February 2017
GEAR UP
! e r u t u F r e t h g i r B a for
The ACT test makers agree that students who take the ACT their junior year of high school are more likely to get higher scores and have an easier time applying to college. Here are five reasons why you should take your ACT junior year: February 3 Colorado Mesa University campus visit* February 3 Eagle Experience “Local Connection” February 11 ACT Test February 17 GEAR UP Senior College Catch Up Day at USU Eastern February 17 Annual Diversity & Inclusion Conference @ USU Eastern March 24 Weber State University Campus Visit* *For all GEAR UP trips, RSVP is required due to limited space in vehicles. See your GEAR UP advisor for additional information.
GEAR UP is always accepting new participants. To enroll, contact the GEAR UP advisor at your school or through any of our social media sites.
1. You’ll be well-prepared - By the time junior year rolls around, you’ll be well into the coursework required to do well on the ACT. High-level math concepts like trigonometry, logarithms, and the quadratic formula will be old hat by junior year. So, when you see these concepts on the ACT, you won’t be panicked by new information and strange symbols. Also, for most students, junior year is the most rigorous year of high school. Though you may be overwhelmed by AP and honors classes, extracurricular activities, volunteer hours, sports, etc., you’ll already be in study-mode. You’ll be used to tackling long reading and math assignments each night. Plus, you’ll be used to test-taking and thinking critically about challenging problems. There is no better time to take the ACT. 2. You’ll have the opportunity to re-test - Taking the ACT junior year allows you to avoid the unfortunate situation of not having enough time to retake the test before college applications are due. You can always take the test a second time junior year, or spend the summer studying and then schedule your retake for fall of senior year. This time around, you’ll know your strengths and weaknesses, and will be able to structure your ACT prep accordingly. 3. You’ll have the opportunity to take the SAT - Maybe the ACT isn’t your test. Some students prefer the ACT to the SAT, but the reverse is also true. If you take the ACT and completely bomb the math and science sections, but do well on the reading and writing sections, you might be more of an SAT person. The SAT and ACT aren’t just scored differently – they are pretty different exams in a lot of ways. For example, the SAT’s questions are a bit less straightforward than the ACT’s questions, plus the SAT Continued next page
GAINING EARLY AWARENESS AND READINESS FOR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
Why take the ACT Your Junior Year?