Advice from Other Parents Regarding ACT Test

Parents Forum
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<p>Thanks so much again, everyone, for all the replies. All the advice that you are giving me is so helpful and it is making me feel so much better about everything. Many thanks!</p>

<p>Haystack ~~ She is going to be looking at applying to Iowa State as well. Our instate flagship is UIUC and we have already taken her on a campus visit there. She loved it. We’ve also already taken her to visit Purdue since My husband and I are Purdue graduates - my husband was an engineering major. she’s going to apply to a multitude of different schools, but I would just hate for her to be limited by her ACT score though. Thanks for the reply.</p>

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<p>OP: have you looked at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago? It’s a smaller engineering university w/great programs, job placements, and financial aid. Look into their IPRO program too. For many families, IIT can be less expensive than UIUC due to its generous financial aid. We visited a couple weeks ago, and were very impressed.</p>

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<p>my S was in the same position. Got a 28 on December ACT and a 29 on April ACT his junior year. Has a 4.5 gpa. We shelved any discussion about trying to improve until summer. Then in late July we discussed it again and we hired a private tutor for 6 one-hour sessions. The tutor helped by going over the problems he missed and explaining why he missed them. He wasn’t overwhelmed with school work and was able to do the homework assigned to him by the tutor and actually focus on it.
Took the September ACT and got a 33.
so, yes, it is possible and my advice would be to wait until summer and have her focus over summer and take the September ACT test. still plenty of time before applying to schools.</p>

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<p>First, don’t stress! Take a deep breath and try not to let your worries get the best of you. Your daughter sees your anxiety, and it makes the pressure on her worse even though I know you want only the best for her. The big picture is that she will go to college, and that wherever she goes the chances are better than not that she’ll be happy and go on to a great life. It’s all about keeping perspective.</p>

<p>So, on to the issue at hand. I’m always so impressed with parents on CC, and you’ve gotten some very good advice already. I’d also encourage her to try the SAT if she hasn’t already, although I always hate to tell kids to change horses mid-stream so to speak…especially since you’ve already invested time/money in the ACT. The two tests are entirely different animals and most students prefer one over the other. Maybe the SAT is her test (and she doesn’t know it yet). I’d also take a look at whether those practice tests she’s taking are real ACT’s, or ones created by the prep company. The latter are pretty much guaranteed to be inaccurate, so take those results with a grain of salt!</p>

<p>I’m going to PM you with my email. Please feel free to write if you’d like a little more advice for her. I’m an SAT/ACT tutor, and I might be able to give you a few personalized pointers. Classes help, but they’re not individualized to ferret out specific problems. Best wishes to you both. It’s really going to be OK :)</p>

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<p>Agree, you don’t need a 30 for many really solid engineering programs in the midwest so I wouldn’t add that pressure onto the plate. A 28 with that GPA is not a bad position to be in if that’s the best that is going to be achieved. The math is easy…but you have to know and remember how to do Algebra, Geometry, and it helps to have had Trig…and you have to be able to work fast and not dilly dally second guessing yourself (according to my kids). Anecdotally my kids almost always scored 2 point higher on the practice stuff than the real deal so your is not that far apart form the practice tests to the real tests. If it’s not a timing issue perhaps going back and reviewing basic formulas and problem solving would help boost the score. Lastly from a parent persepctive 28 puts her in the top 10% nationally on the ACT math…I’m not quite certain why anyone should be “all stressed out” about being in the top 10% nationally.</p>

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<p>While perhaps true for many in the generic midwest, the fact is that the OP is an Illinois resident. UIUC has a mid-quartile range of 26-33 on ACT-M; with a 7 point spread, the mid is 29+. More strikingly, 25% of matriculants scored a 780 on SAT-M*. The bottom quartile is a 690. And as several parents have pointed out on cc, STEM majors tend to have higher than average test scores; thus, it is most likely that UI Engineering leads the way on these math scores, with a mid significantly above 30. </p>

