An ACT Presentation for Parents

Sara WhiteBerea College GEAR UP Director

AN IDEA THAT IS GOOD FOR NO ONE!

These days children move back home after college?. So, if I am already home, why do I need to go to

college?

...why do I need to go to college?

At each table, discuss the TOP 3 reasons that you all see for going to college and list those reasons on the flip chart paper at your table.

WHAT COLLEGE REFERS TO IN GEAR UP . . .

And so tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma.

---President Barrack Obama’s Inaugural Education Speech

ACT ACT ACT 3 little letters that mean A LOT in your student’s educational plan for his

or her future!

WHAT IS THE ACT

• Schools use two types of tests to gather information about student learning.

• APTITUDE Test and ACHIEVEMENT Test.

• Aptitude Tests measure a students’ general knowledge, their ability to reason and to think analytically—their ability to learn.

• Achievement Tests measure subject specific knowledge—what you learned in a class or series of classes.

ACT is an ACHIEVEMENT test.

WHAT IS THE ACT

• A standardized test means that all students answer the same questions.

• A standardized test is given in the same manner to each student.

• There is only one correct answer for a standardized test.

ACT is a STANDARDIZED test.

WHAT IS THE ACT

• Nationally-normed means students are compared to each other.• In addition to a students’

individual score, they are given a percentage placement.

ACT is a NATIONALLY-NORMED test.

WHAT IS ON THE ACT

• The ACT includes four subject area test—English, mathematics, reading, and science (and an optional writing exam.)

• Each subject session of the test is between 25 to 50 minutes.

• All ACT questions are multiple choice.

THE ACT is made up of 4 different subject area test.

How hard can that be? All ACT questions are multiple choice.

Students: Would You like to administer a Sample Test to the adults in the room?

A Question for our parents: What makes us nervous? If it’s an achievement test, its going to measure what we already

know and our ability to analyze the questions to find the answer.

WHY IS THE ACT IMPORTANT

• The ACT is used as a college entrance exam determining if students are accepted to particular colleges.

• The ACT determines the placement of students in remedial classes during college.

• Financial Awards for students are based on students ACT scores.

Decisions about your student’s future are made based on his or her ACT scores

• Low scores show areas where students may decide to take additional classes.

• Students can match the requirements of their preferred colleges entrance requirements AND major requirements.

• Students can determine strengths and match those to majors and careers.

WHY IS THE ACT IMPORTANT

The scoring information helps students plan their educational path.

WHY IS THE ACT IMPORTANT The ACT is a proven predictor of academic success in college . It

is a measure of College Readiness.

A Question: What Do You Think The Phrase College Readiness Means?

WHY IS THE ACT IMPORTANT

What College Readiness means in ACT Language:ACT has identified the minimum score needed on each ACT subject test to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding first-year college course. They call these scores “BENCHMARK SCORES”.

The ACT is a proven predictor of academic success in college . It is a measure of College Readiness.

WHY IS THE ACT IMPORTANT

ACT Subject Area Test Corresponding College Class

Benchmark Score for a 75% chance of making a C

ENGLISH ENGLISH COMPOSITION 101

18

READING ANY SOCIAL SCIENCE CLASSPYSCHOLOGY 101, INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

21

MATH ALGEBRA 105 22

SCIENCE BIOLOGY 24

College Readiness Benchmark Scores

WHERE ARE THESE SCORES FOR MY STUDENT AND WHO GETS THEM?

• Each time a student takes the ACT test, three reports are generated:– Student Report– High School Report– College Report

*in addition to the benchmark scores there is other information that is self reported by the student included

College Readiness Benchmark Scores

WHAT THE ACT CAN’T MEASURE

Discuss at your table things the ACT can’t measure about your student(s). Pick someone to share that information with the rest of us.

EVERYONE IS MORE THAN A NUMBER, MORE THAN A TEST SCORE

I AM DELIGHTED TO WORK WITH YOU!

SARA T. WHITEBEREA COLLEGE GEAR UP PARTNERSHIP

859-985-3553sara_white@berea.edu