act aspire essay prompts

ACT Aspire Practice Tests and Tips

It’s never too early or late to start preparing for the ACT Aspire with practice tests and tips. Many districts use the ACT Aspire program to assess understanding of common core standards, look for areas where students can improve, and prepare students for their futures. Designed to focus on creative problem solving, the test features a wide variety of question types your students will need to answer. Luckily, Pear Assessment (formerly Edulastic) is here to help! While ACT Aspire offers some practice assessments, Pear Assessment can help your students prepare for the test with a series of free practice tests for different grades and subjects. With ACT Aspire Practice Tests and top testing tips, Pear Assessment is here to offer test-taking support from the first day of class, all the way to testing day.

Top skills for ACT Aspire practice success

Understand technology-enhanced questions.

With summative testing now being conducted online, ACT Aspire tests include a mixture of traditional multiple choice questions, as well as technology-enhanced items (TEIs). In the test, students should be prepared to drag and drop, fill in boxes on a table, highlight, select and deselect, use drop down menus, activate a video, and use online calculators. You can help your students avoid additional testing stress by giving them practice with TEIs early on. When students feel comfortable with the question type, they are more equipped to focus on the question’s content and rock the test.

Ensure students are familiar with their testing device

Replicating testing-day conditions is a great way to prepare students for the ACT Aspire test. Whether your students are taking their test on a Mac, iPad, PC, Chromebook, or other device, they should be familiar with the process of digital test-taking on their electronics. To reduce stress, students, teachers, and parents can read up on common device questions and testing tech tips to ensure they are prepared. As a general rule of thumb, students should know how to do the following on their testing device: operate web browsers and the TestNav application, use the keyboard, and operate the mouse.  

Prepare for the test length

When taking standardized tests, students may feel like they have both too much and too little time. When taking the test, students should be prepared to sit in front of their device for at least an hour with no breaks — so make sure your students have all taken their snack and bathroom breaks before the test begins. At the same time, students may feel rushed as the test progresses. By preparing your students in advance with practice tests, you can ensure there are no surprises on testing day and your students feel equipped to complete the test in a timely manner. For example, ELA teachers may want to help their students prepare for essay questions by offering suggestions on how much time to spend at the reading, outlining, and writing stages of the question. Exposure to practice tests can help students build their test-taking stamina and manage their time better when taking the test.  

For English Language tests:

• Practice vocabulary, literary terms, and grammar rules
• Encourage students to plan their essay-taking strategies in advance — including time to proofread their essays before moving on to the next section 
• Encourage students to read passages actively and carefully, and refer back to the passage as often as needed
• Answer all parts of the question

For Math & Science tests

• Practice memorizing formulas with students
• Ensure students feel comfortable with the calculator they will need to use
• Read the questions carefully — and pay special attention to any negative numbers in the question
• Know what types of questions will be asked for different age groups

Ready to practice? Log into Pear Assessment and start assigning ACT Aspire practice assessments to your students!

ACT Aspire practice tests

Grade 6 ACT Aspire Formatted Test - Intelligent Machines

1 essay question, Bonnie Brewer

‍ Grade 7 ACT Aspire Workshop (Math)

11 questions, Donna Jamell

‍ Grade 7 ACT Practice Prompt  

‍ Middle School - River Ecology: Invasive Species  

5 questions, Lesley Merritt

‍High School - ACT Aspire Practice: Quadratic Formula and Graphing Quadratics

8 questions, Alison Cox

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ACT Aspire Exemplar Items

ACT Aspire incorporates multiple question types including constructed response, selected response, and technology-enhanced items to better assess student knowledge and provide more meaningful insights.

Student Sandbox and Exemplar Booklets

We have developed two resources designed to help students, parents, educators, and policymakers become familiar with ACT Aspire test presentation and content. These resources, the Student Sandbox and the Exemplar Test Question Booklets , illustrate the different types of test questions and formats found in both paper-based and computer-based testing modes.

Users may also interact with TestNav tools and functionality by using the TestNav 8 Tutorial below.

