Is the ACT Getting Harder Over the Years

Is the ACT Getting Harder Over the Years SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Is the ACT of today the same test that was given years ago? According to students and test experts, the ACT has gradually been getting harder over the years, both in the level of its questions and its fast pace. So what does the ACT have to say about these claims? Is the ACT hard now more than ever before? And what exactly do people think is getting more difficult on this already challenging test? The Times: Are They A-Changin'? So ACT, Inc. hasn't said the test has gotten more difficult over the years. But students and ACTexperts beg to disagree. Jed Applerouth of Applerouth Tutoring Services, for instance, says that the changes are so pronounced as to make the ACT, and especially the Science section, a completely different test. According to Applerouth, the Science section is much more time intensive and features multi-phase questions like never before. For instance, older questions would direct youto a specific piece of data within a graph, table, or chart. Newer questions, on the other hand, have additional steps. After finding the information, youthen have to apply it to a chart and use another value to determine youranswer. Rather than quick questions that get to the point on the Science section, there are a lot of these kinds of questions with multiple steps that require youto combine skills and concepts from various fields. While these questions used to stand alone and apart from one another, now there are lotsthat are intertwined. This style has mostly shown up in the Science section, making it harder to answer all the questions before time is called, but harder questions have also been seen in Reading. Some ACT Reading sections have featured double passages, similar to the ones on the SAT. Older ACT practice tests usually don't prepare youfor these paired passage questions, where you have to compare, contrast, and interpret authors' perspectives relative to each other. In addition to these increasingly complex questions, the ACT will feature some other changes soon. The optional essay will be 40 minutes long and will ask you to analyze different perspectives and present and support your own argument. The Science section may feature more data representation questions, or at least make the numbers of each question type unpredictable. The ACT used to always ask the same number of data representation, research summary, and conflicting viewpoints questions in Science, a consistency that helped a lot of students feel prepared. Future tests will be less predictable. Finally, the Reading section will incorporate paired passages, which feature questions that may take you more time to answer. So if, as most people agree, the ACT really has been getting harder and more fast-paced in the past few years, what would be the reasons behind this change? Hint: it has to do with the ACT getting super popular. Why Would the ACT Be Getting More Difficult? The main reason the ACT may have undergone changes in the past few years is its increasing popularity among students,both in the U.S. and internationally. Historically, more students in the Midwest took the ACT, and it usually lagged behind the SAT as the admissions test of choice. But for the first time in 2011, more students took the ACT than the SAT (of course, then the SAT added another test date to up its numbers). As more highly achieving students internationally and across the US (especially on the East and West coasts where test prep is especially popular) tookthe ACT, the score distribution was affected. The curve became steeper, meaning that missing just a question or two would bring down your score a lot more than it would in the past. To smooth out the curve, it seems that the ACT made the test more difficult and harder to finish. While these changes don't necessarily affect average scorers all that much, they make it more difficult for top scorers to place at a score of 31 or above. Another possible reason for making the ACT harder, as you'll see in ACT's official statement below, is to further align the test with college courses. The ACT is an admissions test meant to measure student ability and college readiness. If college classes are getting more challenging, then the ACT wants to increase its rigor to match them and ensure students' results are predictive of their success in college level courses. Let's take a look at how ACT has responded to the general consensus that the test has, in fact, gotten harder in the past few years. Spoiler: they don't say much. What ACT Says About Changes to the Test According to Brian Eufinger, the co-owner of Edison Prep, the ACT responded to his queries about the changes in the test in the following way (emphasis mine): "ACT continues to measure college and career readiness in a way that is consistent with the past. The ACT is designed to reflect the knowledge and skills that are taught in schools and deemed necessary for success in first-year college courses and workforce training courses. When those skills and constructs become more complicated and difficult over time, the ACT reflects that. Those changes tend to occur very gradually, however, not usually within a two to three year span. So we would disagree with the statement that the ACT has been slowly and steadily changing the difficulty level of the test over the past two to three years." The ACT says that the test hasn't been changing over the past two to three years, yet they also say that it will reflect when college "skills and constructs become more complicated and difficult over time." It seems like the ACT doesn't publicize big changes, like College Board is with the new SAT for 2016, but perhaps makes subtle, gradual changes over time. Apart from revealing a possible gap between what the ACT is saying and what the