What’s the deal with the state-mandated ACT exam on February 20?

What’s the deal with the state-mandated ACT exam on February 20?

Here at OnCampus College Planning, we’ve received a number of questions about the state-mandated ACT Exam for public high school juniors in Wisconsin, which will take place on February 20, 2019. Here’s what you need to know.

How do I register for the state-mandated ACT exam on February 20?

As a parent, you don’t need to do a thing. Unlike all other ACT exam dates, for which you or your student must register online by yourself, the school facilitates registration for the state-mandated ACT exam date. Your student will be involved in the school-led registration process at your high school. Unlike all other ACT Exam dates, Wisconsin public high schools take care of registering public high school juniors for this state-mandated ACT exam, with the help of junior students who complete their registration forms at school. There is no cost to parents or students for this state-mandated ACT exam date registration. The exam costs are covered by your public high school.

Who is the state-mandated ACT Exam on February 20 for?

state mandated act exam wiAll public high school junior students. If you attend a private high school, your high school is NOT included in the state-mandated ACT on February 20, 2019.

Where is the February 20 state-mandated ACT exam held?

If you’re a public high school junior, your ACT exam on February 20 will be administered at your high school. Watch for instructions to come from your high school administrators or guidance counselors about this upcoming exam and details specific to your high school, like at-school registration, room location, start time, etc.

Is this February 20 ACT exam a “normal” ACT?

Yes. The ACT administered on February 20 is comprised of the same subject tests as any ACT exam date, and it includes the writing section, which is optional as part of typical ACT exam registrations. The subject tests included are: English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing. The ACT with writing is a paper and pencil test.

Wisconsin high schools will be certified as ACT® state testing sites. Scores from the administration of the ACT with writing (if taken with ACT Standard Time or ACT-approved accommodations) can be used by students for a variety of purposes including college admission, scholarships, course placement and NCAA eligibility.

What if I need special accommodations for taking the ACT?

If you’ve already taken the ACT prior to February 20 and qualified for special testing accommodations, you will also be eligible for special testing accommodations for the February 20 ACT. If this is your first time taking the ACT, you should talk to your school’s ACT test coordinator or guidance counselor to complete the necessary forms to secure eligibility for special testing accommodations.

What if I cannot take the state-mandated ACT exam on February 20?

state mandated act exam wisconsinAccording to the Wisconsin Department of Public instruction website, emergency test dates are for specific circumstances where schools were not able to test on initial or makeup test dates due to weather emergency or other incident. In the case of a legitimate absence, the following makeup and emergency test dates are available. Check with your high school guidance counselor on your eligibility to take the ACT during one of these makeup or emergency test dates:

  • March 12-18: Makeup accommodations testing window for ACT with writing – grade 11 (weekdays only)
  • April 2: Emergency test date for ACT with writing – grade 11
  • April 2-8: Emergency accommodations testing window for ACT with writing – grade 11 (weekdays only)

If I’ve already taken the ACT, do I still need to take the state-mandated ACT exam on February 20?

Yup. Think of it as an extra chance to earn the score you want. In addition to providing all public high school students with a free opportunity to take the ACT exam, the high schools also benefit from having the score report information for this state-mandated ACT exam.

When and how do I access my scores from the state-mandated ACT exam on February 20?

According to ACT representatives, your February 20 ACT scores will be sent to you by mail 2-8 weeks from the date you take this exam.

Unlike other ACT dates where you register yourself for the ACT exam by setting up an online account at act.org, you will first receive your official score report from the state-mandated ACT in the mail at the address you provide when you register for the exam at school. Your scores will be posted online 2-3 weeks after you receive your official score report in the mail. If you do not have an ACT web account, you will need to create one using the ACT ID printed on your score report when creating your account.

If you’ve taken the ACT before and you already have an ACT online account, your February 20 scores will be associated with your existing account based on completing your February 20 registration with the same name, birthdate, address and other personal information. However, there may be a delay. According to ACT representatives, from the date you receive your February 20 scores in the mail, it could be 2-3 weeks until your online account reflects your February 20 scores.

How do I submit scores from the February ACT to colleges I may be interested in attending?