Student Sandbox (TestNav8)

The Student Sandbox provides students an opportunity to become familiar not only with ACT Aspire test questions, but also with navigating the TestNav test platform. Like the Exemplar Test Question Booklets, the Student Sandbox will present at least one test question for each reporting category for a given test.

The Student Sandbox should be accessed with a desktop or laptop computer rather than a tablet or smartphone. 

Accessing the Student Sandbox

• Locate username and password information by selecting a subject from the tabs below.
• Click on the "Student Sandbox Login" button below to open the login screen for the Student Sandbox.

Exemplar Test Question Booklets

ACT Aspire has developed a booklet for each grade and subject that defines ACT Aspire reporting categories for each test. These booklets present at least one test question aligned to each of the reporting categories on a given test. Depth of Knowledge level (DOK), a description of the task presented by the test question, and a description of the correct response are also provided, along with Improvement Idea Statements to help students build on their current level of skill and knowledge.

English Login and Exemplar Booklets

English login information.

English Exemplar Test Question Booklets

• Grade 3 English Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 4 English Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 5 English Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 6 English Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 7 English Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 8 English Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Early H.S. English Exemplar Item (PDF)

Math Login and Exemplar Booklets

Math logins information.

Math Exemplar Test Question Booklets

• Grade 3 Math Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 4 Math Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 5 Math Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 6 Math Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 7 Math Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 8 Math Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Early HS Math Exemplar Item (PDF)

Reading Login and Exemplar Booklets

Reading login information.

Reading Exemplar Test Question Booklets

• Grade 3 Reading Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 4 Reading Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 5 Reading Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 6 Reading Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 7 Reading Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 8 Reading Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Early H.S. Reading Exemplar Item (PDF)

Science Login and Exemplar Booklets

Science login information.

Science Exemplar Test Question Booklets

• Grade 3 Science Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 4 Science Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 5 Science Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 6 Science Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 7 Science Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 8 Science Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Early H.S. Science Exemplar Item (PDF)

Writing Login and Exemplar Booklets

Writing login information.

Writing Exemplar Test Question Booklets

• Grade 3 Writing Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 4 Writing Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 5 Writing Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 6 Writing Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 7 Writing Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Grade 8 Writing Exemplar Item (PDF)
• Early H.S. Writing Exemplar Item (PDF)

TestNav 8 Tutorial

The TestNav 8 Tutorial can be used by students and educators to interact with the TestNav 8 computer-based environment and functionality prior to testing. Please click the button below to view the TestNav 8 Tutorial.

Please open the TestNav 8 Tutorial using either FireFox or Internet Explorer.

Item Counts

Item Counts are listed below by Content Area, Grade Levels, Item Type, and Total Items for the Summative Assessments. Technology-enhanced items are under development and thus their counts are subject to change. All ACT Aspire Summative items are new development – written and coded to the Common Core State Standards.

Science Items

Reading Items

English Items

Writing Items

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Dr. robert d. kohen, college admissions consulting & test prep, ten new act essay question prompts.

The ACT recently changed the format of the optional essay, debuting the new essay on the September 2015 exam. From September on, all essay prompts will require you to not only respond to a specific question, but to also read and address three unique perspectives on the question.

While the new essay format is admittedly more complex than the earlier version, it’s still very predictable and you can do very well on it with the right preparation. For advice on how to approach the essay, check out my post  How To Write the New ACT Essay .

Unfortunately, the ACT has only released a meager two sample prompts for you to preview. The first one is available on the ACT’s website here . The second is included in the most recent practice ACT the test makers have released, available as a PDF  here .

In order to do your best on the essay, you’ll want to make sure you practice with more than just two essay question prompts. Here are ten additional new ACT sample essay question prompts I’ve written to help you prepare. You’ll have 40 minutes to complete each essay.

Accelerating Globalization (Sample Essay Prompt 1)

Only a few hundred years ago, communication between countries on opposite ends of the globe was painstakingly slow or non-existent. Most people knew little about distant lands, peoples and cultures. What they thought they knew was frequently erroneous or ill conceived. Within the past hundred years, however, the pace of globalization has accelerated rapidly. Today travel across the globe in less than 24 hours is a real possibility for many people. Individuals and nations can instantly communicate with one another across great distances. For better or worse, the world has become more connected than was ever imaginable before, and it continues to become more connected every day. Has globalization made the world a better or a worse place?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the effects of globalization.

