Just as the College Board announced its plans to cancel the creation of an at-home SAT, the ACT publicized that it would be moving forward with such a testing arrangement.
In anticipation of the ACT creators offering an online, at-home ACT as early as this winter, high school students can begin readying for the new format now. This back-to-school season, commit to these three simple resolutions that will equip you to best respond when the ACT releases details about at-home testing.
I Will Consistently Monitor the ACT Website for Information
The ACT has dedicated an entire section of its website to announcing the particulars of ACT testing amid COVID-19 restrictions. Visit this page two or three times a week to stay abreast of important changes that could affect your exam experience.
[Read: How to Prep for SAT, ACT Amid the Coronavirus Outbreak.]
Bookmark the webpage on your browser of choice, or even make it your homepage so that you don’t miss the latest ACT news. You can also click the bell icon at the top of the page to view new alerts. A red notification will appear if there is an urgent new message.
In addition, the ACT has created a blog that students can follow for more detailed information on ACT testing this fall and winter. New blog posts are added regularly.
The ACT shared a blog post Aug. 25 in which it declared that international ACT testing would be suspended for December 2020 and February 2021. Students may not find out about such changes unless they monitor the site, so be sure to check it regularly.
I Will Inquire About the Experiences of Others Who Have Taken a Remotely Proctored Exam
While it is undeniably helpful to consult information directly provided by the ACT, seeking out additional sources can prove to be productive for you, too.
[Read: How the Coronavirus Is Pushing Colleges to Go Test-Optional.]
This winter presumably marks the release of the at-home ACT, the first remote college admissions test of its kind. For this reason, there are no experienced students you can turn to for advice about a digital ACT experience. However, you can still benefit from talking with students who have taken other standardized online exams, such as Advanced Placement exams or the Graduate Record Exam, also known as the GRE.
Students who are familiar with online testing can give you candid advice that you may not find as easily, or at all, on public internet forums. Though they may be unable to comment on specific ACT content, they are likely to share observations and tips about the digital testing experience that they did not have the luxury of knowing before exam day.
[Read: Choose Between Retaking the ACT, SAT or Changing Exams.]
When you speak with AP or GRE test-takers, for instance, carefully take note of their negative experiences, too. Warnings like, “Don’t press the back button” or “Don’t wait until the last second to submit your answers” are opportunities to learn from the mistakes of others.
I Will Practice With At-Home ACT Tools If They Become Available
On one section of the ACT website, students, parents and educators can access a wealth of resources related to ACT preparation. You can sign up for upcoming webinars and live events, access practice material and read insightful articles.
Free test prep resources are also available online through a number of websites. Due to the newness of the at-home ACT, however, these resources still reflect the paper-and-pencil ACT format. Until resources are created for the at-home ACT, you can still stand to gain from using traditional materials, which will help you get comfortable with the test content.
Resolutions aren’t just for New Year’s. Make these three promises to yourself so you are as prepared as possible for the at-home ACT.
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3 Back-to-School Resolutions for At-Home ACT Testing originally appeared on usnews.com
