Information for Students and Families
State Paid Testing – Ohio
2023–2024
Dear Student and Parents/Guardians,
Please read about this opportunity from our state department of education.
Opportunity to Take the ACT Test for FREE
The Ohio Department of Education is paying for juniors to take the ACT® test on February 27th, 2024.
What are the benefits of taking the ACT?
- Free: Students and their families pay nothing for this administration of the test.
- Local: Testing occurs during the school day, at the student’s school.
- Useful: The ACT test—which includes multiple-choice tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science—measures what students have learned in high school. Student test results can be used for admission to many colleges and universities They help students determine their academic readiness for college and provide career guidance based on information they provide to ACT.
What information does ACT ask for?
Before test day, students will be given the Taking the ACT booklet: This includes a checklist for taking the ACT, information about sending and receiving scores, testing rules and policies, as well as non-test questions, which are required and optional questions about the student. They ask students to provide basic identifying information and information about the student and their college and career interests to ACT. Note: ACT will never request a student’s Social Security number.
- Required:Information ACT needs to generate and deliver a student’s score report
- Name (first, last, middle initial)
- Date of birth
- Mailing address
- Optional:Information helpful for student college and career planning
- High school courses/grades
- Student Profile Section
- Interest Inventory
Optional sections: ACT encourages students to complete the optional sections to receive information on their score reports that is helpful for college and career planning, such as suggested college majors and occupations to consider. Note: If students choose not to complete these sections, their score reports will be partially blank. This includes reports sent to their high school, any colleges or universities, and their ACT Educational Opportunity Service (EOS) information (see below).
What other information do students need to provide?
The Ohio Department of Education has compiled a few questions that students will be asked. These are related to the school system and students’ future plans.
How do students prepare for the ACT test?
In addition to
Taking the ACT, the following preparation resource is available at
www.act.org/info-for-examinees:
Preparing for the ACT. It includes test-taking strategies, tips for each content area, and a complete practice test.
Opportunity to Participate in EOS—for FREE
Please consider this related opportunity as well: ACT Educational Opportunity Service (EOS) can help students learn about educational, scholarship, career, and financial aid opportunities—for free.
What are the benefits of EOS?
- Free: As noted, there is no cost to students or their families for this service.
- Useful: ACT research shows that students who participate in EOS have greater access to information about colleges and programs of study. This expands their possibilities for future success.
How do students tell ACT they want to participate in EOS?
One of the optional information questions students complete before the test is whether they want to participate in the EOS.
If their response is Yes:
- The student agrees to be contacted by ACT and organizations participating in EOS.
- The student and their parents/guardians authorize ACT to provide information about the student to colleges, universities, financial aid and scholarship agencies, and organizations that offer educational programs.
- The organizations receive the following information about the student:
- Name, mailing address, email address
- Gender, date of birth, racial/ethnicity background
- High school, year of high school graduation, intended college major and occupational choice
Note: The student’s test scores are not reported through EOS.
If their response is No: The student’s choice applies only to this ACT test administration.
If they do not respond: The student’s information will not be disclosed through EOS unless the student previously authorized release when they registered for the ACT.
Who has access to EOS information?
ACT follows industry standards for high levels of security to protect private and personally identifiable information. It only shares EOS data with the following:
- Accredited postsecondary educational institutions
- Scholarship agencies that offer programs of study at the postsecondary level, educational enrichment programs, or financial aid for postsecondary study
- Government-directed agencies, such as state or federal student financial aid agency or ROTC
- Organizations that offer educational programs and/or financial aid for education
All third-party organizations that participate in EOS agree to contact the student only to share information about their educational and/or financial aid programs.
Opting out of EOS