ACT isdoing, what does this apparent increase in difficulty level mean for your test prep? What ACT Changes Mean For Your Test Prep Since the recent ACT tests seem to be harder than those from five or so years ago, youshould be cautious with the pre-2010 practice tests that are in the Real ACT Prep Guide, or the "Red Book." They are still useful practice, but they might not be the truest representation of what you'll get or how you'll score on the real thing. Most ACT experts agree that they are easier than what you'll seetoday. Practice tests 4 and 5 will give you a more accurate sense of the test you'll be taking. The biggest changes have been seen in the Science and Reading section, so make sure to focus a good dealof yourtest prep, and especially your practice with time management, on these sections. Be discerning about the multi-step questions types and paired passage questions, and try out strategies for saving time and improving your efficiency. If you're deciding between the SAT and ACT, it's a good idea to note how you do on these sections, whether they'll be a boost to your score or a drawbackas compared to the SAT. If you're aiming for a top score, continue to be diligent about your test prep. Try to develop an intuition for how much time you spend on various questions, and make sure you're not wasting your time and energy on questions that should be answered quicklyor that won't earn youmany points. All questions contribute equally to your raw score, so focus on answering the questions you can and dividing up your time in a way that will maximize your score. Since difficulty level of questions vary, a lot of students benefit from mixing up the order of questions rather than answering them in the same order they're given. Again, practice testing will help you try out various strategies, like mixing up the order of the Reading passages, to figure out which ones are most effective for you. To sum up, let's quickly go over the most important takeaways for current and future ACT test-takers. What Are the Takeaways? Is the ACT hard? I think so. The ACT tests given today seem to be harder and more time intensive than ones given before 2010. (Lucky you.) Most of the changes are seen in the Science and Reading sections, where the questions are getting more complex and time-consuming. The ACT is not advertising any changes, so it's up to you to keep a discerning eye when you take practice tests from various years and adjust your test prep accordingly. Since the ACT is getting harder to finish, focus on trying out different strategies for pacing yourself and managing your time. Finally, if you're still deciding between the SAT and ACT, familiarize yourself with both tests and take practice tests to determine which one will help you achieve the stronger score for your college applications.Both tests are undergoing some serious changes now and in the near future. Get ahead of the game by staying on top of these changes and knowing what you, the test-taker, should expect and how you can prepare. What's Next? Not to brag, but PrepScholar has an exceptionally thorough and helpful series of study guides for the Science section of the ACT. Check out our Ultimate Study Guide to ACT Science for content review, strategies, and the overall structure you need to know. Since the ACT Reading section is getting more fast-paced, you want to show up on test day armed with a speed reading strategy. Check out our full guide on how to read the ACT Reading passages. Are you aiming for perfection on the ACT? This full 36 scorer shares his tips and inspiration for how he studied his way to a perfect score. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points?We have the industry's leading ACT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and ACT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Poetry Explication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Poetry Explication - Essay Example Thomas used words as a brick layer may use mortar, the words served to hold the meaning in place, â€Å"what the words stood for, symbolized, or meant, was of very secondary importance; what mattered was the sound of them as I heard them for the first time†(Ferris, pp. 25). It was not uncommon for Thomas to discuss the idea of death in his work. In one such poem, A Refusal to Mourn the Death, By Fire, of a Child in London, Thomas deals directly with the death of a child and the emotions that follow, â€Å"The majesty and burning of the childs death./I shall not murder† (Thomas, lines 13-14). Thomas seems to pull the idea of challenging the finality of death into this piece just as he does in Do Not Go Gently into that Good Night. Thomas deals with the reoccurring theme of death in several of his works in such a way as to challenge death itself and the aftermath felt by people who lose loved ones. This is an essential way in which to deal with the natural reality of deat h and Thomas does so through the use of language. Ultimately, Thomas wrote the piece entitled A Refusal to Mourn the Death of a Child, By Fire, in London as a way of illustrating his detest for the Nazi’s and their actions in World War II. Thomas was very in favor of the allied forces, and though he loved love intrinsically and saw the death of a child as the ultimate horror, he was not going to acknowledge the actions of the German forces in any way. This poem was his way of embracing life and refusing to be defeated by the hatred of the Nazi forces and what they stood for. The very first line of Thomas’ poem Do Not GO Gently into that Good Night, imposes instructions to the reader, â€Å"Do not go gently into that good night† (Thomas, line 1). This is the heart of the poem in that Thomas is essentially illustrating that there is an inevitable journey to be made but that one should not make this journey without resistance. The next line establishes the