Your February 20 scores will not automatically be shared with schools. During registration FOR ANY ACT, when you are given an opportunity to select schools you’d like your scores to be sent to, OnCampus College Planning recommends that you NOT select any schools. By doing so, you control which schools receive which scores at the time when you apply for colleges. You may want to retake the ACT to earn a better score, and we believe it’s wise to wait until you’ve earned the ACT score you’re happy with to decide who to share those scores with.

Is there a cost for submitting my scores from the Feb 20 ACT to colleges?

When you’re applying to colleges, you log onto your ACT account and follow the “Send My Scores” instructions. It costs about $14 per school to submit your ACT scores to colleges. However, we believe this is money well spent, since it enables you to control who receives which scores.

Juniors have plenty of time to submit ACT scores during the college applications process your senior year. You don’t need to make those decisions now. We recommend you NOT select schools to receive your ACT scores as part of your registration for the ACT exam.

What is the ACT WorkKeys, and is it required?

Yes, the ACT WorkKeys is required for public high school juniors. If you don’t take it the day the school administers it, they will require you to make it up at a later date. It’s typically administered the day following the state-mandated ACT exam.

According to the Wisconsin DPI website, The ACT WorkKeys:

  • Contains the following tests: Applied Math, Graphic Literacy (formerly Locating Information), and Workplace Documents (Formerly Reading for Information).
  • Is a paper and pencil assessment used to help students understand how they can improve their career readiness skills and helps employers determine whether individuals are qualified for positions.
  • Can enable students to earn National Career Readiness Certificates (NCRC) which are recognized by business and industry nationwide. Through obtaining a National Career Readiness Certificate, students have a clear way to demonstrate their abilities to future employers.

I have other questions about the state-mandated ACT exam. Who should I contact?

We are always happy to help, and if you ask a question for which we don’t have the answer, we’ll track it down for you or point you in the right direction. Email us with any additional questions you might have.

Your high school guidance counselor is also a great source of information about the state-mandated ACT exam.

What if I’m not happy with my score on the state-mandated ACT exam?

Great news! The ACT has exam dates throughout the year that you can register for yourself at act.org. These occur in April, June, July, September, October, December and in early February. Deadlines for registration are typically 4-5 weeks prior to the exam date. If you need help with preparing for the ACT and putting your best foot forward to earn a score you’re happy with, we can help. Learn more about our ACT Test Prep services. You can also schedule a free consult at any time to see how we can help with the ACT or the college planning process.

Championship Habits of Good Students

Championship Habits of Good Students

habits of good students 1

Does hard work always pay off? Unfortunately not. Just ask University of Alabama Football Head Coach Nick Saban after Monday’s National Championship game versus Clemson. Saban’s Bowl Game record is 14-10. His career coaching record is 232–63–1. Talented athletes helped produce these results. But you won’t hear Saban talk much about talent. He talks mostly about process, discipline and character. It’s hard to argue with how his stats demonstrate that a rigorous process pays off over time.

In an academic setting, it’s the difference between being smart and being a good student. My heart is still aching over Alabama’s loss, so I’m dedicating this blog post to Coach Saban. I want to share a few of my favorite Coach Saban-isms and how they relate to being an effective student. For more, I highly recommend you watch the recent ESPN series Training Days: Rolling with the Tide. It’s inspiring. And frankly, it will make you want to work harder at whatever it is that truly matters to you.

Being smart can be a detriment if it leads to complacency. In my 30+-year career as an educator, athletic coach and academic coach assisting students with ACT Test Prep and College Search, I’ve encountered many smart kids who have not cultivated the habits they need to be good students. A smart kid gets by for a while on smarts. But once they start aiming for higher goals or tackling tougher subjects (sometimes not until they enter college), their lack of study skills becomes apparent.

If we’re ambitious, each one of us will eventually encounter a situation in school or life (or both), which outsmarts our smartness. At that point, process and habits can help you be a more effective student, an effective LEARNER. If you can develop those habits, then you can overcome your obstacle and achieve your full potential.

A Good Student Values The Process

habits of good students 2Good students focus on doing the work, not just getting the grade. Over and over again, you’ll hear Nick Saban talk about focusing on the daily work it takes to become a champion versus focusing on the outcome. Similarly, I find that good students focus on the day-in, day-out work it takes to learn and improve. They understand that the work leads to the results.

