Juniors study up for the crucial ACT test.
All ACT help can be found by room 119. Photo by Clayton Bridges
The thought of taking the ACT often strikes fear the in minds of high school juniors around the country. Luckily, the students at Thomas Jefferson have the advantage of attending in house ACT prep classes after school, beginning on Tuesday, November 13th in Science Teacher Kirk Hammond’s room.
The ACT is a standardized test taken across the country to determine college readiness. “Colleges look at GPA and ACT scores with an index,” says Hammond. “This index helps determine if a student is admitted.” Every school has a different index and different admissions standards, so ACT scores are crucial for the futures of prospective students.
The pressure this creates can be overwhelming for many test takers. In order to ease the stresses that come with the ACT, it is important to meticulously prepare for the test. To help with this, ACT prep will meet weekly until the day of the test on April 23, 2013. According to Hammond, the aim of the class is,“ To prepare students with test taking strategies and test content.” The test encompasses four sections: reading writing, math, and science. Each section is entirely different, so preparation is specialized to meet the needs of each subject. Sessions typically range from 60 to 90 minutes and can involve practice tests or lectures.
Students who attend the class improve their initial cumulative scores by an average of three points, serving as proof that preparation is the key to success. “More than anything else, ACT prep gave me confidence heading into the test, because I already had a good idea of what I would see,” said Senior Tyler Moehlman.
In addition to these benefits, students who attend the classes will receive $25 gift cards to King Soopers and the official ACT Prep Guide. With all these advantages, there is really no excuse for juniors not to attend every class. To sign up, contact Kirk Hammond at Kirk_Hammond@dpsk12.org or visit him in Room 134 for more information.
