th
8
Grade Explore
Testing
Explore, Plan, ACT: Navigating
Standardized Testing
EXPLORE Test
 8th
grade students will take the EXPLORE
October 22nd and 23rd.
 The test includes four academic, multiple
choice tests.
 The test also includes an interest
inventory, which helps students explore a
possible career path.
The Explore test includes four
multiple-choice tests:
Subject
Number of
Questions
How Long It
Takes
English
40
30 minutes
Math
30
30 minutes
Reading
30
30 minutes
Science
28
30 minutes
What Your Score Report Tells You



The EXPLORE Student Score Report gives
information about your knowledge, skills,
interests, and plans.You can use this
information as you plan your high school
coursework and begin thinking about college
and work.
Your report tells you how you did on the
EXPLORE tests and how your scores
compare to those of other students across
the nation.
It contains information about your
educational and career plans, interests, high
school coursework plans, and the amount of
help you think you need in seven areas.
Sample Score Sheet
Sample Educational/Career Plan
Sheet
The ACT Continuum

EXPLORE is the first part of a testing system that goes on to
include PLAN and the ACT.

Typically, students take EXPLORE in the 8th grade, PLAN as 10th
graders, and the ACT as juniors or seniors.

All three test you in English, math, reading, and science. However,
the material tested in each program gets more difficult. This is why
the top scores are different.
Program
EXPLORE
PLAN
ACT
Grade Level
8
10
11 and 12
Composite Score Range
1 to 25
1 to 32
1 to 36
Keep in mind…




No matter what your starting score is on
EXPLORE, there are strategies to accelerate
student learning.
The prediction of a 1-5 point growth is
statistically accurate, but not locked in.
Accelerating math education is a decided
factor in increasing scores.
The following slide displays an example of
College Readiness Standards, curriculum to
master in order to obtain a possible score
range. You can find more College Readiness
Standards information by exploring the
websites listed on a future slide.
Category: Basic Operations and Applications
Score Range 13-15
Score Range 2427
Score Range 33-36
Perform one-operation
computation with
whole numbers and
decimals
Solve multistep
arithmetic
problems that
involve planning or
converting units of
measure (e.g., feet
per second to miles
per hour)
Solve complex arithmetic
problems involving percent of
increase or decrease and
problems requiring integration of
several concepts from prealgebra and/or pre-geometry
(e.g., comparing percentages or
averages, using several ratios, and
finding ratios in geometry
settings)
Solve problems in one
or two steps using
whole numbers
Perform common
conversions (e.g., inches
to feet or hours to
minutes)
EXPLORE >> PLAN >> ACT
ACT
11th Grade
Out of 36
PLAN
10th Grade
Out of 32
EXPLORE
8th Grade
Out of 25
Each test helps you predict the
next and can help you make
post-high school plans.
What does it take to get admitted
to:
Open
Enrollment
2.8
GPA
22 ACT
3.2
GPA
25 ACT
4.0
GPA
31 ACT
4.4
GPA
33 ACT
Average ACT score for 204 high school students admitted to
these colleges
Why is EXPLORE important?




The EXPLORE test will help predict your
score on future standardized tests – the
PLAN and the ACT.
The interest inventory can assist you as you
start to plan you future education and
career path.
The interest inventory can help identify
strengths and weaknesses in multiple
academic areas.
Your scores will be used as a factor for high
school course level selection.
Turn to an elbow partner…

Respond to these questions…
◦ What are your educational plans for the
future?
◦ What are your potential career plans for the
future?
◦ Why is the EXPLORE score important?
◦ How do you think you can prepare to do
your best on the EXPLORE?
How can you prepare for
EXPLORE?
You do not need to study for EXPLORE.
It tests your knowledge, as an 8th grade
student.
 Get plenty of rest the nights before the
test.
 Eat a healthy lunch and breakfast.
 Bring necessary materials (pencils, erasers,
calculator).
 Focus on doing your best on the test.

For More Information…
Information in this presentation can also
be found by accessing the following
Websites. You can also find sample
EXPLORE questions on the sites.
 http://www.act.org/explorestudent/
 http://www.act.org/explore/pdf/YourGuid
eEXPLORE.pdf
 http://www.act.org/explore/pdf/ExploreSa
mple.pdf
 http://www.act.org/standard/
