Using Your EXPLORE Results
Student Guide to EXPLORE
®
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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.
This powerpoint was created with excerpts from ACT Website and ACT materials. 1-14-2011
What Do My Scores Mean?
Your scores are between 1 (the lowest score you can receive) and 25 (the highest score you can
receive) even though you answered a lot more than 25 questions on the EXPLORE test!
Your Composite Score is simply the average of your test scores in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science
(rounded to a whole number).
The two scores directly under English tell you how well you did in these two areas of English:
•Usage/Mechanics—punctuation, grammar and usage, and sentence structure
•Rhetorical Skills—your understanding of the use of strategy, organization, and style in writing
These scores only range from 1 to 12. Added together they do NOT necessarily equal your English Test score.
How Do My Scores Compare with Those of Other Students Who Took EXPLORE?
Next to your scores, you'll find the percent of students scoring at or below your score. This shows
you how your scores compare to those of students across the country who took EXPLORE.
The example above shows 73% next to the student's English score. This means she scored as high as
or higher than 73% of students in her grade across the U.S. who took EXPLORE at about the same
time.
The other percentages show how you scored relative to other students who took EXPLORE in your
school, your school district, and your state.
Am I on Track?
After EXPLORE, you might take PLAN next to see if you're learning what you need to know for college.
Students who take PLAN usually do so in the tenth grade.
Your EXPLORE scores can be used to predict how you are likely to do if you take PLAN as a tenth
grader and keep working hard.
The Estimated PLAN Composite Score Range is a prediction about how you are likely to score on PLAN if you
take the right courses and work hard in those courses.
You can use these predicted or estimated scores to see if you are on track to achieve the scores you want when
you take the ACT later in high school. (See EXPLORE, PLAN, and the ACT.)
Keep in mind that these scores are only estimates, not guarantees. Improving your study habits and taking more
challenging courses are likely to improve your PLAN and ACT scores.
Thinking about College?
Your EXPLORE results give you an early clue as to whether you will be ready for college-level work if
you keep doing the same things in school.
ACT has also developed College Readiness Benchmark Scores. If you meet these benchmark scores,
you are on your way to having the skills you will need by the time you finish high school.
The checkmarks show whether you scored above, at, or below the benchmark scores.
Students who score at or above the College Readiness Benchmark Scores for EXPLORE in English, math, and
science will probably do well in these subjects in high school and college if they keep up with their coursework.
Students scoring at or above the reading benchmark are on their way to having the reading skills they will need
in all of their high school and college courses.
Your Reported Needs
When you took EXPLORE, you were asked whether or not you needed help in seven different
areas. Areas checked on your report are the areas you said you needed help with.
Do you see a need for help in areas where your test scores are weakest? How did your scores compare
to those of other students? Be sure to talk about this with your parents, teachers, or school counselor.
This is the best way to make sure you get the help you need in high school.
Your Future
When you took EXPLORE, you answered questions about your educational and career plans.
This information can help you learn more about careers, clarify your goals, and
begin to plan your future—including your high school courses and, perhaps, a
college education.
Your Plans for High School
Compare Your Courses to "Core" College Prep Courses
When you took EXPLORE, you were asked about the courses you plan to take in high school. This section
of your Score Report compares your plans to our recommendations for "core" college prep courses.
In this example, the student should take at least one more year of math, one more year of
social studies, and one more year of science.
See your counselor if your high school course plans fall short of our "core" college prep course
recommendations.
Your Career Possibilities
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Study Skills
Checklist for Students
 Set a regular time and place to study each day
and throughout the week.
 Keep a daily “to do” list.
 Set goals for yourself.
 Do your reading assignments before the material
is discussed in class.
 Pay close attention and take good notes in class.
 Prepare for tests during your regular study times
instead of cramming at the last minute.
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Keys to Good Educational
and Career Planning
 Take challenging college prep courses in
high school.
 Explore the many career options available
to you and think about how your career
choices will affect your future.
 Set career goals and develop an
educational plan to achieve them.
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EXPLORE
Score
Report
Side 2
Review Your Answers
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How Can I Improve?
The back of your Score Report describes the skills and knowledge you already probably have.
You'll also see some ideas for improving even more in the different subject areas. The
suggestions are based on your scores and can help you do better.
You will definitely want to discuss these ideas with your counselors, teachers, and
parents so that you can work together to get the most from your courses and be
"college ready."
Coursework Planner
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www.explorestudent.org
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