Preparing Your Students for the ACT (2022-2023 Edition)

Summer is coming to an end and you're beginning to think of your plans for the next school year. It’s inevitable for you to think about your students and what test preps are going to be like for them this year. The 2021 ACT shows that things are slowly returning to “normal”. While there are now changes implemented on the test, two things remain the same: 1) students will need to prepare for the ACT, and 2) you can help them prepare.

Here's everything you need to know about helping your students for the ACT in 2022 and 2023.

Equip Students With ACT Information

Know the most basic information about the ACT for your students. This includes knowing the important timelines for each testing period.

Check ACT's website to have access to this essential information. Bookmark the tab for changes and updates. Head over to the "news and blog" section to find the latest news related to the ACT. This includes testing dates, test content, COVID-19 changes, and other helpful content.

Of course, the ACT timeline is a concern for a lot of students. Some of the common questions they will be asking are, "When is the ACT offered?" and in turn, "When should I take the ACT?"

You'll find the answers you're looking for in this article on ACT testing dates and registration. For now, here are the current ACT testing dates for 2022-2023:

Keep in mind that New York has no scheduled testing centers for the July test date. Choosing the best ACT date is a decision your students will have to consider carefully. You can help them by providing the right resources to help them in choosing the right ACT testing date. It even comes with a handy quiz to determine the right test date for your student!

And when it comes to providing information about the content of the ACT itself, show your students this complete guide to the ACT. You can also send this overview of all of the ACT sections to help students know what is tested on them during the ACT.

Prepare Students for Potential Changes

As educators, you're returning to the classroom during an ongoing pandemic. Of course, it’s expected that this school year is going to be stressful at some levels for you and your students.

Like last year, protocols and ACT processes may change. This is the reality now. So, you must be preparing your students for the possibility of having their ACT plans changed. The good thing is that school schedules are getting a better rhythm this year. This means that students may not even be facing test cancellations or date changes in 2022 and 2023.

Focus on briefing your students on broader changes to the ACT that are now in effect. The ACT is now superscoring. They will be taking the highest scores across all testing subjects and dates. There is an increasing number of colleges and universities that have become test-optional.

This doesn't mean that students shouldn't take the ACT (or SAT for that matter). But, it's a factor to consider when they're choosing which schools to apply to. When helping students make these decisions, remind them why it matters to prepare for the ACT:

1. The ACT is still a helpful assessment to guide students in choosing the best classes and path for them.
2. Not all scholarship programs are going to be test-optional. Ensure that students know their scholarship options.
3. Although test-blind schools will not consider your ACT scores for admissions, they may use them for coursing placement and advising.
4. For test-optional schools, students may choose to submit their test scores. Admissions will still review the student’s ACT performance as part of their application (if scores are submitted).

Talk to your students about the above points to help them understand why ACT remains relevant. It's still important for them to prepare for the ACT, especially if their desired school or program requires these test scores. Learn more about the difference between test-blind and test-optional in ACT’s FAQ section.

Find the Best Resources for Your Students

One of the best ways to prepare students for the ACT is to point them toward the most useful resources. You can lead them in the right direction of finding these resources.

If you use Magoosh for Schools, we highly encourage you to share this Magoosh student platform tutorial. There's a ton of user-friendly, personalized test prep material on the platform that students can access directly.

You can also direct your students to the free resources from Magoosh high school blog. As starters, direct your students to these free ACT practice tests and ACT study plans. These plans include one, two, and even three-month schedules!

We've found that 30 hours of ACT prep tends to be the sweet spot for success and substantial improvement in your students’ ACT scores. Encourage your students to choose a study plan and schedule that allows for ample time before testing day. Be their go-to person when they need resources and reassurances.

Weave in Some ACT Prep in Your Class

This one may sound like a stretch. Teaching your curriculum and providing intervention keep you busy enough. It’s already overwhelming before even thinking about the ACT. There may be some organic ways to weave in a bit of ACT prep without disrupting your other content. Here are some ways to do this:

• Give a mini-lesson and even open with an ACT-related question of the day.
• Provide students extra credit when they work on their ACT prep.
• Explore other ways of incorporating test prep into your school's curriculum.

If you're an English or literature teacher, try these hacks for teaching ACT vocabulary through your assigned readings. Be creative and do your best to use a few time blocks to help your students!

Be a Safe Space for Your Students

This is not all on you - don’t worry. If only you could, you’d want to do all these things and even more. What you can control and do is to be a safe space for your students. Do your best to be your students' cheerleaders for the ACT. If that task becomes too daunting, be a safe space for them. You can do this by helping them de-stress about the test and incentivizing ACT prep. That goes a long way in boosting their morale!

Knowing that they have one more person on their team will relieve them of the worries and stress they have. If you’re still looking for more ways to support your students, check out these tips for motivating your students for standardized tests.