11TH
GRADERS
ACT
10TH GRADERS
PLAN
is a more extensive version of EXPLORE
designated for 10th graders. It tests students by the following:
English 50 questions, 30 minutes
Math 40 questions, 40 minutes
Reading 25 questions, 20 minutes
Science 30 questions, 25 minutes
Students can use their results from PLAN
to discover if they are on track for college.
This test points out academic strengths
and areas where improvement is needed
and gives them time to make necessary
adjustments while in high school. PLAN
helps students find careers of interest
and connects them with suggested colleges based on answers from an interest
inventory questionnaire at the end of the
assessment. Students who take PLAN tend
to score higher on the ACT than students
who don’t.
HOW IT HELPS
STUDENTS NOW
ACT is the well-known standardized test
that is mostly used for college admission
purposes and is a way in which students
can receive college scholarships. This test is
most often taken by 11th and 12th graders.
Students are given:
English 75 questions, 45 minutes
Math 60 questions, 60 minutes
Reading 40 questions, 35 minutes
Science 40 questions, 35 minutes
An optional 30 minutes with a writing
prompt
Free student prep booklets are available
from most high schools and colleges. Each
booklet includes test information, fulllength practice tests with scoring keys, a
writing prompt and sample essays. Test-fee
waivers are also available for students on
the free or reduced-price lunch program.
Information about how to request a fee
waiver is sent each summer to high schools
and counselors.
SENIORS
WORKKEYS
WorkKEYS is used by thousands of employers throughout the United States to
determine how qualified a candidate may
be to fill an open position. WorkKEYS is currently in use in all 50 states. The 2014-2015
high-school senior class will be the first to
take the WorkKEYS assessment in Alabama, since this class was the first to take
EXPLORE. Results from WorkKEYS show
employers each student’s skills, things like
their ability to learn, listen, communicate,
work in teams and solve problems. It’s better for 12th graders to take this assessment
since skills have a stronger correlation to
earnings than education. The results give
students the opportunity to work on their
skill levels. They also have a chance to earn
ACT’s National Career Readiness Certificate,
which looks great on resumes.
By making sure your teen takes EXPLORE,
PLAN, ACT and WorkKEYS, you’ll have better indicators of your student’s college and
career readiness. And there is financial support available for all of these assessments.
To find out more information, ask your
teen’s guidance counselor for details.
Explore, Plan, ACT is designed to measure what students have learned and determine what
skills they still need to master by college. In addition, an interest inventory completed by each
student takes their likes and strengths and matches them with specific careers.
www.potentialmagazine.com
31