Perspective 1

Globalization, despite its lustrous promises, has created more problems than it has solved. It has allowed rich countries to get richer at the expense of poorer countries, and it has increased, not decreased, the number of armed conflicts in the world.

Perspective 2

The world is undoubtedly a better place today because of globalization. It has allowed critical resources to be distributed to the governments and people that need them the most.

Perspective 3

While I celebrate the productive exchange of cultures globalization has facilitated, I worry about how globalization is homogenizing those cultures. Take languages—do we really want to live in a world where one day everyone only speaks only one global language?

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the impact of globalization on the world. In your essay, be sure to:

• analyze and evaluate the perspectives given
• state and develop your own perspective on the issue
• explain the relationship between your perspective and those given

Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different. Whatever the case, support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed, persuasive examples.

Technology and Everyday Life (Sample Essay Prompt 2)

Technology has radically changed the way we interact with the world. Not long ago, individuals who wanted to get in touch had to do so either by meeting in person or sending messages through postal mail. In order to perform most types of research, people were forced to visit physical libraries, bookstores or archives. Over the past two decades, technology has rendered many of these time-consuming tasks obsolete. Messages can be sent anywhere in the world via email in only a matter of seconds. All sorts of information is available with the click of a smart phone button. People can not only call individuals anytime, but they can also access their geolocation on demand. It seems like everyone is on his or her smart phone every waking minute. Has this increase in the power and reach of technology bettered out lives?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the presence of technology in our lives.

Today’s technology has greatly bettered our lives. Individuals are more connected to the information and people they want to connect with, and the result is smarter, happier and more fulfilled human beings.

Technology promises to “connect” us with one another. But look around and you’ll see how disconnected it’s made us—individuals no longer interact with one another because they’ve become so consumed by their phones and devices.

Technology may have made the world a better place for those who have access to it, but its prohibitive costs have made it inaccessible, and consequently unhelpful, to too many people.

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the impact of technology on our lives. In your essay, be sure to:

College Sports (Sample Essay Prompt 3)

College sports have become incredibly popular in the United States. Big games air on the most coveted TV channels at the most coveted times. Teams are followed not only by loyal students and alumni but also by diverse fans from across the country. Major athletic programs bring millions of dollars to university coffers. Star coaches can often earn more than university presidents, making them the highest paid employees on campus. Full scholarships are awarded to star athletes because of their athletic prowess rather than their academic record. In some instances, athletes are even given fake grades to help them stay on the team. Given all of this, should colleges continue to support their sports teams?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the role of athletics at colleges.

Colleges should strongly support their sports teams. These teams not only generate millions of dollars for schools, but they also help sell prospective students on attending the college.

Sports have no official place in college. Colleges are institutions created for learning, not for athletics. College sports compromise academic standards and disadvantage students who don’t participate.

While college sports play a valuable role on university campuses, it is important for administrators to not lose perspective. That some football coaches earn more than university presidents, for example, is clearly wrong.

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on college support for sports teams. In your essay, be sure to:

College Curricula (Sample Essay Prompt 4)

For years, American colleges have emphasized the liberal arts over more narrow technical and professional training. College students have been required to study a broad range of academic disciplines, such as literature, philosophy, history and mathematics. Today, however, a growing number of colleges and students have rejected the liberal arts in favor of what some consider to be more practical subjects, such as accounting, finance and nutrition. Global economic hardship has led many to question the value of a liberal arts education that, in their eyes, fails to adequately prepare students for the realities they will face after graduation. Is it important for colleges to promote the study of the liberal arts, or should they emphasize professional and technical training in its place?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about college curricula.

The liberal arts are essential to a quality education because they teach students how to think critically about a broad range of topics, thus preparing them to tackle any issue that might arise in the workplace.

It is time to bury the liberal arts model at our colleges. Reading Shakespeare and studying pure mathematics will not help anyone be successful in any sort of business.

