START THE ACT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Duke Tip students take a pre-ACT test in the 6th grade and then take the actual ACT each year after that. I know this because my daughter participated in the program. If Duke Tip students take the ACT starting in middle school, families who are serious about their kids going to a competitive college should follow the same practice. That is what I did for my younger two kids who did not participate in the Duke Tip program.
ADVANTAGES OF STARTING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Starting early gives students more practice. Practice translates into higher scores and higher chances of earning merit scholarships for college. Most colleges seem to require scores higher than 30 for merit scholarships and honors programs. Taking the ACT each year gives students more experience in test taking which homeschoolers sometimes lack. Familiarity with the test can reduce stress. Furthermore, the results allow a parent to assess a student’s strengths and weaknesses early enough to make curricula changes. Testing each year can also provide information about a student’s progress and possible future plans.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SCORES
What score is good for a middle schooler? An ACT score in the high teens is excellent for middle school test takers. Some people are scared to have these kinds of scores on their children’s record because they think colleges will ding them for a low score. To bust that myth, Duke Tip rewards their middle school students with scores in the upper teens. My daughter was awarded an achievement medal from Duke Tip for getting a score of 18 in the 7th grade. Colleges are only going to look at the highest scores. In fact, some colleges super-score the ACT score which means they take the best score for each section from multiple ACT attempts to create a higher score. Clearly, this shows that colleges are looking for your best scores – not the ones you had in the 8th grade.
PREPARING FOR THE ACT
I have my kids take the ACT each year starting in the 7th grade. Each year we work through study guides for each subject and take several practice tests. We spend about two months preparing for the test by incorporating test review in the subjects they are already working on: English, math, and science. Not only are they reviewing concepts, but they are learning new ones to complement the subjects they are currently taking. For example, reviewing grammar concepts for the ACT also can be added to the English credit your child is working on.
If you have no time to prepare for the test, have your student take it anyway. The benefits outweigh not taking it.
My favorite ACT prep resources:
- Analytical Grammar review sheets by Robin Finley
- For the Love of ACT Science by Michael Cerro
- The College Panda’s ACT Math by Nielson Phu
- 5lb. Book of ACT Practice Problems
- The Official ACT Prep Guide
HOW DID MY KIDS FEEL ABOUT BEING SO YOUNG?
Middle school students look a lot younger and are typically smaller than the average high school student. That can make a student feel intimidated and insecure. I prepared my children for the experience by letting them know that the test is a practice test, that the results don’t matter on any record, and that I don’t care what they get. The purpose was to get test practice, understand how the ACT works, and understand how they work in a test setting. It was a small price to pay for future benefits. Because we had worked through many practice questions at home, they understood that there would be many questions above their level – and that would be okay. My kids never seemed stressed out before or after the test. By not dangling high expectations over their heads, they felt more at ease. Mom, if you can control your anxiety and expectations about taking an ACT test in middle school, you are setting a productive example for your child. Parents have a hard time with this.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
There is nothing to lose by preparing for the ACT test in an intentional way starting in middle school. The review can complement the subjects being taken if you plan for that. It can improve test taking skills. The scores can serve as an assessment tool especially when taken each year. Finally, yearly practice and review might bolster scores into the scholarship range. Oh, and one final thought. Kids need to try hard things sometimes! See my post The ACT Advantage.
Musing: a period of reflection or thought. As such this post reflects my thoughts, opinions, and experiences on the topic. The choice to home school and the methods you choose are yours to determine.