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    #45225 04/21/09 06:24 PM
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    If any of you have had your kids take the Explore and the ACT in close proximity, how did the scores compare?

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    Ask me again in July.... wink


    Erica
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    A reasonable comparison for my son is the Explore taken in Jan 08 to the ACT taken in Oct 08. He gained one composite point but ran out of time for each section. (He had taken it for the first time a month or so after the Explore, but due to testing conditions such as a proctor reading and watching his selections over his shoulder and an overtly unfriendly group of high school students, so I disregard those lower scores.)

    He scored better yet on the SAT (this year), especially math, but again, he didn�t finish any of the sections.

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    Originally Posted by delbows
    A reasonable comparison for my son is the Explore taken in Jan 08 to the ACT taken in Oct 08. He gained one composite point but ran out of time for each section. (He had taken it for the first time a month or so after the Explore, but due to testing conditions such as a proctor reading and watching his selections over his shoulder and an overtly unfriendly group of high school students, so I disregard those lower scores.)
    ...

    aahh, that's closer to what I was asking, but thanks to all! I'm still trying to get a feel for what GS9's Explore scores mean in real life. A niece, a junior in HS, said she took the ACT in the 9th grade. She's a good student, mostly "A's", involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, looking at colleges now; I consider her a bright kid. Her 9th grade ACT scores were 1-2 points over GS9's Explore scores. That gives me a better idea of what GS9 might do with opportunity and dedication.

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    You should sign up for June with me so we'll have two data points and I have company for the wait. wink (although it's much shorter than the Explore wait, and online instead of jogging to the mailbox... I suppose I'll survive on my own! LOL)


    Erica
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    Not this year for GS9, but maybe next year it will be the Explore in Jan & the ACT, but not sure on the timing for the ACT.

    eta - After the Explore, GS9 said he wasn't going to do that again. We just talked about his thoughts about the test, and I let it go. I have not told him his scores, other than to say he did very well. Yesterday, I told him I found a college in state that will give a scholarship for the tuition based on good grades and good ACT scores, and that his Explore scores were on track for him to achieve those ACT scores for the scholarship. Now he's all fired up to take the test again.

    Last edited by OHGrandma; 04/22/09 09:18 AM.
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    I think it's a bit like comparing apples and oranges. The scaled scores are from 1-25 on EXPLORE, and from 1-36 on ACT, with increasing difficulty of material from one to the other.

    http://actstudent.org/explore/tests/epas.html

    There is an expected increase in scores, but from Dottie's link, it doesn't look linear to me. I guess I'll just have to hush up and let DC take the test...

    Last edited by twomoose; 04/22/09 04:39 PM. Reason: clarification
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    Originally Posted by Dottie
    Way to motivate the kid there Oma!!! I think I misread your first post, but if you are asking about Explore/ACT overlap, I believe the tests are designed somewhat so that a score of say 17 means the same on both tests. It's not as clean cut as this, because the ACT obviously has more advanced material, but I believe that's the design intent.

    This data is fun...

    http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/benchmarks.pdf

    But remember these are goals for 8th graders to do "moderately well" in college. Of course we'd want our kids to top that heartily by 8th, if not sooner. It's fun seeing just how much sooner that can be, wink . The corresponding ACT goals could probably be expected 2-3 years later (junior year?).


    Based on Davidsons qualifying scores for the Explore & ACT, I estimated that a 17 on the Explore was equal to a 17 on the ACT. And with the ACT having a higher ceiling it would naturally have a higher range of scores.

    I don't know what I was thinking when I said GS might take the ACT next school year. He has plenty of room to improve on the Explore, he's not bumping any ceilings at this point. My whole point in having him take the Explore next Jan is to check on his progress and advocate for subject acceleration in 6th grade. I think the only reason I'd really have him take the ACT next year is if the school officials seem unfamiliar with the Explore. He doesn't have the stamina for a longer test at this time and I don't think he'll have it by Dec.


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    DS 10 took EXPLORE in January 08 and ACT in Dec 08. Explore math 24, ACT 26. I would say pretty similar, especially since no new material introduced (isn't that terrible?). EXPLORE composite 20 vs. ACT composite 25. Big difference was English for Explore at 18 vs. 28 for ACT. Pretty dramatic.

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    cym, did you use either the Explore or ACT scores to try to get accelerated work for your son at school? Were any school officials impressed by the scores?

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