Often, I hear people telling students what they should do to raise their ACT scores. Sometimes it's valid, but far too many times, it's not accurate. In this episode I debunk many misconceptions about the ACT.
Tech centers could be called "The Artist Formally Known as Vo-Tech." The programs, facilities, and awaiting jobs make tech centers a great option for many students. Karen Koehn of NW Technology Center in Alva, OK joins the podcast to discuss what tech centers offer and why every student should consider them. https://www.okcareertech.org (https://www.okcareertech.org) I’d love to connect with you and keep you posted on upcoming episodes and resources. For a free downloadable pdf What Scholarship ...
Join Tulsa Union HS College and Career counselors Chanda Gibson and Emily Ashley as they share a wealth of knowlege to help you navigate scholarships, careers, and ACTs. This episode is loaded with information for students, parents, and fellow counselors. Resource links from this episode: occf.org tulsacf.org cfok.org scholarships.chadcargill.com College Point Advising https://www.collegepoint.info College Essay Guy - Ethan Sawyer https://www.collegeessayguy.com Books mentioned on the show: Coll...
Do you wonder what to do next to raise your scores and win scholarships? Do you ever feel alone in your journey? Everyone needs mentors in life and in the pursuit of test prep, scholarships, and careers. In this episode, I’ll talk about different places to find mentorship and why mentorship is so important. HS Counselors Teachers Tech Center Counselors College Admissions and Scholarship Offices Business Leaders - Especially those involved in scholarships and community programs Fellow Parents Co-...
Do you get stuck on an ACT math question and waste tons of time? Could you backsolve more efficiently? Do you freak out at the end of the math test because the problems are difficult and you're almost out of time? If so, this episode is for you. If a problem is getting extremely long and difficult, you are approaching it the wrong way. You should stop working and decide whether to approach the problem another way or simply guess and go to the next problem. On trial and error problems, start with...
Students say the ACT Science section is the most confusing. Once you understand the test is reasoning and not content, the section becomes much more clear. In this episode, we discuss the difference in concrete versus reasoning learners. We explore how those learners approach the questions differently. Finally, we examine some scenarios and analyze them from a literal, concrete approach versus a reasoning approach.
ACT oulines calculator rules on their site actstudent.org. The rules have changed a lot over the last two decades. Below are the links and explanations from their website as of July 15, 2020. http://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/ACT-calculator-policy.pdf https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/help.html You can call 800.498.6481 for a recorded message containing highlights from this policy. Can I use a calculator? The ACT calculator policy is designed t...
Jackson Cargill is currently an incoming freshman at Stanford University. Getting accepted to Stanford didn't just happen. He worked years to have this opportunity. Jackson discusses many keys to his journey in this episode. Special Guest: Jackson Cargill.
In this episode, we are joined by one of my greatest mentors and heroes, my brother Lance Cargill. We took similar college paths early on. Then, Lance made a critical decision that shaped much of what he believes about college choice. Now, our kids have chosen similar paths to what each of us chose. Today we look at the pros and cons of choosing between moving to attend a prestigious university versus staying close to home to attend a local university. Special Guest: Lance Cargill.
The average adult reads about 200-250wpm. Really fast readers will be over 700wpm. President John F. Kennedy read at 1200wpm. Some prestigious universities, I’m told, even require speed reading courses prior to starting your freshman year. So how do you get to these speeds, and how at these speeds, can we comprehend what we read? Common mistakes: Don’t speak what you read Don’t do silent lip movements Don’t breath what you read -Speak: Eyes stop at every word. Only read as fast as you can speak....
Some athletes believe their ACT scores, high school classes, and grades won't matter. The NCAA says differently. Athletes must be an NCAA qualifier to compete. Part of the requirements is a combination of ACT and core GPA. You must meet the minimum core requirements to qualify. This varies by division. NCAA's Use of ACT Scores: 1. Use a sliding scale of ACT and GPA. 2. Do not use ACT writing. 3. Use superscores. Some colleges have their own requirements higher than the NCAA. Some schools interna...
