ACT free for juniors
No charge grants students opportunity to take test
Junior Evie Gutzke completes a practice ACT reading test Jan. 28. All juniors will take the ACT at 8:20 a.m. Feb. 25 at the high school.
February 5, 2020
Junior Ella Weinmann said the school offering a free ACT test for all students will create a higher college acceptance at Park.
“I really appreciate (it)… I believe because you use the ACT to get into different colleges and other kinds of pathways after high school and it’s nice that it’s more accessible to everyone without having to pay the fee,” Weinmann said.
Testing coordinator Jami LaPray said Park made the decision to provide the ACT for free to increase student access to it.
“The state of Minnesota has mandated that all high schools provide either the SAT or the ACT on a school day,” LaPray said. “School board members decided that it was a good use of school money to allow everyone to take the ACT free, so that way no one said no to it just because they couldn’t afford it.”
Junior Chloe Flynn said although the ACT will be free only one time, it will affect students positively.
“I’m actually very happy about that, because it helps a lot of students in this school that probably couldn’t afford it, and even though it’s our first try it impacts a lot of kids,” Flynn said.
LaPray said the ACT being free makes it accessible to students of all economic backgrounds.
“For some families, the cost of taking the ACT is prohibitive and they just can’t take it,” LaPray said. “By having at least one chance to take the ACT free of charge, it gives every kid no matter what their family’s economics are to take the test.”
According to LaPray, she is pleased to know her tax money goes to help pay for students who will be taking the ACT.
“It’s a really, really good idea. I live in St. Louis Park and I’m glad my tax money is (helping students) because it’s really important that all kids have at least one chance to to have something that’s going to help their education in the future,” LaPray said.
The ACT test will start at 8:20 a.m. Feb. 25 at the Park field house and all juniors will be allowed to take it. In advisory Feb. 19, juniors will be preparing their paperwork and learning more about test day.
