College-bound students should register to take the ACT by Jan. 6, experts say
The next ACT achievement test will be administered on Feb. 7, and students who wish to take the college admission and placement exam must register by Jan. 6, 2009.
There is a late registration deadline of Jan. 7 through 16 with an extra fee for late registration. Students may register online at actstudent.org, or registration forms can be picked up at high school counseling offices.
The cost is $31 for the traditional ACT and $46 for the ACT Plus Writing. Students should determine whether colleges and universities they are considering require the optional writing score. A list of schools that require the writing test can be found at actstudent.org/writing. ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities across the United States.
The ACT, a curriculum-based achievement exam, consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science, and takes about three hours. The ACT Plus Writing requires an additional 30 minutes to complete. Unlike other tests, students are not penalized for guessing and answering all the questions on each section. In fact, it is beneficial to students to answer all questions.
The ACT Web site actstudent.org, has helpful information, free sample tests and inexpensive test prep materials.