Competitive Advantage Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Competitive Advantage Strategies - Essay Example It is apparent that most companies have realized that customer satisfaction is vital in attempts to achieve both the short term and long term goals. In addition, maintaining customer loyalty has proved equally significant. One common element that many companies or firms have always employed is price reduction in attempt to appease the customers. On the other hand, others inflate their prices with the aim of aligning themselves to a particular group of customers especially those who have a notion that expensive goods or services are of high quality. Thus some companies brand their product to be of high quality by pricing their products highly. It’s a psychological way of maximization of profit margin (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). The experience and skills of employees ranging from the top management level to those at the lowest position are imperative in the success of highly performing institutions. In addition, persistence, possessing an innovative staff and awareness of the need analysis of customers can skyrocket a firm to the stratosphere (Pearce & Robinson,

PROJECT 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

PROJECT 1 - Essay Example Commercial culture tends to create compromises that affect education in a negative manner. There is an increase in the level of secrecy that concerns research. The reason is that the corporate world tends to give sponsorship to study. The secrecy creates room for profits. The author argues that entrepreneurial learning tends to be a success in the short term. However, the institutions that have a chief focus on the academic values tend to emerge as the success, in the long run. The systems also tend to attain public trust that is a basis of the ability to overcome basic lucrative ventures. As a result, despite the desire to earn profits, the academic excellence is the independent variable for any educational institution. Any other experiments raise the level that results in the collision of interests. For instance, most entrepreneurial systems have difficulties in allocating funds for research in the different study fields. The case may lead to collapse of such establishments, in the long run. The publication focuses on the negative impact of commercializing education. The book outlines the shift in focus from viewing students as typical consumers whole school has the opinion of a commodity. The tutors in the class have a view of being service providers rather than being guides to the entire training process. The author points out that commercialization of education are dependent on globalization. The other aspect that causes commercialization is the rise of sound technology. The issue of unemployment and the gap between the well-off in the economy and those who do not have also acts as a creator of commercial education. Commercialization of education has made the real aspect of learning to change. The schools tend to employ hard terms of the students in a bid to win new customers. The students, on the other hand, learn with a view to passing the exam instead of gaining new knowledge. In other words, education is the acquisition of

Ontological Relativism and the Pragmatic Notion of Metaphysical Truth :: Philosophy Metaphysics Research

