Students who desire to study abroad especially in the US need to meet some basic requirements to gain admission. These include standardized tests such as ACT or SAT depending on the school being applied to. Here are some important tips international students taking ACT need to know to prepare for the exam.
The American College Testing is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is a standardized test that measures a student’s skills in five core areas: English, math, reading, science, and writing. However, current practices reveal that the writing option has become optional.
So, it’s time to dig into the meat of the matter. Let’s examine some important tips international students taking ACT need to prepare for the exam.
1. Plan in Advance
As an international student, it is extremely important to start preparing for the exam in advance. This will give you ample time and opportunity to cover more grounds than other students would. It is necessary to plan in advance because international students have fewer test dates to choose from and fewer local test centres.
In many cases, international students may have to travel to another city or country to take the ACT on their desired test date. Also, cheating scandals have been more prevalent overseas as well as last-minute test date or score cancellations in certain international climes. An ideal testing plan will include up to three official test dates.
2. Register Early
It is in the best interest of international students to register for their intended test dates early. This is given the fact that there are fewer test dates overall and limited test centres available in certain countries. It is, therefore, not uncommon for international students to be locked out of their ideal test dates in their home countries.
3. Understand the nature of the Exam
The ACT is a more fast-paced test. A student who is less confident in English might prefer the ACT because of the lower reading level demands. You can use full-length practice tests to see how the tests affect you as an individual test taker. The ACT offers more international test dates and is now entirely computer-based outside the U.S.
Sometimes, international students do not fare well on standardized tests. Some also have difficulty navigating the more limited international access to test dates and locations. For this reason, they may wish to pursue a test-optional or test-blind admissions pathway. Students interested in foregoing testing will need to carefully research the admissions policies at their schools of interest.
4. Get ready for the Test
As aforementioned, the ACT exam is now a computer–based test (CBT) for test-takers who live outside the U.S. Nonetheless, the test content, sections, and timing remain the same. Students are encouraged to practice using the CBT platform to gain experience with the full set of new tools available. This way, they’ll become very familiar with the process and prepared for the test.