<p>Even with a 70% admit rate and the female hook, it is always better to be above the mean IMO.</p>

<p>*Granted, there is plenty of self-selection of SAT submissions.</p>

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<p>OP, as I understand it the D has not actually sat for a real test yet? It was our experience that you could only get so much insight into how they would fare from the practice tests. S was getting consistently around 1900 for his practice SATs, and similar for ACT. Then he sat for both on consecutive Saturdays and whomped them both. We totally didn’t see that coming based on the practice scores.</p>

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<p>I think that your D should take the SAT this school year, as well as the ACT. She could then prep over the summer for the one she did best on/felt most comfortable with. My DS scored a 28 on his first real ACT- took a couple of practice ones at our local library and scored a 26 and 27. He needed to score at least a 29 for a direct entry pharm-D program. He took a prep class with 2 other students and scored a 32 or 33 when he took the ACT again after the class. I can’t believe I can’t actually remember his exact score. I use to know each sections score too. Now it seems so long ago:)</p>

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<p>28 is not a shoe-in for my instate (UofM) either, but there are many fine engineering programs in the midwest.</p>

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<p>A 28 is a solid score and with the rest of the stats she has she will be very attractive to any Big 10 school. A 30 would be nice, but mostly for higher merit aid possibilities. I would have her concentrate on the sections she didn’t score well on and familiarize herself with the types of questions asked in those sections. Bringing up these areas will help quite a bit on the ACT. You can sign up on the ACT site for online prep help for $30 or so. She will also have access to practice tests. I would suggest that she take as many practice tests as she reasonably can between now and her test date and not concentrate so much on “content”. There is a very good chance she will see very similar questions on the online prep site as she will see on the actual test. She can take a section here and there if she can’t do the whole test each time.</p>

<p>Iowa State is a BEAUTIFUL campus. I wish our kids wanted to go to a larger school. She would have a VERY good chance of very good merit/female aid at Iowa State.</p>

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<p>I agree with everyone here! Great advice, CC parents.</p>

<p>A couple of things which may or may not help–
My daughter is also trying the SAT–she started by taking the practice test online on the College Board/SAT site. It’s free, so if your daughter wants to get a feel for the test and see what she can score on it cold (and what she thinks her potential is), I would try it online.
We purchased this software along with the Real ACT book on amazon: [Amazon.com:</a> Boost Your Score! The Unofficial Software Guide to the Real ACT: Software](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Boost-Score-Unofficial-Software-Guide/dp/B002MS69OE/ref=pd_sim_b_4]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Boost-Score-Unofficial-Software-Guide/dp/B002MS69OE/ref=pd_sim_b_4) You enter the answers for the Real ACT tests and it analyzes your weak points and provides practice questions. Don’t know yet if it’s worth it, as D took her first real ACT at school at the beginning of March and doesn’t have the results yet, but sometimes a little variety in the way you study can help.
Also, something we found off of a CC poster but haven’t tried yet: [ACT</a> Test Prep - Science - YouTube](<a href=“ACT Test Prep - Science - YouTube”>ACT Test Prep - Science - YouTube) This teacher tries to help you speed up the science section in a few free videos.<br>
My daughter did a Princeton Review class and increased her composite score by 4 points (all on practice tests, though–don’t know what the real thing will look like!).<br>
We have not been researching engineering, but after having seen looked at schools all around the country–very reputable schools of all shapes and sizes–I have not found one that makes you take one exam to the exclusion of the other. They have all said SAT or ACT with writing. There are some in which some interesting combinations of SAT, APs or ACTs can be submitted (such as at NYU), but no one has said only SAT or only ACT as of yet.<br>
Good luck! Don’t go crazy with the stress. And, when she is angry, make your daughter repeat after mine, “Mommy and Daddy did not create college entrance exams…”
:-)</p>

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<p>This is what my D, who took both the ACT and the SAT, said. I’d work with a tutor specifically on the trouble spots (science and reading) and just work with whatever scores she gets after two tries. Taking the SAT is also a great idea–I’ve seen it happen that one score outshines the other.</p>

