This week I had the opportunity to attend the 2019 Guidance Expo in White Plains, NY. This is essentially an exposition of guidance and counseling ideas and activities. There were over 40 professional seminars regarding issues and concerns that affect the elementary, middle, high school and college admission counselors. It also brought together a large variety of exhibitors, consultants, model programs, exhibits of computer software, guidance books, materials and products, community agencies and college representatives. One of the seminars I attended outlined the changes to the ACT announced earlier this month. These changes will go into effect in September 2020 and are as follows:
Section Retesting – Once students take a full ACT test, they are allowed to retake one or more single-section subject tests at an official ACT test center to improve their score. There is no limit on section retakes.
Superscoring – Students have more options in reporting their test results to colleges, and now a calculated ACT Superscore is available. The Superscore is a recalculation which shows the highest possible composite score across multiple ACT tests and ACT section retests. It reflects the average of the four best subject scores from each of the student’s test attempts.
Faster Results Through Online Testing – Beginning in September 2020, students will be able to choose between taking the test online or the traditional pencil and paper test. Section retakes will only be available in the online format on a school or testing center issued device. Students who take the test online will receive their results in as early as 2 business days from the test date.
The changes are meant to better serve students and spare them unnecessary time taking tests, said Mary Michael Pontzer, a vice president at ACT. She said the changes were not taken for the sake of being competitive with SAT or to increase the ACT’s market share.
As the ACT and SAT continue to tweak their tests, many colleges and universities are giving students the choice to opt out of these standardized test altogether. Institutions say that by doing so, this opens the door to disadvantaged students who might otherwise be discouraged to apply. Although the majority of test-optional colleges include smaller, private schools, they do include larger entities such as the University of Chicago. Currently the UC system, the nation’s premier public research university, is considering whether to drop both the SAT and ACT as an admissions requirement. Although some argue that the tests are predictive of college performance, they are increasingly seen as an unfair admission barrier to students who do not test well or have the means to pay for test prep or multiple testing session.