Spring 2011
TAKING THE ACT
State Testing
ACT®the
This student information booklet is for all students taking
tests through ACT
State Testing in participating states or districts.
, Security Hotline
You can help protect the ACT. If you suspect an irregularity in
testing—such as someone having access to the tests in
advance, sending another person to test in his or her place, or
copying someone else’s answers—please report your
concerns by calling 1-877-777-7296 or providing information
online at act.alertline.com. You can report your concerns
anonymously.
, already been called
Where to Find It Why Take the ACT
• Looking ahead in the test booklet
Automatic Reporting of Scores.................18 The ACT is a curriculum-based
examination that matches well with the • Looking at another examinee’s test booklet
education standards in your state. Taking the or answer folder
Calculators.....................................................4 ACT® tests can provide helpful information for • Giving or receiving assistance • Using a
all students, not just those who are planning prohibited calculator
Checklist for Taking the ACT........................4 to attend college.
What You Need to Know to
Taking the ACTcan give every student a
College and Scholarship Codes................11 measure of his or her academic strengths Take the ACT
and weaknesses. You can use your results
to recognize your academic strengths and
areas where you need to improve, whether General Information
Completing Your Answer Folder.................5 you intend to go to college or enter the This booklet gives you the information you
workplace after high school. need to take the ACT. You will complete the
Congressional Codes.................................18 If you are not considering college now, non-test portions of your answer folder during
you may decide to make college part of your a scheduled, supervised session at school
plans later. Your ACT results can help you before the test date. On test day, you will
High School Course/Grade begin the career exploration and planning record your responses to the tests on your
Information ....................................................6 process. It is likely that nearly everyone who answer folder. After testing is completed, your
graduates from high school will eventually Test Supervisor (or Test Accommodations
ID Requirements............................................4 have to continue their education to achieve
their career or life goals. Coordinator) will send your answer folder to
The ACT includes multiple-choice tests in ACT. Score reports will normally be mailed
English, mathematics, reading, and science. about 3–8 weeks after we receive your
Interest Inventory..........................................7 The tests measure your educational answer folder.
development in those areas and are based
on what you have learned—they are not Retest Restrictions
Remedies in Response to
ACT Errors or Testing aptitude or IQ tests. Students may take the ACT no more
If your state or district is administering than 12 times total. In calculating the 12-test
Disruptions/Compromises..........................19
the ACT Plus Writing, you will also take a total, ACT makes exceptions for State Testing
Writing required by your district or your state’s
Scores..........................................................19 Department of Education. Go to
www.actstudent.org for more information.
Student Profile Section.................................8 We have waived the 60-day retest
Test, for which you will write an essay in restriction for State Testing. You may register
English in response to a prompt that defines to test on any regularly scheduled national test
an issue and presents two opposing points of date and may also test on one of the state
view on that issue. The ACT Writing Test testing dates (initial or makeup; or once during
measures the writing skills you have acquired the accommodations testing window, if
approved).
in your high school English courses and
If you complete testing on both the initial
complements the multiple-choice ACT
English Test. Many colleges use ACT Writing and makeup state test dates, the makeup
scores will be cancelled automatically.
Test results as a guide for placing incoming
students into first-year composition courses.
Test Accommodations
If you currently receive test
accommodations in school as part of your
What Test Security Procedures Apply Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a
Section 504 Plan, ask your counselor whether
accommodations have been requested for you
Our test security procedures are designed • Using a calculator on any test other than for the ACT.
to ensure that examinees have an equal the Mathematics Test
opportunity to demonstrate their academic • Sharing a calculator with another examinee
achievement and skills, that examinees who
do their own work are not unfairly • In possession of or using any electronic
disadvantaged by examinees who do not, and device during testing or during breaks
that scores reported for each examinee are • Attempting to remove test materials, Cancellation of Scores by ACT
valid. In addition to the information in this including test questions or answers, from
section, see “Remedies in Response to ACT the test room by any means ACT reserves the right to cancel test
Errors or Testing Disruptions/Compromises” scores when there is reason to believe the
• Using highlight pens, colored pens or scores are invalid. Cases of testing
(page 19). pencils, scratch paper, notes, dictionaries, irregularities—such as falsification of one’s
or any other testing aids not approved in identity, impersonation of another examinee (
Prohibited Behavior at the Test Site advance by ACT surrogate testing), unusual similarities in the
You will be dismissed and your answer • Not following instructions or abiding by the answers of examinees at the same test center,
folder will not be scored if you are found: rules of the test site or other indicators that the test scores may not
• Filling in or altering ovals on a test or accurately reflect the examinee’s level of
• Exhibiting confrontational, threatening, or educational development—may result in the
continuing to write the essay after time has unruly behavior cancellation of test scores. When ACT decides
been called on that test
• Creating a disturbance or allowing an alarm to cancel test scores, it notifies the examinee
• Looking back at a test on which time has to sound in the test room before taking that action (except in cases of
TAKING THE ACT
State Testing
ACT®the
This student information booklet is for all students taking
tests through ACT
State Testing in participating states or districts.