There are five key comma rules you must know to score well in ACT English. 1. Use a comma to separate main clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. The common coordinating conjunctions are and, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet. A main clause is one that has both a subject (s) and a verb (v). EX: We went to the store, and we spent our money. S/V, and S/V. -Some memorize the conjunctions with the word FAN BOYS 2. Set off words, phrases, and clauses that are not needed (nonessential). Use commas...
Eight weeks from now, many will look back and wonder what happened to the summer break. Complete even a few of the items on this summer checklist, and you'll likely have had a productive college prep summer. Start a project (See episode #14 for details). scholarships.chadcargill.com (http://scholarships.chadcargill.com) Research colleges and majors (Upcoming episodes to discuss). Tour a few college campuses both large and small, near and far. Review 4-year high school course plan (See episode #5...
"CLEP exams help students earn college credit for what they already know, for a fraction of the cost of a college course." -College Board CLEP website $89 (Subject to change) plus small administration fee charged by test center. Most tests last 90 minutes. Key CLEP Facts: Students take CLEP exams on a computer at official CLEP test centers. CLEP exams contain multiple-choice questions. CLEP exams take about 90–120 minutes to complete, depending on the exam subject. CLEP exams are offered year-ro...
Avoid these interview mistakes: • Glance at watch • Chum up with friend on interview staff • Only look at one person when answering • Hold pencil or pen and play with it during interview • Chew gum • Lounge, slump, or recline in chair • When brought into interview room (area), interviewee just grabs a chair without being told where to sit • Elaborates on one answer too long • Starts questioning interviewer with questions like the following: -"Well, what would you do?" -"What are your thoughts on...
Interviews are inevitable. We all have to face them. You will have interviews for scholarships, clubs, organizations, internships, and ultimately permanent jobs. You should review potential, common questions you may be asked in an interview. Consider the questions and formulate a brief answer. Write a few bullet points for each question. Before you go to an interview, review your answers as practice. You can also have a friend ask you these questions as practice. INTERVIEWING BASICS • Dress appr...
Should you include all community service and leadership on your application? When listing something on a scholarship application or resume, typically you will list the organization with which you did the project, your title, and your roles and responsibilities. Your project description is where your application will be sorted as a winner or loser. Most students don't even include a description. If they do include a description, it is usally basic and doesn't give the reader the necessary informa...
Two General Types of Scholarships: 1. Fee Waivers 2. Cash Awards Restrictions: 1. Where Used 2. How They are Used 3. When They are Used Specific Types of Scholarships: 1. Major 2. Situations Key Steps: 1. They Must Know Who You Are 2. Do Something Different Than Your Peers 3. Word It in a Way It will be Read Seperate Scholarships in Two Categories: 1. Require Writing Portion/Essay 2. No Writing Portion/Essay Sort Scholarships By: 1. Due Date 2. Priority/Likelihood of Winning/Value Then clock in ...
Dr. Jeanie Webb is President of Rose State College in Midwest City, Oklahoma. She is a product of the community college system. There are many benefits to attending a junioir college. Some key advantages include: Cost Size Proximity Involvement Non-traditional Students Specialty Programs and Cooperative Programs with Local Businesses Many times students don't even consider their local community college because they believe they are settling for something less, but junior college shouldn't be con...
Special Guest Thomas Umstaddt Jr. Novel Marketing Podcast (https://www.authormedia.com/novel-marketing/) Christian Publishing Show (https://www.christianpublishingshow.com) Author Media (https://www.authormedia.com) It's easier now more than ever to publish a book. Indie is self-publishing where you pay for everything upfront. You design, print, market, and sell your book. Traditional is signing a contract with a publishing company who takes control and the financial risk of your book. The publi...