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<p>My advice is to have her take the test every time it’s offered from now until the testing deadline for the school(s) she wants to attend. In my D’s experience, the difficulty of the test (for her) varied greatly, particularly in the time sensitive sections, Science and Reading. Her English and Math scores were consistently high, but she had wild fluctuations in the science and reading scores. All it took was one sitting where she found both the Reading and the Science sections to be easier and she had a great score. She knew coming out that it would be her best score because she finished the reading and science sections without having to guess or rush at the end.</p>

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<p>If securing a tutor is too expensive or if you can’t find one that will fit into your D’s schedule consider “Khan Academy” on the internet. This guy was on 60 minutes two weeks ago. His tutorials are fantastic. I just checked and he has a huge section for SAT prep. However, there’s nothing on ACT.</p>

<p>Definitely worth trying…</p>

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<p>Absolutely have her also try the SAT this spring. Just because she doesn’t know anyone taking it isn’t a good reason to avoid it. Every college your D might want to go to with her statistics accepts either test. My kids will have taken both by the time they are done with college testing. Some kids do better on one than the other.</p>

<p>Here is some other advice: we have chosen to pay extra to report our kids scores after the fact (not taking the “free” score reports offered when we register for the tests). We want to pick and choose which scores to send (for D1, we ended up not sending ACT scores anywhere, as her SATs were stronger). It costs more, but gives you control and takes some pressure off if one sitting does not go well. Of course, a few top schools want to see all scores, but most do not.</p>

<p>My kids have self studied for both tests with some support from me. We generally set aside about 2 hours every Sunday afternoon before dinner for prep. Their activities have varied, but generally include some review from review books, then taking a couple of test sections and going over their mistakes and making flashcards for them. The flashcards help (D2 just took the SAT, and she said when she came out that one problem was the exact format of one on her flashcards so she knew how to do it immediately). Both took the SAT twice, and ACT once (plus SAT subject tests). I think both got the best scores they were personally capable of through this process.</p>

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<p>Higgens2013 ~ We haven’t looked at IIT yet. Thanks for recommending it. She has really only been looking at Big 10 schools, but we have told her that she needs to expand her horizons and look at a variety of schools.</p>

<p>Swans004 ~ I am definitely trying to not let my stress about this show to my daughter, she is stressed enough as it is. I love this board because I can show you guys my stress and put on a positive face to my daughter.</p>

<p>Sylvan8798 ~ She has not sat for a real ACT test yet, although the practice tests that she has taken mimic real test conditions. She took a practice test through her school in the Fall and scored a 28 composite. I am not sure what the scores were for each area though. Also, through her prep class, they take a practice test each Saturday morning, with a total of 5 tests. The class is taught at the high school and the conditions that they take the practice tests under are the same as if they were taking the actual ACT test. She’s taken 4 of those test so far, with the highest score being a 28 which she got on her first test. She got a 28 composite with these scores: English 28, Math 23, Reading 27, and Science 34. That was the test that she got an unusually high science score, and since that test, she can’t score above a 26 on the science section. This is part of the reason I hate this test. How can you score so high on one section in one test, and then have a 9 point drop in that section on your other tests? That seems so inconsistent to me. Also, although a 28 composite is a good score, the 23 in the math for that test is not very good for engineering. The big problem is that she hasn’t really had the time to go over her mistakes in past tests. The ACT prep class takes 4 hours on Saturday morning, and then the rest of the weekend all she does is her homework for her course work at school. She also has the class for 3 hours every Wednesday night, so that cuts into homework time as well. She has to put the homework time in to keep her grades high. Her 2 AP classes that she is taking this year are so time consuming. She’s up till one in the morning as it is doing homework every night, and lately she’s had a few nights where she has been up till 3 or 4 in the morning finishing homework and studying for tests. You add that to her EC’s, and there is just no time to do adequate prep right now for this test. Last Friday before her practice test on Saturday, we had her do the first 2 sections in the first practice test in The Real ACT book, and then we went over the answers that she got wrong. On the practice test the next day, she still got a 28 in English (which has remained pretty consistent throughout all the practice tests she has taken), but she got a 29 in Math, so she was able to pull up her score. In her first practice test, she only got a 23 in math, then on the 2nd and 3rd practice tests she got a 26 in math, and then this final time she got a 29. So I am hopeful she can still pull her math up, even if only by 1 point to get to a 30. I don’t know about English, maybe a 28 is the best she can do? She should be able to devote some serious time to studying for this test over spring break next week to help prepare her for the test on April 14th. She is also scheduled to take the test in early June and will be out of school for a few weeks before that test, so she will have a little bit of time to exclusively devote to studying for the test.</p>

