As many high school students know, the ACT is a very important exam that most, if not all, high school students take during their junior and/or senior years. Many students, including freshmen, ask what kind of test the ACT is.

“The ACT is a college entrance exam,” Baldwin High School counselor Melody Hoffsommer.

Some students also wonder what would be considered a good score.

Accoding to principal Rob McKim, “The scores vary depending on the student.”

Depending on the student, and what kinds of classes they take, a good score can vary. If students are taking any A.P. or honor classes, a good score might be higher. Hoffsommer also said that a good score depends on the career path they choose to follow. Some colleges not only look at ACT scores, but they also look at the student’s GPA.

One very well known fact about the ACT is that it is very stressful. And for good reason, because the test is timed. According to Hoffsommer, the test lasts from around three to three and a half hours, starting at 8:00 a.m., and ending between 11:00 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. An extra thirty minutes is used for the optional writing portion of the test. Another stress factor is that there must be absolutely no noise during the test.

“If you talk, you can be dismissed. If your phone rings, you can be dismissed. So, yes, the test can be very stressful indeed,” Hoffsommer said.

With the scores from this test, students can apply for scholarships as well, and that fact adds more pressure to do well on it.

However, there are good sides to the ACT. For example, students can take it more than once. They can take it as many as three times if they choose. But, Hoffsommer recommends that students take it only once or twice, so as to not induce too much stress.

“Statistics have shown that if a student takes it twice, the score will go up the second time,” Hoffsommer said.

When colleges look at the ACT scores, and notice that a student has taken it more than once, colleges usually will take the highest score. Sophomores can take the PLAN test, which is a practice ACT, and when they take the real ACT, they can know what to expect. Also, only correct answers are counted on the ACT. Wrong and unanswered questions are not counted against students. However, they are still recommended to try and answer every question.

The ACT is a very important test, and can be very stressful, but Hoffsommer encourages students to try not to worry too much about it.

“Just do the best you can the first time, and you’ll do fine,” she said.