It happened. I have officially caught the virus that has plagued the class of 2025…early ACT prep. I promised myself I would remain calm, reassuring myself that I had plenty of time left, but the anxious chatter surrounded me, and I had to start preparing.
“Mom,” I tell her, “we need to sign up for ACT tutoring. Everyone I know has already started and I’m already behind.”
Of course, I wasn’t behind. It was August of my junior year, and I had the full upcoming year to prepare for the test, which naturally made me nervous. Many of my classmates hadn’t even started tutoring yet, but I let their conversations convince me otherwise.
Upon my request, my mom brought me to Academic Approach. She gladly booked me a preACT assessment and a weekly tutor, providing me with the resources I needed to receive a score that met my standards. I recognize that I am fortunate to receive extensive out-of-school help in preparing for the ACT. I’m also lucky enough to attend a school that provides resources to further help students do well on the test. Parker offers an in-school ACT practice test, experienced college counseling faculty, and an advanced and rigorous curriculum. After all, Parker is a college preparatory school that is designed to set my classmates and me on a path to future success.
Many of my classmates and I incorporate a weekly tutor into our study regimens which has proven to be quite effective. Though ACT prep homework may pile on top of schoolwork, I find the homework beneficial because they reflect the formatting of the actual ACT test, boosting my confidence when I take it. ACT prep enables me to practice reading comprehension, mathematical concepts, as well as grammar and punctuation. All of these sections require good time management, a consistent challenge for me.
Some of my peers who need testing accommodations utilize extra time to level the playing field and succeed on the ACT. The accommodation process is tough, but upon completion, it lowers the anxiety of students who need the accommodations. Parker supports the extra time process by providing experienced college counselors who are always available to answer student questions and meet with parents about the accommodation process.
Clearly, ACT prep is a long and demanding process that many students never even complete. Thankfully, colleges have taken note of this and many have implemented a test-optional application policy. This means that students can still submit applications that don’t include a standardized test score, and the student will not be penalized. Today, over 80 percent of U.S. colleges do not require standardized tests as part of the application.
I believe that test-optional policies in colleges are a viable solution to create more equity and accessibility in education. In my community, test-optional policies relieve a lot of stress off of students who are poor test takers. For me, it allows colleges to judge my application based on my hobbies, interests, and who I am as a person, rather than diminishing me to a simple test score.
After several PACTs, Academic Approach tutoring sessions, and conversations with my parents, I plan on applying “test-optional” to many of my college choices. Because of factors like the stressful time limit, an unfamiliar environment, and lack of focus for long periods, my ACT score may never meet my standards. I may still take more practice tests and work hard to improve my score, but I don’t plan on submitting my score to most colleges. It is important to aim for success, but I always keep in mind that my ACT score does not define me or my intelligence.
