This Friday, November 18, 2022, all sophomores at Apex High School will take the PreACT. Many universities and colleges require students to submit their ACT and/or SAT test scores. Although, since the COVID-19 pandemic many schools have stopped requiring the scores, students are still strongly encouraged to take these tests. The PreACT is designed to prepare students for the ACT by introducing them to the entrance exam, providing students with the opportunity to view their interests to allow them to consider potential careers and to see their predicted ACT score to help determine what areas students may need to study before taking the real ACT. 

College admissions tests like the ACT are unlike standardized tests students are used to; in other words the ACT is no state-made End of Course (EOC) exam. By taking the PreACT in their sophomore year, students will be better prepared for the ACT, which they will most likely take in their junior year because they have been introduced to this unique type of testing. The PreACT has four sections: English (thirty minutes), Math (forty minutes), Reading (thirty minutes), and Science (thirty minutes). Similarly, the ACT has five sections: English (forty-five minutes), Math (sixty minutes), Reading (thirty-five minutes), Science (thirty-five minutes), and an optional writing section (forty minutes). The PreACT helps prepare students for the ACT by introducing them to the test and its time restrictions. 

The PreACT can also help students gain a better understanding of their interests and strong suits, which can help them consider future careers and plan their classes for the rest of high school. For example, a student who receives a high score in the math section might consider a future in a math-based field, such as finance or auditing and may plan to take a rigorous math course in the future, such as calculus. Moreover, students who did not like the PreACT or its contents may choose to consider a path that does not require such tests, such as trade school, and may consider taking more Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes, such as carpentry.

The PreACT is also beneficial in helping students study for the real ACT. When students receive the PreACT scores, they will have a better understanding of the areas of study they need to improve upon. This will allow them to study these areas before taking the ACT. Each year, North Carolina requires and pays for all juniors to take the ACT in the spring. By taking the PreACT now, sophomores have plenty of time to study before taking the ACT in their junior year. 

The PreACT is expected to take approximately two hours and ten minutes. The scores range from one to thirty-six, just like the ACT and students will receive their scores within five to ten days after testing. Your Legacy staff is wishing good luck to all the sophomores taking the PreACT this Friday!

Sources

PreACT

ACT