Review: ACT Inc. Explore & Plan Assessment Tests

Attending college was never really "tops" on my Things To Do When I'm an Adult" list. I understood the reasons why some of my peers were working themselves into a frenzy over their SAT or ACT exams, but it just wasn't a priority for me. (After all, you don't need a degree to become a ballerina or a wife/mother, which were my goals at that time.)

As a homeschooling mom, college still isn't high on my list but I realize that one--if not all three--of my children may eventually want or need to attend college, based on their career choices. Enter the Explore & Plan Assessment tests from ACT Inc.!

The Explore and Plan Assessments are handy tools for parents to determine whether or not their child is on the right path for college. By taking either assessment, students gain valuable practice for the actual ACT exam, while parents are alerted to any potential learning gaps or holes that need to be covered in the process.

The Explore assessment is for 8th-9th graders, while the Plan assessment is designed for 10th graders to use as a pre-ACT exam. Each exam assesses your student's skills in four core subject areas:

• English
• Math
• Reading
• Science

Both assessment packets are available for $22.95 and contain:

• Testing booklet titled Sample Test Booklet and Answer Sheet
• Using Your Explore (or Plan) Results brochure—a brief overview of score results and the process
• College Readiness Standards handbook—a handbook that provides ideas for progress in each subject to prepare students for college or the workforce

While I may not be a huge pro-standardized testing, pro-college person, I did enjoy using the Plan test with Sierra. It didn't tell me anything I wasn't already aware of as far as her skills were concerned, but it did provide her with a helpful visual aid at this stage of her academic career. She also didn't seem to mind the testing process at all (especially when I told her it was just a "give it a shot" thing and not a "If you flunk, you have to practice saying, "Do you want fries with that?"). I'm actually looking forward to using the Plan Assessment in another year or two to see where she's improved.

If you've got a college bound student, are curious to see where you student's skills reside on the grand college scale, or simply want to brag about your skills as a homeschool teacher (Ahem! Not that any of us actually do that...), check out either the Explore or Plan Assessment Packets from ACT Inc. Click here to visit their website and learn more.

We give this handy product 2 thumbs up! :)



*As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received free copies of both the Explore & Plan assessments for the purpose of this review. No additional compensation was given and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: ACT Inc. Discover Career Planning Program

Some of us are born knowing what we want to do in life, while others haven't a clue. In junior high and high school we're given a series of tests that measure our skills and interests, in hopes that we find *something* suitable to make us productive members of society.

I remember those tests. They always said I should be a teacher, writer, actress or doctor. (Ahem) The last one's pretty funny, considering I faint at the sight of blood. However, I did enjoy taking those tests even though I already had a pretty good idea of what I wanted out of life.

Since my children are obviously homeschooled, I wasn't sure these types of tests were open to them. Lo and behold, they are! Sierra and I were pleased to receive access to the Discover Online Career Planning Program by ACT Inc. for review.

The Discover Career Planning Program walks students through a battery of tests that measure their interests, strengths, weaknesses, work place ethics, and values. The tests and website are both very user-friendly, and the results were surprisingly accurate. The site lists all the various skills and college requirements of each chosen career path, and even offers a list of colleges by state that cater to those programs. The Discover Program also provides a list of related military careers as well.

Student's results can then be stored in their Discover Portfolio, which can easily be printed and referred to later in the school year.

With the Discover Online Career Planning Program students will:

•Assess interests, abilities and job values.

•Explore occupations, majors and schools.

•Build an education plan that relates to career plans.

•Improve job-seeking skills and develop a resume


Sierra's tests revealed that she would be best suited for a career in culinary arts (no big shock), a career in writing, teaching, or working outdoors in an engineering or construction field. (Talk about your variety of vocational pursuits!)

I really liked how it allowed her to see which area colleges were best suited to her, how much education each vocation required (2 years, 4 years), what sort of classes she'd need to take (more math, science, etc), as well as the information about scholarships and financial aid.

Sierra appreciated the welcome "break" from school work and liked how it listed career options she'd never thought of before (like owning her own bakery or running a hotel restaurant).

The Discover Career Planning Program is available for $19.95 for a 3-month license or $24.95 for a 6-month license. It's a great tool for students planning their high school courses, as well as high school students in their junior or senior year.

I was really pleased with the way the Discover program worked and all it had to offer. Therefore, I proudly award it 2 thumbs up. :)

To learn more about this or other great ACT Inc. programs, please visit their website by clicking here.



*As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received free access to this online program in exchange for review. No other compensation was received. My review is based on my personal opinion only, and should not be considered a substitute for investigating the program yourself prior to purchase.*