Saban says, “Becoming a champion is not an easy process… It is done by focusing on what it takes to get there, and not on getting there.”

For students, this means developing a process for studying, day-in, day-out, week-in, week-out. It’s your answer to the question, “What are some of the regular practices or disciplines you follow regularly as someone who’s  committed to being a good student?” Examples of developing a process might be:

  • I always take notes by hand in class, and then I review my notes that same evening from that day’s class while they’re fresh in my mind.
  • I always plan my study schedule for the week on Sunday nights and write it down on paper. Then I stick to it, no matter what.
  • For long-term projects like papers or presentations, I start the project within a day or two of when the assignment is given instead of procrastinating. And I make my own project schedule with key deadlines I need to hit in order to complete it to the best of my ability and on time.
  • I set aside an hour/day to review notes for tests that I have coming up in the next few weeks.
  • I study with a friend from class at the library on Sunday afternoons from 2-4pm.
  • I schedule time with my teachers on a regular basis to review those things that I’m having trouble with.

These are examples. You’ll learn what works for you and adjust your process to make it better and better over time. But when you have a process and you’re committed to following it, it lends discipline and rigor to your habits as a student.

A Good Student is Tenacious

habits of good students 11Nick Saban says, “Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong.” That’s tenacity. Tenacity means that once you’ve been through your notecards and haven’t missed a single Spanish term, you go through them once more for good measure. Maybe even twice! It means that once you’ve written your paper and run it through spellcheck, you run it by a parent or friend and then a second person to make sure you haven’t missed anything. It means you build time into your schedule for writing that paper that makes it possible to write it, refine it and refine it again.

Being tenacious also means you stick to it when the going gets rough. When the first test didn’t go according to plan, you don’t mentally prepare for a lower-than-planned semester grade. Instead, you double down on study efforts and schedule time with your teacher outside of class for extra help to achieve a better result on the second test. Maybe you ask about extra-credit opportunities or tap into a friend who rocked an A on the first test to see how they can help you study.

A Good Student Is Teachable

Being teachable first requires that you understand that you have something to learn. That requires humility and respect for your teacher or coach. I admire students who are comfortable enough in their own skin that they can admit what they don’t know or don’t do well. Those are the students I want to help and know I can help, because they’ve shown me they’re teachable. We’re all a 10 at something, and we’re all a 1 at something. Knowing yourself well enough to know what you don’t know and be willing to admit it is a strength, not a weakness. It also demonstrates a great deal of maturity.

The second key is to demonstrate that you’re teachable. Coach Saban says, “Be on time, because it shows you care.” Showing you’re teachable in an academic setting also means turning your phone off, making eye contact with the teacher, participating in class, asking questions, showing up for your teacher’s office hours to ask questions, turning your work in on time. The best news is that these things are all within your control.

habits of good students 12Saban says, ““Eliminate the clutter and all the things that are going on outside and focus on the things that you can control with how you sort of go about and take care of your business. That’s something that’s ongoing, and it can never change.”

How much better would your performance as a student be if you controlled the things you can control as a solid start to healthy student habits? Here are some examples:

  • I always turn in my work on time
  • I always show up for class on time
  • I always participate in class
  • I always follow up with the teacher promptly to ask questions if I have them
  • I always sit in the front row, to avoid distractions and give the teacher my full attention

I can’t promise you that if you practice Having a Process, Being Tenacious and Being Teachable that you’ll skyrocket to the top of the class. But I’m confident that if you’re not already doing these things and you start doing them consistently this year, you’ll be amazed within the next 12 months how much better a student you’ll be.

habits of good students 13As I often say to students we work with, “Getting better is better than getting done.” That one’s a Tom Kleese original, folks. But I’m pretty sure Coach Saban would approve.

For info on how OnCampus College Planning can help you become a better student and earn better scores on the ACT, schedule a free consult. We have a defined process to follow for getting better when it comes to this college planning thing.

ACT Scores and Merit Aid Payback Compelling Data

ACT Scores and Merit Aid Payback Compelling Data

 

ACT Scores and Merit Aid Payback. One graphic. Two compelling conclusions.

