Eighth Grade, A Key Milestone for the Future
Help Your Student Prepare for Academic and Career Success

New ACT research shows that a large majority of eighth graders simply aren't equipped for college. Of the 216,000 students in the research study, fewer than two in ten U.S. eighth-graders were on target to be ready for college-level work by the time they graduated from high school.

According to The Forgotten Middle, "the level of academic achievement that students attain by eighth grade has a larger impact on their college and career readiness by the time they graduate from high school than anything that happens academically in high school."

Further, according to the report, if students are not prepared by eighth grade, they face severe academic obstacles during high school.

Know a Great Student? Tell ACT

Our goal at ACT is to help everyone achieve their educational and career goals. That's why we like to highlight stories of success. Nominate a student who inspires you. For example, maybe you know someone who:

• Enrolled in rigorous academic classes to better prepare for college
• Excels in vocational studies and plans to make it a career
• Volunteers their time to help others
• Made changes in their educational plans based on their ACT score
• Balances work and school commitments successfully
• Triumphed over adversity

If you find a student inspiring, we'd like for others to be inspired too. Send us the name of the student, the school he or she attends, and email contact information. We hope to feature your nomination in future publications and web posts. Email us at actparent@act.org.

Visit Colleges . . . Without Ever Leaving Home
Surf the Internet for Online Campus Tours

Although the weather outside may be frightful, there are plenty of fruitful ways to pass the time indoors. During the winter months, spend some time online with your student to explore colleges and narrow down your search.

Many universities realize that on-site campus visits can be financially and logistically difficult. However, by sponsoring virtual tours of their campuses, colleges provide an economical means for students to learn more about academics, sports, and student life. It's a win-win for both institutions and potential students.

In addition to virtual tours, hundreds of colleges take advantage of technology to host online college fairs. The web-based fairs allow students to learn more about particular colleges and help colleges learn more about prospective students.

At least one university is offering the ultimate step in technological convenience, a virtual interview. Wake Forest University in North Carolina now uses webcam admission interviews. With the help of three tools—a web camera, a microphone and an internet connection—students can be interviewed from the comfort of their own home. The interview is conducted like any other "in-person" one. But there is no plane fare, motel fee, or wear and tear on the family car.

Parent Blog
Share Your Experiences with Others

Response to our ACT Student Blog has always been positive. But we realize parents have important stories to share about the college and career process too. That's why we'd like to add a parent blog on our ACT website. If you're interested in writing about the ACT test experience from a parent's perspective, please email actparent@act.org.

Save Some Green When Times Are Lean
Get Ready for the FAFSA; Scout for Scholarships

It's time to register for financial aid for the 2009–2010 school year. Apply at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Federal financial aid is available for students attending four-year, two-year, public or private, career or trade schools. The aid is intended to cover school expenses such as tuition, room and board, books and other supplies, and transportation. Most students receive aid because of financial need.

To find out about federal financial aid programs and your rights and responsibilities under these programs, read "Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid" from the U.S. Department of Education. You also can request a free paper copy by contacting the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-4-FED-AID. The guide is available in English or Spanish.

Also, be sure to check out the financial aid information from ACT. You'll find a good financial aid overview in easy-to-understand language, plus a list of resources to contact for more information on loans, scholarships, government programs and additional financial aid information.

Finally, don't forget local sources for scholarships. What are your child's passions and gifts? Whether he or she is a straight A-student, a black belt in karate, a fluent Russian speaker, or all of the above, there's probably a scholarship available to help with higher education. The web is full of scholarships. School counselors and local alumni are also great resources. Ask your student to take an hour or two during winter break and start exploring.

ACT test date approaching

There's still time to register for the next national ACT test date on February 7, 2009. For an additional fee, you may complete late online registration from January 7–16, 2009, at www.actstudent.org.

Your next opportunity to take the national test is April 4, 2009, with a registration deadline of February 27, 2009.

An optional Writing Test is available in addition to the multiple-choice achievement test. Find out about the Writing Test on the ACT student website, including the colleges that require it.

On the ACT student website, check out the test prep aids. Free sample questions are available along with test-day tips, a list of what to bring, and approved calculators for use on the Math Test.

Preparing for the ACT, a booklet with a complete practice test, scoring key, writing prompt, and sample essays, is available to download on the Test Prep section of actstudent.org. The ACT registration packet, available from the counseling office, also contains the booklet. Sign up for ACT Online Prep™, the only test prep program developed exclusively by ACT test development professionals. It is a very inexpensive tool your student can use for a full year.

For all your questions about the ACT test, visit ACT's student website.

Again, we wish you a wonderful 2009. Please visit the ACT's Information for Parents to read previous editions of ACT Parent, view a video about the EXPLORE^® and PLAN^® programs, read the student blog, take part in survey, or discover additional resources for college and career planning.

See also:

ACT's Information for Parents

The ACT

PLAN

EXPLORE

Financial Aid

College Search

Careers