I recently took the ACT at school, and while it felt good to have it over with, something about the whole experience didn’t sit right with me. For many students, that single test day is the only chance they get to take the ACT during the school year. If things don’t go well, they are stuck. And that just doesn’t seem fair.
Currently, most schools only offer one in-school ACT day a year, usually in the spring. For juniors, this means that by the time the test rolls around, there’s no chance for improvement before the school year ends. If a student has a bad test day, whether from illness, stress, or simply not being prepared enough, they’re left with only one option: retake it on a weekend, which means extra costs, time, and stress. Not every student has the money for another test registration, the means to get to an out-of-town test center, or the time to juggle it with their busy schedules.
Spring is already one of the busiest times of year for students. Many are taking multiple AP classes, and as the year winds down, teachers are rushing to fit in all the remaining lessons before finals. Add in extracurriculars, personal stress, and the pressure of everything else happening around the same time, and it’s easy to see how the ACT can end up being just another stressful task. The weight of that one-day test, with no chance to try again before the year’s end, is overwhelming for many students. It’s hard to perform at your best when your mind is consumed with so many other responsibilities.
Not every student has access to expensive test prep services, tutoring, or high-quality study materials. ACT prep classes can cost hundreds of dollars, which isn’t an option for everyone. For many students, this means relying on low-cost or free resources that may not be as effective in helping them prepare. Without proper preparation, these students are more likely to underperform on that one important test day. The pressure of a single test, especially when they haven’t had the chance to study properly, makes it harder for them to do their best. Offering a second in-school test would level the playing field, giving all students, regardless of their financial situation, a fair chance to improve their scores without any added costs or barriers.
This is why offering a second chance in the fall would be a game changer. Providing a retake opportunity at the beginning of senior year, when students are better prepared and have had time to reflect on their first scores, would allow them to test again with more confidence and clarity. They would also have a few months to study over the summer without the added pressure of AP exams or finals.
A common misconception is that senior year is too late to take the ACT if students didn’t do it over the summer. In reality, many college applications are due in the fall, typically around November 1, and scores from the spring ACT are available well before those deadlines. Offering a second test date in early August would give students a chance to improve their scores just in time for college application season, reducing the stress of missing out on a key opportunity to submit their best results.
If schools offered a second in-school ACT test in the fall, students would have a fair chance to improve their scores without the extra financial burden or time constraints. It would give them a chance to truly showcase their abilities, making the college application process a little less stressful for everyone.