Colleges should closely integrate the liberal arts with professional studies, as each can benefit from the other. Business courses, for example, are enriched by the philosophical study of ethics.

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the relative importance of the liberal arts and professional studies. In your essay, be sure to:

Arts Funding (Sample Essay Prompt 5)

Government funding for the arts is commonplace in many countries today. In the United States, the government funds writers, musicians and visual artists through a variety of initiatives. Critics of this type of funding argue that the government has no place in the arts. Why should taxpayers, the majority of whom have no interest in the works being supported by such funding, be forced to pay for those works? Others, however, argue that government funding for the arts is critical to the wellness of our society. Given the dismal financial prospects in the arts, many artists would be unable to support themselves without the type of funding that the government provides. Should the government continue to fund the arts?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the government funding for the arts.

The government has no place in the arts because the government is not qualified to judge which projects should receive funding and which should not.

Without financial support from the government, many great works of art would never be created. Government funding is thus essential.

The free marketplace, not the government, is the best source of arts funding. If an artist can’t get any money, the reason is simple—her work is not very good!

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on government funding of the arts. In your essay, be sure to:

Corporate Responsibility (Sample Essay Prompt 6)

Large corporations make up some of the wealthiest entities in the world today. Some see these corporations as engines of economic development and progress, bringing better products at better prices to a wider range of people every day. Others, however, criticize corporations for their shortcomings when it comes to social responsibility: failing to assist the less fortunate in our society, including their workers, while focusing too narrowly on profits at the expense of social welfare. Should corporations do more than simply aim to improve their profit margins? Is it important for large corporations to set aside profits from time to time in order to donate to charities and to help the needy?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about corporate responsibility.

Corporations have only one responsibility: to make the greatest profit they possibly can. It is only by doing so that they can benefit their workers, shareholders, and society.

Profits often get in the way of doing the right thing. Large corporations should focus less on profits and more on developing meaningful ways of helping the disadvantaged.

It is important that corporations adhere to any and all laws that pertain to them. Beyond this, however, they are free to do as they please.

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on corporate responsibility. In your essay, be sure to:

The Federal Government (Sample Essay Prompt 7)

The United States government is made up of various national, state and local governing bodies. Certain responsibilities, like the building of interstate roadways, are looked after by the national, or federal, government, whereas more local issues are often overseen by local government bodies like state legislatures or city councils. Many argue that states and cities in the United States wield too much power, power that they believe should belong in the hands of the federal government. Others contend that the federal government is too large and is unresponsive to the particular needs of states and cities; they would like to see local government overtake many of the responsibilities now delegated to the federal government. Should the federal government or local governing bodies have more power?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the role of the federal government.

States and cities are ill-equipped to handle most of their own governing. The federal government can do not only a better job of governing them, but a faster and cheaper one.

The federal government is too big to adequately address the needs of individual states and cities. States and cities know what is best for them, not the federal government.

Local government fails only when it lacks the backing of the federal government. The federal government should provide logistical and financial support to states and cities in order to enable them to govern themselves effectively.

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the relative roles of local and federal government. In your essay, be sure to:

Religious Liberty (Sample Essay Prompt 8)

The relationship between religious liberty and individual rights has often been a problematic one throughout American history. Today, for example, many businesses feel compelled to refuse service to homosexuals because of the religious beliefs of the business owners. Some argue that this refusal of service constitutes unlawful discrimination. Public school boards are often uncertain which religious holidays to add to the academic calendar. Should a Christian student, for instance, have to miss school because of a Jewish holiday? How should the state balance the need to respect religious liberty with need to preserve the rights of all members of society?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about religious liberty and individual rights.

The state must accommodate all religions to the fullest extent possible. This means school days off for all major religious holidays and protecting the right of business owners to refuse service based on religious beliefs.

The government has no special obligation to protect religious liberties when they interfere with the freedoms and well-being of the public at large.

Government should seek, to the greatest extent possible, ways to accommodate both religious liberty and individual rights when the two find themselves in conflict.

