Olivia Broussard
David Rodriguez
English 102
8 April 2018
ACT Adjustments
Every year, around 1,799,243 students take the ACT in the United States, but over forty-
four percent of those students fall at, or below, a composite score of nineteen (“Technical
Manual. The ACT®” 4). This test is extremely important, as it is a major step for students who
plan to move on to college. When it comes to the ACT, students spend countless grueling hours
trying to prepare as best as they can for the unpredictable sections. This causes immense stress
on the students, which can hinder their ability to succeed on the test that they spend so long
practicing for. However, if the ACT were to be adjusted, students may have a better time taking
the test when it comes their time. While more students today do score better on the ACT than in
previous years, the test itself needs to undergo a number of changes so that students have a better
opportunity of achieving the high scores that get them accepted into universities.
The ACT test itself is a large, time-consuming test that requires a significant amount of
studying and preparation. An assessment of the ACT made by Sean Cavanagh states that “The
ACT, which was taken by 1.2 million students in the 2004 graduating class, tests students in four
major areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science, during an exam that lasts approximately
four hours. The written essay add[s] 30 minutes to the exam, for those who choose that option”
(Cavanagh 14). When students take the ACT, they are forced to take all four sections of the test
in one run. This means that the students must attempt to study and prepare for all of the
individual section of the test, which splits their brain power. If students were given the
opportunity to take each section individually rather than together, then they could dedicate their
study time to one section at a time instead of cramming them all together. Being able to practice
one part at a time will help the students better prepare for the section they are taking, which will
raise their chances of getting a higher score on that particular section. Then the student can take
the other sections one after another in the same fashion. By time they have finished all the
sections, their composite score will more than likely be higher than if the student had taken all
the sections at one time.
Students who are taking the ACT should be offered the opportunity to take the online
version of the test; which should be made available in all testing schools. With today’s