Ontological Relativism and the Pragmatic Notion of Metaphysical Truth ABSTRACT: I. Introduction The mind body problem resembles a black hole in the universe of philosophy: It takes a lot of energy which could be spent otherwise. Therefore, it would be liberating to show that it is not a problem at all. That is exactly what I shall do in this paper. Roughly, I shall argue as follows: First, I will show that the traditional mind body problem as a logical conflict will not occur if one is more decided in dualism. Then, I shall argue that dualism does not need to be an absurd position. It is absurd only when taken metaphysically, but it is plausible when taken pragmatically. I shall reject the metaphysical presumptions shared by metaphysical dualism and the materialist identity theory in order to develop a metaphysical position compatible with pragmatic dualism. Thus, I shall get rid of the mind body problem, the absurdities associated with dualism and the unintelligibility of the identity theory — all at once. II. Exchanging Logical Conflicts for Metaphysical Questions The traditional logical way of putting the mind body problem is this: (1) Physical events are caused only by other physical events. (2) Mental phenomena play causal roles such that they do cause not only other mental phenomena but also physical events, namely actions and movements. (3) Mental phenomena are not physical. These statements contradict each other, but only for the reason that (3) defends a mental-physical dualism, whereas (2) supposes identity between actions (or behavior) and phyical events. Thus, the logical conflict is constituted by nothing but indecision in dualism. I call it indecision, because the relevant reasons which lead to dualism with regard to mental and physical phenomena do equally well support dualism as to actions (or behavior) and physical events. Both variants of ontological dualism are built upon semantic dualism which is both conceptual and explanatory dualism. As to conceptual dualism, it should be conceded that mental phenomena, behavior, and actions as such can be individuated only as sensed, had, made, and done by someone. This existential dependency on a subject cannot be analysed naturalistically, because it is neither an empirical intrinsic property, nor any kind of empirical relation. It is what the contents of the concepts "sensing", "feeling", "deciding", "believing", and "acting" have in common, concepts, which do not refer to intrinsic properties or relations at all. Thus, the individuation of mental phenomena and actions as such differs essentially from the individuation of physical phenomena and events.

Government Provided Health Care Essay

For many years, health care cost has risen and challenged many businesses, households, and the government. With the health care cost constantly rising, more and more people become uninsured. There are many approaches to improve the health care system including: Government-provided health care, Private insurer health care, and a mix of both. Although, all the different ways have their perks, government provided stands out. Government provided health care is the best approach because every American citizen will have health insurance, it would simplify the system, all workers will have health care benefits, and it will contain and lower costs more than any other approach. Having every American citizen being provided with health insurance, and eliminating private insurers, will definitely simplify the system. All that would need to be done to jump start government provided health care is to create a single payer system, replace current insurance premiums, lower prices on drugs, and create a universal set of insurance forms to cover everyone. Every American deserves to have access to high quality and affordable health care, no matter what their income situation, employment situation, or medical conditions. With the government provided system, all workers will have health care benefits, and lower costs on health insurance. Workers will have greater freedom and better choices if they don’t have to worry about picking a job solely for the health care benefits. Over the years, there has been lots of evidence that shows the single payer system is the best approach to achieving basic health care goals. First, two government offices, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and General Accounting Office Greear 2 (GAO) reached a conclusion that only the single payer plan was likely to save the most money. Second, Medicare claims that the single payer system for  the elderly has lower administrative and overall costs than any other approach thus far. Third, Canada has a single payer system, which has much lower administrative costs than the U.S. System. Health care administration costs in the U.S. In 1999 was over 200 billion, to whereas Canada’s was only 159 billion. The single payer system works so well in Canada, its only logical to try the system here. Finally, the government provided, single payer system could achieve cost containment success more readily than any other system with three basic principals. First, this system may make it possible to reduce the administrative costs in the U.S. Second, the single payer system may be able to vigorously attack the market condition, where there is only one buyer, and gain bargaining powers over other providers. Finally, the single payer system could control the overall level of health care resources. All in all, the single payer system is less costly than any other approach and spends a slightly smaller amount of the gross domestic product (GDP) on health, according to Sherry Glied from Columbia University. The differences in system performance among the different coverages are small, but government provided, single payer system has the most distinct difference as far as cost containment and savings. At some point, everyone will need access to health care or treatment, with government provided insurance, that will be taken care of. Work Cited DeGrazia, D. â€Å"Single Payer Meets Managed Competition.† Hastings Center Report 38.1 (2008): 23-33. CINAHL. Web. 22 May 2013. Glied, S. â€Å"Single Payer As A Financing Mechanism.† Journal Of Health Politics, Policy & Law 34.4 (2009): 593-615. CINAHL. Web. 22 May 2013. Publicagenda.org-Health Care. Citizens’ Solutions Guides 2012. Web. 22 May 2013.

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