ACT Boot Camp Sessions Help Students Improve Scores

Act prep sessions are offered free of charge through GCHS.

Sladen Vitela Arehart, Staff Reporter
March 29, 2022

The ACT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the U.S. that assesses skills in the areas of English, math, reading and science.he test is scored on a scale that ranges from 1 to a 36. It is given to the juniors of Great Crossing in March as part of the state testing for Kentucky, and students do not pay a test fee. Every student tries their best by preparing and practicing, to receive academic benefits and be able to attend their school of choice.

Senior Kaelyn Faul took the ACT during her junior year, and she prepared for it by putting in the work at home with some test prep books. “My mom got me the book that had practice questions, and I used it to practice.”

Faul felt it was worth the time spent practicing to get a higher score. Scoring well helps choosing a college easier, since colleges often give more scholarship money for a higher score attained on the test. Faul’s college choice was influenced by her award money.

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I think the boot camp really helped me for my first ACT by just preparing me. I was walking in blind, but with the boot camp I knew what to look for. I felt more prepared about how I should attack the test.

— Emily Kessler, junior

GCHS wants students to strive to be as successful as they can be on the ACT. One way GCHS has given additional help for students is by hosting ACT boot camps after school, and students have been encouraged through NEST to sign up and attend.One of the teachers presenting sessions in the boot camp is English teacher Lynn Fiechter. “ACT boot camps set out to make students more comfortable with the ACT. It’s a stressful test for juniors–there’s a lot to do in a short period of time and many students feel like there’s a lot of pressure to meet their goal score. The ACT English and Reading tests are not content-heavy tests. I give students tips for answering the multiple-choice questions, time management skills to ensure they finish the test, and advice on what to do when they’re running out of time or need to guess.”

Some students may be hesitant to attend boot camp because they don’t know the benefits of the ACT. However a strong performance on the ACT helps so much with college options and provides a chance to continue your education for less money.

Test anxiety often interferes with students’ ability to perform well on the test, and the boot camp classes can help lower the anxiety surrounding it. Fiechter explained how the boot camp sessions can help with these anxieties. “The benefit here is that students approach the test with a plan for each section of the exam. They’re better able to manage that test anxiety I mentioned earlier, and the calming of nerves allows them to better focus on performing to the best of their ability.”

Junior Emily Kessler took the ACT the first time this year and to prepare she attended the ACT help sessions. “I think the boot camp really helped me for my first ACT by just preparing me. I was walking in blind, but with the boot camp I knew what to look for. I felt more prepared about how I should attack the test. For example, I know what order to read the passages,” she explained.

The ACT has been important to furthering education since our teachers took the ACT. Fiechter knew the importance of the ACT when she was in school. “I grew up in a small town and, while the ACT was already an important element of making it through my junior year of high school, I didn’t have access to a trained professional or organized classes to help me improve my score. I took the test three times and improved my score each round with the help of a boring ACT work booklet.” She’s glad to be able to help GCHS students with in person sessions.

For more information on when the next round of ACT boot camp sessions will be offered, students can see the NEST slides.