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the state and religious liberty. In your essay, be sure to:

Solving Society’s Problems (Sample Prompt 9)

The world today faces a wide range of challenges. Despite the great economic and scientific progress mankind has made, many in the world are still struggling to survive. Even in developed nations, individuals and communities face problems like poverty, disease and violence. Individuals and private organizations have done much to help alleviate many of these problems. Government have also played a role in addressing issues like poverty and public health. In your opinion, who has a bigger role to play in solving today’s problems: governments or individuals?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the role of government and individuals in solving today’s problems.

Individuals could not possibly hope to solve problems as large as the ones we face today. Only large governments with sizable resources can help.

Governments are, by nature, composed of individuals working as a team. Governments can solve major problems because they harness the power of individuals.

The best solutions to society’s problems always come from individuals, not governments. Governments lack the creativity and drive necessary to tackle major problems successfully.

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the role of individuals and governments as problem solvers. In your essay, be sure to:

Avoiding Armed Conflicts (Sample Prompt 10)

Armed conflicts between nations have always been and remain, unfortunately, a constant fact of life. How politicians and governments seek to avoid of these conflicts, however, varies greatly. Many leaders and political thinkers insist on the importance of demonstrating military might in order to reduce the likelihood of such conflicts. Others argue that flexing military muscle is basically inviting armed conflict, and that the best way nations can avoid conflicts is simply by keeping an open line of communication with one another. When forced to choose between a strong showing of military might and diplomatic efforts, which should nations choose in order to avoid armed conflicts?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about how military might and diplomatic efforts can prevent armed conflicts.

Without a strong showing of military might, a nation will lead its enemies to believe that it is weak and vulnerable to attack. The result is, inevitably, such an attack.

International conflicts can quickly escalate into full-blown armed conflicts unless the nations involved talk to one another and learn to settle their differences through words rather than bombs.

Demonstrating military might is always a better way to prevent armed conflict than diplomacy, because whereas military might is a deterrent to conflict, diplomacy rarely succeeds in resolving international disagreements.

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the respective roles of diplomacy and military might. In your essay, be sure to:

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Enter your email to unlock an extra $25 off an sat or act program, by submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., sample act essay prompt (and how to tackle it).

Are you taking the ACT with Writing? No need to stress! The ACT essay follows a predictable format, which means you can practice and prepare beforehand. Take a look at a sample ACT writing prompt and learn five key steps to penning a high-scoring essay.

Keep in mind: The ACT writing essay is optional. Currently, only 27 colleges and universities require the ACT with Writing. You can see the complete list  here . If there is any chance that you might apply to one of those schools, you should register for the ACT with Writing. Not sure where you will apply? You should strongly consider signing up for the essay and keep your options open.

ACT with Writing: Sample Prompt

This example writing prompt comes straight from our book ACT Prep :

Education and the Workplace

Many colleges and universities have cut their humanities departments, and high schools have started to shift their attention much more definitively toward STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and away from ELA (English, Language Arts). Representatives from both school boards and government organizations suggest that the move toward STEM is necessary in helping students to participate in a meaningful way in the American workplace. Given the urgency of this debate for the future of education and society as a whole, it is worth examining the potential consequences of this shift in how students are educated in the United States.

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the shift in American education.

Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the issue of how schools should balance STEM and ELA subjects. In your essay, be sure to:

• analyze and evaluate the perspectives given
• state and develop your own perspective on the issue
• explain the relationship between your perspective and those given

Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different. Whatever the case, support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed, persuasive examples.

How to Write the ACT Essay

Your job is to write an essay in which you take some sort of position on the prompt, all while assessing the three perspectives provided in the boxes. Find a way to anchor your essay with a unique perspective of your own that can be defended and debated, and you are already in the upper echelon of scorers.

Step 1: Work the Prompt

What in the prompt requires you to weigh in? Why is this issue still the subject of debate and not a done deal?

Step 2: Work the Perspectives

Typically, the three perspectives will be split: one for , one against , and one in the middle . Your goal in Step 2 is to figure out where each perspective stands and then identify at least one shortcoming of each perspective. For the example above, ask yourself: 

• What does each perspective consider?
• What does each perspective overlook?

