ADROIT ASSESSMENT: With next year’s new version, the ACT is jumping onto the practical preparedness bandwagon. The revised college admissions exam will provide additional insights about exam results, showing separate STEM scores and English language arts scores, so students will be able to compare the strength of their performances in science and math versus reading and writing. It will also include a career readiness indicator, enabling students to see skill areas needing improvement based on demand from potential employers.
The ACT revision comes on the heels of the changes to the SAT, announced in March and effective in 2016, which will emphasize in-depth analysis over familiarity with a wide range of topics in both STEM and humanities sections. For both tests, the refocusing on practical skills needed for college and career readiness echoes Common Core. Looks like kids these days will be well-prepared to make more informed, pragmatic decisions for their futures, and a little less dexterous at using “sybarite” and “jaundiced” in everyday conversation.