<p>SteveMA ~ Part of the reason she wants to score a 30 or above is not only to ensure that she gets into engineering programs, but she is hoping for some merit money as well to make certain colleges more financially feasible for her and for us. Even getting a few thousand dollars a year really adds up over the course of 4 years. I like your advice to take as many practice tests as she can. I have heard that over and over again everywhere I look and that is something we are definitely going to have her do. I have heard people say that even if you can’t take a full test, or even finish one section of a test, to just do as many practice problems as you can. That is definitely in our strategy once she has more time to devote to this. I have heard so many wonderful things about Iowa State, and our daughter has said that she is very interested in applying there. My husband has a colleague from work (my husband and his coworker are engineers) who’s son is a freshman there studying engineering and he just loves it there. It was between Purdue and Iowa State and he chose Iowa State because he got significant merit money there as opposed to Purdue. Purdue oos is near $40,000 a year, so w/out any merit money, it is out of reach for most people. My husband is a little bit partial to Purdue because we are both Purdue graduates, and he graduated w/an engineering degree, but ultimately he wants our daughter to go where she feels comfortable. Even w/her looking at Big 10 schools, she knows she has to keep an open mind about where she will go. There are so many variables and moving parts in this whole thing. Everything from how comfortable you feel on the campus, to the reputation of their engineering program, to the amount of money it is going to cost to go there each year, to actually getting accepted into their program, etc. She really won’t be able to make an informed decision until she knows the answer to all of these questions.</p>

<p>Lasmeninas66 ~ Thanks for all the info on the College Board/SAT site. We will definitely look into that. Also, let me know what you think of the ACT software. I agree that variety can help. I think my daughter might be getting a little bit burned out. The last 4 Saturdays she has taken practice tests through her prep class, but she is off for the next 2 Saturdays due to spring break. We are hoping that we can do some practice tests and prep on our own to mix it up a little bit. She has her last practice test on April 7th, and then the real thing on April 14th.</p>

<p>Beth’s mom ~ Very good advice on having her take the real test every time it is offered. That is exactly what we are doing. She’s taking it April 14th, April 24th (through her high school), and then in early June. The next test date after that isn’t until September, so we will see how she does on those tests before we sign her up for September. I know there is also a test date in October, so if need be, we will sign her up for that, too.</p>

<p>Many thanks to everyone that gave advice on taking the SAT. I think that is something that will have to wait till the Fall though. She barely has time to prep for the ACT and I am just afraid if we have her try to take/prep for the SAT right now that we will just confuse her and overwhelm her. If she doesn’t get the score she needs on the ACT in April or June, she can devote part of her summer to prepping for the SAT and then hopefully be ready for that in the Fall.</p>

<p>On another note, even though my daughter wants to major in engineering, she is only really interested in majoring in one specific field, which is biomedical engineering. Engineering is very competitive, but biomedical engineering is even more so because it is such a new field and colleges only take a minimum number of applicants each year for this major. That is why her ACT score is so important. If she doesn’t score into the 30’s on the ACT test, she might not get into any of the program she applies to. If she doesn’t get into biomedical engineering programs, she will not major in another type of engineering, she would major in biology most likely. The thing that upsets me most is that this one test may ruin her chances of majoring in what she really wants to major in. It seems like the years of hard work of maintaining grades and being involved in activities and sports was all for naught if she won’t be able to pursue this major, all because of one test. Everything else for her is on track, but this one test. It’s maddening!</p>