Read More: What's a Good ACT Score?

Step 3: Generate Your Own Perspective

Now it's time to come up with your own perspective! If you merely restate one of the three given perspectives, you won’t be able to get into the highest scoring ranges. You’ll draw from each of the perspectives, and you may side with one of them, but your perspective should have something unique about it.

Step 4: Put It All Together

Now that you have your ideas in order, here's a blueprint for how to organize the ACT essay. This blueprint works no matter what your prompt is.

Step 5: (If There's Time): Proofread

Spend one or two minutes on proofreading your essay if you have time. You’re looking for big, glaring errors. If you find one, erase it completely or cross it out neatly. Though neatness doesn’t necessarily affect your grade, it does make for a happy grader.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, act writing prompts: where to find samples.

I'm preparing for the ACT and I want to practice the writing section to get a good score. Where can I find some good sample prompts for the ACT writing section that will help me understand what's expected?

To effectively prepare for the ACT writing section, you'll want to expose yourself to a variety of sample prompts. This will not only help you understand what's expected but also familiarize you with the different types of essays you may be asked to write. Here are some sources to find high-quality sample prompts:

1. The ACT Official Website: The first and most reliable source for sample prompts is the ACT's official website (www.act.org). They provide a few free sample prompts along with scoring guides and sample essays. This is an excellent starting point, as these prompts are directly from the test makers themselves.

2. ACT Prep Books: Many ACT prep books, such as "The Official ACT Prep Guide" or books from reputable test prep companies like Kaplan, Princeton Review, and Barron's, will include sample writing prompts as part of their practice materials. These books often provide insights into the scoring criteria and strategies for approaching these prompts.

3. CollegeVine: CollegeVine (www.collegevine.com) offers free resources, including sample prompts and expert advice, to help students navigate college admissions and standardized test preparation. Browse through their blog and look out for articles dedicated to the ACT writing section.

4. Online Forums: Communities like College Confidential (www.collegeconfidential.com) and Reddit's r/ACT subreddit (www.reddit.com/r/ACT) often have discussions and shared experiences about the ACT, including writing prompts used in previous exams. While these prompts may not be official, they can be helpful for understanding the range of topics that real students have encountered.

5. Free ACT Practice Tests: Many websites offer free online practice tests, which can include ACT writing prompts. Some reputable sources include PrepScholar and Varsity Tutors. Keep in mind that while these resources can offer valuable practice, not all prompts may be as high quality or representative of the real exam as those found on the ACT's official website or in prep books.

Remember that practicing a variety of prompts and receiving feedback on your essays is key to improving your ACT writing score. If possible, consider seeking guidance from a teacher, tutor, or a peer who has experience with the ACT writing section to review your essays and provide specific feedback on how to improve.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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What Exactly Is the ACT Aspire? Why Should You Care?

In 2014, ACT Inc. replaced the ACT Plan – a pre-test very similar to the ACT – with the ACT Aspire. Aspire has a very different format, age range, and goals than either the ACT Plan or the regular ACT.

So why did the ACT release a new test, and how can it help you prepare for the ACT? We will explore what makes Aspire unique and what you can expect from it.

History: The ACT Plan

Before ACT Aspire, ACT offered the Plan. The Plan was a straightforward ACT practice test designed for 10 th graders. It tested the same subject areas as the ACT and used the same format: a paper and pencil multiple-choice test.

The Plan was seen as the ACT’s version of the PSAT. (The PSAT is the SAT’s practice test.) However, unlike the PSAT, the Plan did not enter you into a scholarship competition . It was just a test to let 10 th graders (and their schools) know if they were on track to meet college readiness benchmarks and do well on the ACT.

The ACT also offered the Explore, a test with the same format but less difficult content, meant to show middle school students if they were on track for high school.

The Plan was scored between 1 and 32, while the ACT is scored between 1 and 36. As such, the Plan predicted an ACT score between 1 and 5 points higher than a Plan score . For example, a Plan score of 32 predicted an ACT score between 33 and 36.