, Security Hotline
You can help protect the ACT. If you suspect an irregularity in
testing—such as someone having access to the tests in
advance, sending another person to test in his or her place, or
copying someone else’s answers—please report your
concerns by calling 1-877-777-7296 or providing information
online at act.alertline.com. You can report your concerns
anonymously.
, already been called
Where to Find It Why Take the ACT
• Looking ahead in the test booklet
Automatic Reporting of Scores.................18 The ACT is a curriculum-based
examination that matches well with the • Looking at another examinee’s test booklet
education standards in your state. Taking the or answer folder
Calculators.....................................................4 ACT® tests can provide helpful information for • Giving or receiving assistance • Using a
all students, not just those who are planning prohibited calculator
Checklist for Taking the ACT........................4 to attend college.
What You Need to Know to
Taking the ACTcan give every student a
College and Scholarship Codes................11 measure of his or her academic strengths Take the ACT
and weaknesses. You can use your results
to recognize your academic strengths and
areas where you need to improve, whether General Information
Completing Your Answer Folder.................5 you intend to go to college or enter the This booklet gives you the information you
workplace after high school. need to take the ACT. You will complete the
Congressional Codes.................................18 If you are not considering college now, non-test portions of your answer folder during
you may decide to make college part of your a scheduled, supervised session at school
plans later. Your ACT results can help you before the test date. On test day, you will
High School Course/Grade begin the career exploration and planning record your responses to the tests on your
Information ....................................................6 process. It is likely that nearly everyone who answer folder. After testing is completed, your
graduates from high school will eventually Test Supervisor (or Test Accommodations
ID Requirements............................................4 have to continue their education to achieve
their career or life goals. Coordinator) will send your answer folder to
The ACT includes multiple-choice tests in ACT. Score reports will normally be mailed
English, mathematics, reading, and science. about 3–8 weeks after we receive your
Interest Inventory..........................................7 The tests measure your educational answer folder.
development in those areas and are based
on what you have learned—they are not Retest Restrictions
Remedies in Response to
ACT Errors or Testing aptitude or IQ tests. Students may take the ACT no more
If your state or district is administering than 12 times total. In calculating the 12-test
Disruptions/Compromises..........................19
the ACT Plus Writing, you will also take a total, ACT makes exceptions for State Testing
Writing required by your district or your state’s
Scores..........................................................19 Department of Education. Go to
www.actstudent.org for more information.
Student Profile Section.................................8 We have waived the 60-day retest
Test, for which you will write an essay in restriction for State Testing. You may register
English in response to a prompt that defines to test on any regularly scheduled national test
an issue and presents two opposing points of date and may also test on one of the state
view on that issue. The ACT Writing Test testing dates (initial or makeup; or once during
measures the writing skills you have acquired the accommodations testing window, if
approved).
in your high school English courses and
If you complete testing on both the initial
complements the multiple-choice ACT
English Test. Many colleges use ACT Writing and makeup state test dates, the makeup
scores will be cancelled automatically.
Test results as a guide for placing incoming
students into first-year composition courses.
Test Accommodations
If you currently receive test
accommodations in school as part of your
What Test Security Procedures Apply Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a
Section 504 Plan, ask your counselor whether
accommodations have been requested for you
Our test security procedures are designed • Using a calculator on any test other than for the ACT.
to ensure that examinees have an equal the Mathematics Test
opportunity to demonstrate their academic • Sharing a calculator with another examinee
achievement and skills, that examinees who
do their own work are not unfairly • In possession of or using any electronic
disadvantaged by examinees who do not, and device during testing or during breaks
that scores reported for each examinee are • Attempting to remove test materials, Cancellation of Scores by ACT
valid. In addition to the information in this including test questions or answers, from
section, see “Remedies in Response to ACT the test room by any means ACT reserves the right to cancel test
Errors or Testing Disruptions/Compromises” scores when there is reason to believe the
• Using highlight pens, colored pens or scores are invalid. Cases of testing
(page 19). pencils, scratch paper, notes, dictionaries, irregularities—such as falsification of one’s
or any other testing aids not approved in identity, impersonation of another examinee (
Prohibited Behavior at the Test Site advance by ACT surrogate testing), unusual similarities in the
You will be dismissed and your answer • Not following instructions or abiding by the answers of examinees at the same test center,
folder will not be scored if you are found: rules of the test site or other indicators that the test scores may not
• Filling in or altering ovals on a test or accurately reflect the examinee’s level of
• Exhibiting confrontational, threatening, or educational development—may result in the
continuing to write the essay after time has unruly behavior cancellation of test scores. When ACT decides
been called on that test
• Creating a disturbance or allowing an alarm to cancel test scores, it notifies the examinee
• Looking back at a test on which time has to sound in the test room before taking that action (except in cases of
