Counseling Corner: Willowbrook Guidance Department shares tips for students to prepare for upcoming assessments

On March 3, District 88 freshmen, sophomore and junior students will take assessments to monitor their academic progress.

Juniors who have earned 22 credits will take the ACT exam, which consists of the ACT Plus Writing. Juniors can use this exam for college admittance. Sophomores will take a practice ACT, and freshmen will take a PLAN test.

Below are some helpful tips from ACT’s website,
http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/tips/, to prepare for testing.

  • Be sure to read the instructions on the cover of the test booklet.
  • Read the directions for each test carefully, and read each question carefully.
  • Pace yourself – don't spend too much time on a single passage or question.
  • Pay attention to the announcement of five minutes remaining on each test.
  • Use a soft lead No. 2 pencil with a good eraser. Do not use a mechanical pencil or an ink pen. If you do, your answer document cannot be scored accurately.
  • Answer the easier questions first, and then go back and answer the more difficult ones if you have time.
  • On difficult questions, eliminate as many incorrect answers as you can, and then make an educated guess among those remaining.
  • Answer every question. Your scores on the multiple-choice tests are based on the number of questions you answer correctly. There is no penalty for guessing.
  • If you complete a test before time is called, recheck your work on that test.
  • Mark your answers properly. If you make a change, erase marks completely and cleanly without smudging.
  • Do not mark or alter any ovals on a test or continue writing the essay after time has been called. If you do, you will be dismissed, and your answer document will not be scored.

It is recommended juniors also take a National ACT exam. That exam is scheduled six times throughout the calendar year, and students must sign up and pay through the ACT website at www.actstudent.org. The remaining dates when students can take the National ACT exam this school year are:

April 18 (with a registration deadline of March 13)
June 13 (with a registration deadline of May 8)

The Willowbrook Guidance Department also encourages students who are interested in attending highly selective colleges and universities to visit Naviance to see whether an SAT or SAT Subject Test is required for admission. Students can go to www.collegeboard.org to register for the SAT or SAT Subject Test and to learn more about those exams.