However, in 2014, ACT discontinued both the Plan and Explore and replaced them with the ACT Aspire. ACT Aspire also predicts an ACT score, but its format and scoring are very different, and it has much broader goals.

Why Did ACT Create the Aspire?

ACT is hoping the Aspire will become a widely-used test not just for ACT practice, but to assess Common Core standards.

The Common Core is a new series of education standards being adopted by many states in the US. The standards are supposed to be more rooted in critical and creative thinking , so they are less straightforward than the old standards.

As an example, an old Algebra standard for linear equations could be something like this: “Interpret the equation y = mx + b as defining a linear function, whose graph is a straight line.”

The Common Core expects students to “Distinguish between situations that can be modeled with linear functions and with exponential functions” and to “Prove that linear functions grow by equal differences over equal intervals, and that exponential functions grow by equal factors over equal intervals.”

In other words, the content is the same, but the expectations and methods are different.

Since the Common Core has a different approach, it also requires different standardized tests to monitor student progress. This is where ACT hopes the Aspire will come in. (The PARCC and Smarter Balanced are other examples of tests being offered for the same purpose.)

Because of this, the ACT Aspire isn’t just a 10 th grade test – it is designed to be given every year starting in 3 rd grade all the way through 10 th grade , so it can assess student growth from year to year. In that sense, Aspire is a much larger and more ambitious undertaking than the Plan or Explore.

The goal of Aspire is to identify learning gaps early on to help students stay on track for college readiness, while also preparing students for the content on the ACT. To do that, Aspire will also track college readiness using the ACT’s benchmarks .

What Is the Aspire Like?

The Aspire has five sections that align with the ACT Plus Writing subject areas: Reading, English, Math, Science, and Writing. (The Plan did not include a writing section.)

However, unlike the ACT, Aspire includes a wide variety of question types. Aspire questions can be multiple choice, short answer, or long answer (including essays and narratives). The questions also make students rearrange lists, correct math problems, or pick multiple answers from a set of choices. So even though the content is similar to the ACT's, the Aspire as a test is quite different.

As an example, here are two short answer questions featured on a sample Aspire test:

A short-answer reading question.

Via ACT Aspire .

If you want to see more sample questions for yourself, go to this website and enter the login information for the test section and grade level you're interested in .

Note that the Aspire is a timed test, like the ACT.

Aspire can be offered either on computers or on paper. The paper option is more expensive, so it’s likely many students will end up taking it on the computer. This is also different than the ACT, which is a paper-and-pencil bubble test.

How Is Aspire Scored?

The Aspire does not use an ACT-like scale the way the Plan did. Instead, the Aspire assigns scores between 400 and 460 for each subject .

The score ranges are tied to grade levels, with an expected increase for each grade. When you get a score report, it will include your score, how you compare to others in your grade, your strengths, and where you can still improve.

The ACT still uses those scores to predict future ACT scores, based on when you took the test. For example, they would predict a higher future ACT score if an 8 th grader earned a 410 versus a 10 th grader, since an 8 th grader has more time to learn and improve. However, the prediction is less straightforward than just adding a few ACT composite points. Furthermore, since the Aspire is so different, the prediction is not at all set in stone. (See our Aspire to ACT Score Predictions article for more on Aspire scoring and ACT predictions.)

What's a Good Aspire Score?

 What score should you be aiming for on the Aspire?  ACT has provided low, high, and benchmark scores for each of the five subjects tested in grades 3 through 10. Benchmark scores are what you need to reach to be considered "on track", a low score is below average, and a high score is above average. You can use this chart to figure out how well you/your child is scoring  on the Aspire or to set goal scores for the next exam.

Will Aspire Help You Prepare for the ACT?

Since Aspire is given over several years and uses different question types, you may be wondering how it will help you prepare for the ACT, which is mostly multiple-choice and usually taken by 11 th and 12 th graders.

The main way Aspire will help you prepare for the ACT is by testing the same content, with the same benchmarks. Aspire will show you if you are learning enough, content-wise, to do well on the ACT.

