News

October 2009

ACT provides this monthly newsletter to inform students and their parents about college and career planning. ACT is a not-for-profit organization that serves millions of people in schools, colleges, professional associations, businesses and government agencies with programs and services that help people achieve their education and career goals. Visit actstudent.org for more information and services.

Key Dates

November

• November 6: Regular deadline to register for the December 12 ACT test date
• If any schools on your target list offer Early Action/Early Decision, consider the option and complete any necessary paperwork.

December

• December 12: ACT^® test date
• Some early admission decisions are available, so check with any schools to which you submitted an application.
• Complete and mail college applications with January 1 deadlines.
• Prepare for the FAFSA, because it will be available January 1.

January 2010

• File the FAFSA as soon after January 2 as possible.
• Registration deadline for the February 2010 ACT test date is January 5, 2010.

College planning terms

Common or universal application: A form that allows a student to submit one application to many different schools. Both are available online: commonapp.org and universalcollegeapp.com. Some schools also require supplemental forms.

Early decision: A binding agreement between you and the school. You apply early, and if admitted, are bound to attend the school. The application deadline occurs early and the admission decision is delivered early.

Rolling admissions: A process in which a school reviews applications and makes decisions on them throughout the year.

Early action: You can apply to an early action school and receive your admission response early. The decision is usually nonbinding, but you may need to agree to forgo applying to other early action/early decision institutions. When conditions apply it is sometimes called Restrictive Early Action.

Open admissions: An admissions policy, usually of public junior and community colleges, of accepting students without regard to their academic performance.

Transcript: The official record of your educational achievements, provided by your high school.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): The key to unlocking student financial aid, it should be completed and submitted as soon after January 2 as possible. The form and supporting information can be found at http://actinc.cmail5.com/t/y/l/kuiydl/ccihdli/t.

How Do Colleges Use ACT Scores?

ACT scores are one of the tools universities use when selecting students for admission. But they also use score reports for other purposes, such as course placement and student guidance. Here are five examples of ways universities use score reports:

1. Admissions. ACT test results - along with high school grades, academic preparation, and extracurricular activities - help college admission officers identify which students will thrive at their institution. Scores alone do not determine admission.
2. Course placement. ACT scores, academic background, and high school grades are used together to determine which college sections would be most appropriate.
3. Academic advising. College advisors look at ACT results, high school grades and classes, projected college grades, employment plans, and other factors to help students find the perfect fit for their course of study.
4. Scholarships and loans. Some scholarships may use ACT scores and estimated grades to identify qualified candidates. ACT's unique score report also provides information about students educational needs, extracurricular achievements, and educational plans. Joined with other data, agencies can evaluate applications for both scholarships and loans.
5. ACT Writing Test. If students take this optional test, any college that receives their scores will also receive writing scores and comments along with subject area scores and a composite score. Colleges may review students essays to help them make admissions or course placement decisions. 

Narrowing down college options

Finding a college that "fits" means taking into account majors, study abroad programs, internship opportunities, career placement success rates, and much more. Compiling data from many different schools can be challenging if you're relying on marketing materials or information received during a campus visit.

One easy way to get a snapshot of a potential school is to review its Common Data Set. These uniform reporting documents, which are provided by many four-year colleges and universities, contain a wealth of information, including admission rates, financial aid sources, high school course requirements and recommendations, and more.

Here's a sampling of the information you'll find on a Common Data Set form:

• The relative importance placed on various factors in an application review.
• Freshman class profiles showing average GPA, ACT scores and class rank, which allows students to see their relative chances of being admitted.
• Tuition, room and board costs, as well as estimated expenses (books, transportation and others).
• How financial aid is determined (using federal methodology, an institutional methodology or both), and how much and what kinds of financial aid (loans, scholarships, need-based, merit-based) are awarded.
• These forms quickly tell students whether or not the school fits with their graduation goals, skills and ability to afford a school. To locate, type "Common Data Set" into the search function on each school's website.

ACT helps parents prepare for college, too

College planning can be difficult not only for the student, but for parents, too. For parents that need tips on sorting through the ins and outs of college planning, we offer actparent.org as an online guide to understanding this process. The website offers college and career planning checklists, frequently asked questions about the ACT, and other general information that parents may find helpful in assisting a student transitioning into college.

In addition to the various college and career planning resources, actparent.org also provides access to current and past issues of the monthly ACT Parent newsletter. ACT Parent provides timely information on financial aid, testing and more. While visiting the website, parents can sign up to be one of the first to receive the electronic newsletter in their e-mail inbox each month.

Parents are among the most influential people in a teenager's life. At actparent.org, gain the knowledge needed to become a mentor for your teen through this time of discovery and decisions.

Padres ACTivos

ACT now publishes Padres ACTivos, a newsletter written with Spanish-speaking parents in mind. Padres ACTivos is the Spanish version of our popular ACT Parent newsletter. Subscribe today to receive valuable information on college planning, including frequently asked questions and other tips to guide parents through the college planning process.

Visit act.org/path/spanish/news/ to sign up to receive monthly issues of Padres ACTivos electronically.
 

Test date reminder

Test dates during the 2009-10 school year are: 

** No test centers are scheduled in New York for the February test date.

Register online today at actstudent.org.

Writing Test

An optional Writing Test is available in addition to the multiple-choice achievement test. Go to actstudent.org/writing to learn more about the Writing Test, including the colleges that require it.

On the ACT student website, check out free test prep aids. Sample questions are available along with Preparing for the ACT, a booklet with a complete practice test, scoring key, writing prompt and sample essays. The ACT registration packet, available from the counseling office, also contains the booklet.

You also can sign up for ACT Online Prep^TM, the only test prep program developed exclusively by ACT test development professionals. At only $19.95 for a year's use, it's a great tool. Test-day tips, a list of what to bring and approved calculators for use on the Math Test are listed on the site, too.

For all your questions about the ACT test, visit actstudent.org.

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