Omaha Public Schools wants you to be well-prepared for a variety of college and career opportunities and the ACT is one of the tools that can help. In the spring, 11th graders will be taking the ACT test at their school. The ACT is part of the statewide assessment system for all Nebraska students in 11th grade and is FREE! The ACT can benefit our students as they consider options after high school. Here are a few of the reasons to take the ACT:

• The ACT is the college entrance exam used by nearly all colleges and universities in the United States.
• Your ACT score can help you get scholarships.
• You can have this ACT score sent to up to four colleges or universities without paying a fee.
• The scores you get on the ACT help you identify academic areas of strength and potential career options.
• The ACT can also help you see where you might need some additional study before you leave high school.

What will I be tested on?

The ACT will test your academic skills in core areas. It is made up of four multiple-choice tests (subtests): English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning and a writing section where you will write an essay. Each subtest is timed, and the total test will take approximately 5 hours.

Tips for Taking the ACT

Multiple-choice Tests:

• Answer all of the questions. If you don’t know the answer, make your best guess. Eliminate any of the answer choices you are sure are wrong and then choose the most logical answer from those remaining. Guessing is better than not answering.
• Pace yourself. Read each question carefully but don’t spend too much time on one question.
• Do the easy questions first and go back to answer the harder ones near the end of the test time.

Writing Test:

• You will have 40 minutes to write an essay in pencil.
• Before writing, carefully read and consider all prompt material.
• Use the prewriting space to organize your main ideas and focus on your essay before you write it.
• Write.
• Review and correct any mistakes.

Start Preparing Now!

Recommendations for steps you can take today:

• Download the booklet Preparing for the ACT from ACT. This booklet has information about what you can expect on the day of the test and contains a full practice test. Taking the practice test ahead of time will help you be more comfortable with the types of questions and the time allowed for each section.
• Make it a habit to read. Reading helps increase your comfort and confidence with grammar and style.
• Practice writing stories, poems, plays, editorials, reports, letters to the editor, a personal journal, or other kinds of writing that you do on your own—including, yes, essays.
• Brush up on algebra and geometry. Most of the questions in the math section are from those areas.
• Review information from the PreACT. This may be the first time you have taken the ACT, but you took the PreACT in 10th grade and the ACT is very similar to the PreACT.
• Consider taking an ACT prep course. Sign up here for the FREE guide from ACT. There are many options available that you could buy if you want to do that.

On the day of the test. . .

• Get a good night’s sleep before the test.
• Eat a nutritious breakfast before you get to school or plan to eat at school when you arrive.
• Arrive on time - buses will run as usual.
• Breakfast and lunch will be served at school.
• Cell phones, smartwatches, fitness bands and any other device with recording, internet, or communication capabilities are not permitted in the testing rooms.

Opportunities to take the ACT again. . .

When you receive your ACT results, you will also receive information about how to understand your scores. If you have questions, you can ask your school counselor or a teacher at school. Sometimes, taking the ACT again can improve your score. Higher scores may increase your eligibility for scholarships or admission to more colleges or universities. If you want to test again, your counselor can help you sign up.

For fee waivers, please see your school counselor for details.