Aspire will also give you more time to improve for the ACT. For example, if you learn as a sixth grader that your math scores are lower than your peers’ scores, you have five years to improve your math skills before taking the ACT. If you learned that from the Plan, you would have only had one year to study and improve.

That said, the actual ACT’s format is quite different from Aspire – all multiple-choice unless you take the ACT Plus Writing – and has more intense pacing. Getting a great score on the ACT requires good pacing and multiple-choice test strategy as well as knowing the content. The Aspire will help you learn content, but it won’t help you prepare for the ACT’s format.

Since the ACT’s format is different, you will have to put in some time to study for the ACT outside of class, even if you take Aspire every year from 3 rd grade onward. Even if Aspire predicts you will get an excellent ACT score, you can’t just walk into the ACT without studying and expect a 36.

Bottom Line: ACT Aspire

Although you might hear about students studying for the PSAT to qualify for scholarships, don’t stress about the ACT Aspire – it will give your school data on your progress, but it won’t be used in college admissions or scholarship competitions. Just look at it as another way to gauge your progress as you approach college.

Also, as we explore in our score predictions article, the Aspire is not an absolute predictor of your ACT score. If you’re wondering how you’ll do on the actual ACT, it might be more efficient to just take a practice test . And don’t worry too much even if Aspire predicts a low score – with smart studying, you can beat the prediction easily.

What’s Next?

We recommend beginning your ACT studying early. Getting a good score can really improve your college admissions chances! Get an ACT study plan if you have a year or more to study.

Need to prep for the ACT, ASAP? Get an intensive 10-day study plan .

Considering taking the SAT instead? Learn which test is easier , and which one you will do best on .

Want to learn more about the PSAT and how it qualifies you for the National Merit Competition ? Check out our National Merit semifinalist guide .

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Halle Edwards graduated from Stanford University with honors. In high school, she earned 99th percentile ACT scores as well as 99th percentile scores on SAT subject tests. She also took nine AP classes, earning a perfect score of 5 on seven AP tests. As a graduate of a large public high school who tackled the college admission process largely on her own, she is passionate about helping high school students from different backgrounds get the knowledge they need to be successful in the college admissions process.

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Writing Test Description for the ACT

If you register for the ACT with writing, you will take the writing section after the four multiple-choice sections. Your score in the writing section will not affect your scores on the multiple-choice or your Composite score.

The writing section is a 40-minute essay test that measures your writing skills—specifically, writing skills taught in high school English classes and in entry-level college composition courses.

The section consists of one writing prompt that describes a complex issue and provides three different perspectives on the issue. You are asked to read the prompt and write an essay in which you develop your own perspective on the issue. Your essay must analyze the relationship between your own perspective and one or more other perspectives. You may adopt one of the perspectives given in the prompt as your own, or you may introduce one that is completely different from those given. Your score will not be affected by the perspective you take on the issue.

Five scores are reported for the writing section: a single subject-level writing score reported on a scale of 2–12, and four domain scores that are based on an analytic scoring rubric. The subject score is the rounded average of the four domain scores. The four writing domains are:

Writing Skills Measured by the ACT Writing Test

Ideas and analysis.

Scores in this domain reflect the ability to generate productive ideas and engage critically with multiple perspectives on the given issue. Competent writers understand the issue they are invited to address, the purpose for writing, and the audience. They generate ideas that are relevant to the situation.

Development and Support

Scores in this domain reflect the ability to discuss ideas, offer rationale, and bolster an argument. Competent writers explain and explore their ideas, discuss implications, and illustrate through examples. They help the reader understand their thinking about the issue.

Organization

Scores in this domain reflect the ability to organize ideas with clarity and purpose. Organizational choices are integral to effective writing. Competent writers arrange their essay in a way that clearly shows the relationship between ideas, and they guide the reader through their discussion.

Language Use and Conventions

Scores in this domain reflect the ability to use written language to convey arguments with clarity. Competent writers make use of the conventions of grammar, syntax, word usage, and mechanics. They are also aware of their audience and adjust the style and tone of their writing to communicate effectively. See  sample essays  or read   test tips .

Get more information about how the writing test is scored .

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