One of the downfalls of being an inexperienced ACT test taker is you may not know how much time you have left. The tests are very long and difficult to finish. As mentioned earlier, you should always answer every question. If you run out of time without every question answered, your score will not be as high as it could be. Time seems to pass very quickly during a difficult section of the test. Be aware of the time but not terrified of it. Using a wall clock in the testing center may not be the ...
Let’s say you guess on 5 questions because you are tired and just want the test to be over. You miss all 5, but you actually score a 26 in science. Your composite score for the ACT ends up at a total of 112 subscore points or a composite of a 28. (112 / 4 = 28.0) Now let’s say you get to go back in time and actually try on the 5 questions that you guessed. If you get all 5 of them correct, what do you think your 26 would be? Your 26 would increase all the way to a 31 or 32. The difference in a 2...
Many say you should always preview the questions before you read the passage. Others say you should read the passage first. Some say you should read the first and last sentence of each paragraph. Who is right? I narrow it down to three general methods: Method 1: Step 1: Preview the Questions Step 2: Briskly Read the Passage Step 3: Answer the Questions Referring Back to the Passage Method 2: Step 1: Read the Questions Thoroughly Step 2: Find the Answers in the Passage Method 3: Step 1: Read the ...
The #1 question parents ask me. I’ll be out and someone sees me. She realizes I’m the ACT guy. Then she approaches me with the #1 question I get asked. My son is a bad test taker. Help us. Listen to this episode to hear that question and learn the one question evaluation I give to answer this question. Go to testday.chadcargill.com to get the things you must know the day of the test. I’d love to connect with you and keep you posted on upcoming episodes and resources. For a free downloadable pdf ...
While the world is anxious about the Corona virus, students are also anxious about taking an ACT. The number one reason good academic students underachieve on the ACT is test anxiety. Here are 7 practical tips you can use to immediately reduce your test anxiety. Control what you can control. You can't control everything, but control what you can. Apply one, a few, or all of these tips to immediately start reducing your test anxiety. Take the test as many times as you can afford Drive to the test...
My kids from Congo and Uganda can’t speak Lingala or Luganda anymore. Why? They stopped speaking it. Now they only speak English. Math is a language you learn to speak. If you stop speaking it, you too will start losing it. On the ACT, we must be able to quickly speak the language of math to efficiently determine correct answers. The math test is 60 questions over 60 minutes. That does not mean you have 1 minute per question. It may average that rate, but easier questions are at the beginning. T...
Episode 4: I Ordered My Test and Answers. Now What? Test Information Release - $22 Available December, April, and June national tests Not available on residuals Order when you register or by logging back in to your account and adding this up to 5 days after you test. This year you can also order up to 6 months after you test by calling ACT. If you order when you register you’ll get your test about 3 weeks after you test. When it comes in the mail, you’ll receive the test questions, your answers,...
3 reasons why in English you should read the passage as you go 2 Types of Questions: Usage questions General passage questions Usage Underline in a sentence Grammatically correct? Punctuated correctly? 1st choice is no change. General passage questions do not have an underline part in a sentence. The first choice is usually something other than No Change. These are questions more about the passage rather than just an underlined part in a sentence. The first several ACT tests I took in high schoo...
Chad Cargill’s ACT Test Prep Podcast Episode 2 – Why You Should Never Take Only One Section of the ACT. It is a Terrible Idea. Composite Score: From a single ACT test, the sum of your English, math, reading, and science divided by 4. This would be your highest overall ACT score from a single ACT test. Superscore: From any ACT test, your highest English, math, reading, and science divided by 4. Schools who change to superscores raise minimums for scholarships. Starting with the 2020-21 school yea...
Chad Cargill’s ACT Test Prep Podcast Episode 1 – Chad’s Story and the 1-2-3 Plan Chad’s Story Chad comes from a simple home. He went to his mom's high school graduation, and his dad lugged boxes in a grocery warehouse for 30 years. His parents had not saved any money for college since it really wasn't expected. Chad's dad told him he would have to get a job and attend the local junior college. During high school Chad knew he needed to win scholarships in order to attend Oklahoma State University...