<p>I just want to thank everyone that has taken the time to read and answer my post. You guys have given me some wonderful advice and strategies that I can use to help my daughter. You guys are truly the best and I am so glad that I decided to post this over here. I haven’t gotten any replies yet to this post in the ACT section, not even one, and w/out all the wonderful advice and support from all of you, I would still be totally stressing out about this. Thank you so much!</p>

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<p>Keep in mind that not all schools have score choice for the SAT and ACT. If she takes the next 5 ACTs she may have to report all the scores.</p>

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<p>Definitely consider the SAT. My D was much better at SAT than ACT.</p>

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<p>I think you are focusing too much on the test score. Even with her scores as they are now she will have solid options to pursue BioMed-E if she wants to. Some additional midwestern options to consider:</p>

<p>IL-Chicago
Marquette
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Iowa
Michigan Tech
Indiana U - Purdue U Indianapolis</p>

<p>and others. And this is not to say that she should not try for some of the more competitive programs – ACT scores at these levels are not outside of consideration and her coursework will be given much weight by these schools, too.</p>

<p>Obviously if she is not satisfied with her April score she should consider re-taking at least once more in the fall (up through December) – 6-8 months more maturity can make a difference. And, as suggested, trying the SAT is another way to go, especially if time and the science section are problems. There is generally less time pressure and certainly no science section in the SAT.</p>

<p>It is unlikely she would need to take the SAT Math Subject test unless she will be applying to some of the most competitive schools (such as Northwestern and WUSTL).</p>

<p>Finally, while Iowa State has an excellent engineering program, it does not offer biomedical engineering. The closest program would be biological engineering, which might also suit her but is not quite the same. Agricultural engineering is another discipline which has a biological component, too.</p>

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<p>Prefect ~ Although I don’t know much about score choice, I have heard that you can choose to send only certain scores to schools or that you can delete scores that you are not happy with. There was a little bit of discussion about this in one of the threads on the ACT forum and initially someone said that you have to send all your ACT scores in, but then came back and corrected themselves and said that you can pick and choose. So, I guess I really don’t know. Right now she is only scheduled to take it in April and June, and then in April w/her high school. But at the high school it is part of several days worth of standardized testing that the school gives to all juniors, and it also does not have a writing portion, so I am not even sure if she could use this score when applying to schools. Just watch, it will be the test that she scores the highest and she won’t be able to use it when applying to colleges. She may take it again in September if she doesn’t get the score she needs in April or June, so really she would take it only 3 times, or 4 times if you include the test she will take as part of standardized testing. Do you consider taking it that many times excessive? I’ve heard taking it more that 6 times is too much, and she won’t even be anywhere near that number.</p>

<p>Descartesz ~ I know there are a lot of other options out there. I know right now we are focusing a lot on the score, but I guess we are tying to get the highest score that we can, and then we will go from there. I know her 28 score is not bad, but there is definitely room for improvement. A higher score will open more doors for her and give her more options. Iowa State does have biomedical engineering now. We were just on their site the other day and they listed biomedical engineering as one of the engineering choices. Perhaps it is a new program? We will have to research further. She does want to only major in biomedical engineering, and if a school doesn’t have that option, then she probably won’t apply there. UIUC, our instate flagship, does not have biomedical engineering, but they have bioengineering (which is different from biological engineering). I think UIUC’s bioengineering is the exact same major as most other school’s biomedical engineering based on the information they have on their website. She is also interested in UIC and is actually going to a 10 day medical conference there this summer. She’s also going to a week long engineering camp at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. It will give her a good idea if she really does want to major in engineering and it will also give her a chance to see 2 very different campuses.</p>

<p>Again everyone, I really appreciate any and all replies to this thread! Many thanks!</p>