The juniors took the ACT alongside the underclassmen, who were taking the preACT on April 8. In years prior, the tests would be taken on separate days, giving the underclassmen and seniors a day off while the juniors took the ACT. In the following days, the underclassmen would take the preACT as the upperclassmen attended class on a regular bell schedule day. For freshmen, many are unfamiliar with standardized tests like the preACT. It was something new and challenging, and a test that could potentially help them in later years as preparation for the ACT. 

“I think it helps with practicing for the real thing, and just getting the experience and the help that you need, so you know what to expect,” freshman Pearl Kujawa said. 

With sophomores taking their second preACT, most had a good idea of what to expect. The questions were easier with a deeper bank of knowledge, and flaws that they once had the first time could be improved.

“It felt a little bit easier, since I knew more in the sections the second time,” sophomore Divyam Nandi said. 

The juniors took the biggest test, the ACT. They were given ACT prep sessions in preparation for their test, something to help them study and improve their scores. The anticipation and anxiety that rises around the ACT is inevitable, as this test can help students get into colleges and universities and can impact their futures. It also can bring out educational strengths and weaknesses in students, and give them areas to focus more on. 

“It kinda gives them a point to see where they are, in their education. It shows how smart they actually are,” junior Ashlyn Strebelinski said.

The ACT and preACT were changed to the same day due to the smaller enrollment, and the majority of results have been optimistic. By only having one day, there were fewer testing distractions as there would have been in prior years, which caused students to focus more and take their time. 

“It wasn’t a huge task for us to pull off, and we also felt that we could keep our testing groups and sizes manageable,” high school Principal Bryant Bednarek said. “The feedback that we’ve gotten so far has been really positive, and we plan on doing that again in the future.”