To Commend

The PreACT Should Offer Recognition Titles

Photo from Wahawk Insider by Douglas Edric Stanley / CC BY-SA 4.0

The PreACT is a preliminary ACT that is a slightly shorter practice version of the ACT. It allows students to see where they are and prepare for the actual ACT. It’s available to take starting sophomore year and, unlike the PSAT, doesn't count toward scholarships or awards programs. In contrast, the PSAT, taken in junior year, counts as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). The NSMQT offers students the chance to earn both scholarships and prestigious titles based on their score. Since many students focus on the ACT since they’re stronger at it, they’re at a disadvantage for the national recognition the PSAT can provide. To honor student achievement, the PreACT should also offer recognition titles like the NMSQT. 

Firstly, a title would commend student effort. High-scoring students are those who are in the top percentages of their state, like in the PSAT, demonstrating hard work and dedication. Those who receive the titles would be students who put in the time and dedication in preparing for the test. In the PSAT, the top 3-4% of scorers in each state are named Commended scholars, with the top 1% being Semifinalists. If students were to achieve a similar level of accomplishment on the PreACT, it would show the significance of their score. A title would therefore be a beneficial recognition for students who do well on the PreACT. Moreover, this would also benefit the ACT as a company because it would give students more incentive to take the PreACT and also the real ACT. 

Furthermore,  recognition title on the PreACT can strengthen students’ college applications. Many college applications include an honors section where students list awards they received throughout high school. Typically, titles from the PSAT’s NMSQT are included here because students know that colleges view honors from standardized tests as indicators of academic excellence and a student’s future potential. Offering a similar recognition for the PreACT will allow for students who prepare for the ACT to also be commended. High-scoring students would stand out so it’d be a meaningful recognition. 

“Having a title would matter to me personally because it would display my academic success and hard work,” junior Madelyn Singleton said. “I think being able to demonstrate a strong work ethic has a reflection on your character, which is ultimately what a lot of these target or reach schools are searching for.”

Lastly, offering a title on the PreACT will allow for fairness for students preparing for the ACT. Currently, students who focus on the SAT can have an advantage because the PSAT, the test associated with the SAT, is the only one that offers recognition, while ACT focused students don’t have that opportunity with the PreACT. Although the ACT and SAT are similar, they still differ in content and structure: the ACT tests English, reading, math and optional science, while the SAT tests reading and writing and math. Also, the ACT is paper-based, and the SAT is digital, which can change test performance. So because of this students studying for the ACT may not be able to score high on the PSAT. Providing a recognition title for the PreACT would solve that unfairness by giving ACT focused students an equal opportunity to be recognized.

Some may argue that offering only titles on the PreACT is unnecessary, since part of the appeal of the NMSQT is the scholarships it gives. While it’s true the lack of scholarships is disheartening, the prestige that comes from the titles offer benefits that make up for that. Others may say that creating a system for score cut-offs and recognition titles would create extra work for the ACT company. However, the benefits make the additional effort for administration worth it.

In order to commend student effort, strengthen college applications, and promote fairness, the PreACT should implement a recognition system that awards titles to high-scoring students, allowing for ACT focused students to be given the recognition that they deserve.