ACT Scores and Merit Aid Conclusion #1: Sometimes one more point on the ACT CAN make a difference. More points = more better.

ACT Scores and Merit Aid Conclusion #2: If you’re not already considering schools outside the UW System, maybe you should be.

In my view there are a few truly beautiful things in life. Sunsets, rainbows and vast mountain ranges come to mind. Toward the top of my list of beautiful things are graphics like this one about ACT scores and merit aid. It’s stunningly compelling. I’m a college data geek, and I spend countless hours pondering things like this. There are so many insights to be gained from it. The families I’ve shared it with usually respond with wide-eyed amazement and a “wow…”.

Conclusions About ACT Scores and Merit Aid Opportunities

When you’re deciding whether to invest time, energy and money on ACT Test Prep, you want to know if it’s worth it. There are two key reasons to boost your ACT score: One, to “get in”. Two, to get money.

It’s not usually easy to determine what college will cost you. More schools are now making cost a bit more transparent by making merit aid (sometimes called merit-based scholarships) publicly available online. All colleges have a net-price calculator on their website, but most don’t ask for academic information that could impact your score. Some schools post net-price calculators on their sites where you can put in personal information and get an estimate of the price you’d pay.

Alabama ACT Scores and Merit Aid Opportunities

University of Alabama

We used merit-based scholarship information available on a few school websites to build our infographic. Here are a few key insights:

  • Holy cow! At the University of Alabama and the University of Mississippi, every single ACT point gained from 27-32 earns you more money!
  • Wow, at some schools, merit aid scholarships start in the low 20s for ACT scores.
  • Zowie! With a 28 on my ACT, Minnesota is actually more expensive for me than KU or Ole Miss.
  • Man, with a 30 on my ACT, I’d pay the same at KU as I would at UW-Madison. And Alabama or Ole Miss is actually less expensive.
  • Holy Toledo! If I can earn a 32 on my ACT, tuition & fees at Ole Miss are FREE, and Alabama’s next to nothing!
  • Wow, depending on ACT scores, there are private schools out there where merit aid really helps bring the cost at least somewhat closer to tuition for Minnesota or Wisconsin.
University of Mississippi ACT Scores and Merit Aid Opportunities

University of Mississippi

Granted these are only a few schools, and perhaps you’re not interested in any of them. But if this is the case for just a sampling, what about colleges you’re interested in?

Conclusions About In-State versus Out-of-State Tuition

Here’s where things get interesting. We’ve all heard someone scoff, “What fool would ever pay out-of-state tuition?” I would, if I could get it for less than I could while attending an in-state school and/or if that school was the best fit for my child. In other words, based on my personal criteria, I’m going to make an informed decision based on what I feel is the best VALUE, the best CHOICE FOR ME. That is what an informed College Search process SHOULD BE about.

Xavier ACT Scores and Merit Aid Opportunities

Xavier University

Here are a few compelling conclusions from the infographic:

  • Holy cow! Depending on your ACT and GPA, going out of state may actually be cheaper!
  • Man, with a 30 on my ACT, admission to UW-Madison may not be a lock, but Alabama or Ole Miss would be less expensive anyway.
  • Hmmmmm, the SEC delivers as much athletic pageantry as the Big 10. And it may deliver a quality education for a great value, too.

The point is, before you make assumptions, do your homework.

Working With a Professional College Planner Can Pay Off 

KU ACT Scores and Merit Aid Opportunities

University of Kansas

I’m passionate about helping students and families explore and effectively weigh their options once they’re armed with correct and complete information. Nothing pleases me more than helping a student find some great options they never knew existed or were previously unlikely to add to their list.

There’s a version of this graphic for each and every student, based on the schools YOU want to put on the list and the academic achievements you’ve earned. This is exactly the type of work we do as part of our College Search program. It’s not always about getting in. Sometimes it’s about saving money. A professional college counselor like OnCampus College Planning has the experience and expertise to help you discover hidden gems and high-value colleges that could reward you financially for your achievements.

To explore what OnCampus College Planning can do for you for ACT Test Prep or College Search and to get your key questions answered, schedule your free consult today.