ACT Test Prep: Why Take the ACT in December?
The ACT is typically offered every few months during the year (with many additional test dates in September & October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), so there are several test dates to choose from. Every year, there is an exam date in December. This year it falls on Saturday, December 12th. There are some real perks to taking the exam at this time. You might be thinking that December is such a busy time with the holidays and school semesters wrapping up, but there are some real benefits to take advantage of this test date. Here, we’re walking through the pros of taking the December ACT.
The ACT offers national test dates every year during the months of February, April, June, September, October, and December. That’s a lot of different options for testers to take advantage of, which is awesome. However, taking advantage of certain test dates can offer more benefits than others.
For example, only certain national test dates offer the option of ordering a Test Information Release, or TIR. With a TIR, students will receive an actual ACT exam booklet that matches the test they took on test day, a list of their multiple-choice answers, and an answer key. This is all provided to the student in addition to the standard score report, which illustrates the student’s scores in each individual area and their college readiness by subject. This allows students a very valuable insight into their previous test performance and gives them a good basis for planning for their next test and what type of practice to focus on.
Additionally, there’s a lot for students to balance during their junior and senior years of high school to make sure they’re on track for college. Students are busy taking difficult courses, writing college application essays, being involved members of their schools, and more. Knowing this, being strategic about ACT test dates can be incredibly beneficial. Parents and students should work together to determine what dates will be most convenient to work around things like difficult school semesters and sports seasons. In addition, students should start their preparation for the ACT earlier than later. This will allow more time to retake the exam if necessary and meet score goals.
One of the national test dates every year occurs in December. This year, there is an ACT exam on December 12th. Regular registration for the December 12th test is open until November 6th, and late registration (which includes some additional fees) goes through November 20th.
Below, we’ve outlined some reasons that the December ACT test is a great option that has some special benefits.
Why take the ACT in December?
Students can order a Test Information Release (TIR)
As we noted above, only certain national test dates offer the option of ordering a TIR. The December test is always one of those dates. With a TIR, students can see their complete performance on the entire ACT test. They can go back and review specific questions, find their mistakes, and learn from them. This is a HUGE tool for helping students learn and improve from their previous performances. Oftentimes, with a TIR it can be difficult to guess which types of specific questions students struggled with, even though the ACT provides a basic look at how a student does with certain concepts. The ability to look at individual questions allows for much more thorough insight and creates a guide for test prep focus for future ACT tests.
The ability to order a TIR is particularly helpful for sophomores and juniors. Seniors taking the ACT in December will likely not have a chance to take the exam again before college applications are due, but sophomores and juniors planning to take the test again should certainly consider ordering a TIR. It is a cost-efficient means of increasing understanding of ACT concepts.
Note: the next TIR opportunity after December doesn’t happen again until next April test!
Students can relax during winter break
The ACT December test is always right about the second weekend in the month. That means students can study hard leading up to test day, take the test, and then enjoy their winter break without having to think about the ACT. In addition, students who take the ACT in December will likely get their scores back online during their winter breaks. This is a time when they aren’t busy thinking about school and activities, so it can be the perfect time to review the scores and come up with a plan for future test prep if necessary.
Seniors get scores back fast enough for rolling admissions deadlines
The December ACT test, for most students, is the last test they can take and still meet regular decision deadlines for college applications. For seniors who haven’t had a chance to take the ACT as many times as they wanted or haven’t quite reached their goals, the December test is a great last-shot option to boost test scores and include those with college apps.
However, we want to emphasize that even if a senior doesn’t quite receive the ACT score that they want to include with their application, these test scores can always be submitted later, after an admissions decision has been made. What does this mean? It means that, while your ACT test score may not be able to act as a beneficial tool to get you accepted to the school you want to go to, it can still act as a potential tool to increase merit-based scholarships and aid to bring down tuition costs later. After you’ve been accepted, you can still submit test scores into the summer before your first semester in order to qualify for any merit-based aid that the school offers.
Well, there you have it. If you’re a senior trying to increase your ACT score by a point or two and get your applications wrapped up by January 1st, the December ACT might be the perfect solution for you. If you’re a busy sophomore or junior trying to get on track for your college applications down the road, the December ACT might be the perfect fit for you, too.
Good luck, and happy prepping!
INTERESTED IN TUTORING?
Working one-on-one with a test prep & college counseling expert can help you maximize your score on test day and get accepted to your dream school. Whatever your college prep goals, our team can help!
I want to sign up! - Set up online lessons using the link to our scheduling system.
I want more information! - Fill out the information in the link, and someone will reach out soon.