, hehe...I didn't know you could use a pen on the essay though. Man that would have helped so much.</p>

9

<p>Ok... so can you use a pen on the essay portion?</p>

10

<p>Hmm, I hope I'm not saying anything out of place; I actually took the old ACT. Still, I'm sure you can use a pen -- because as I said earlier, all AP essays require it. If ACT doesn't specify what to use, I would use a mechanical pencil.. the sharp tip lets you write clearly, and you can erase cleanly, saving the reader of a messy paper.</p>