My Answer Key: MAK is AOK đđŚ
ACT offers test takers a unique insight into performance
Many factors come into play when college-bound teens consider which test to take. Hereâs one you may now know aboutâbetween the SAT & ACT, only one allows students to review the test they took. But first the newsâŚ
COLLEGE NEWS
Early Decision Implications: While Early Decision isnât necessarily legally binding, the consequences of backing out arenât always clear. Tulane may not have been able to penalize an applicant for flouting the rules, so the school punished the studentâs high school instead.
Not The List You Want To Be On: The average underemployment rate for new college graduates is 38.3%, but employers clearly favor certain fields of study over others. If you dare, check to see if your major appears on the list of The Most Underemployed College Degrees in America. Apparently, there is no justice for Criminal Justice majors.
Education And Economic Success: Mark Zupan, President of Alfred University, has been a staunch defender of colleges and education. Not only is Zupan a strong proponent of knowledge work as a path to economic prosperity, but he recently penned an op-ed on the value of openness in enriching nations. Thank you for the reminder that what makes colleges great translates to society as a whole.
We are all judged on the words we use, especially when we take high-stakes exams that use vocabulary mastery as a leading indicator of reading acumen. The free Roots2Words Word of the Day is just the beginning of learning to unlock the English language word by word and root by root. Plus, this week celebrates Halloween with some truly wicked words!
BIG IDEA
One of the fundamental tenets of test prep is that the most valuable tests are the ones you can learn from. Yet, an official ACT score report alone does not provide much in the way of feedback. Far better are those administrations that permit test takers to order everything they need to analyze what happened on test day:
âWhich questions did you get right?
âWhich questions did you get wrong⌠and WHY?
ACT offers the ACT My Answer Key (MAK) service for specific national test dates. This service used to be called Test Information Release. Students who order MAK donât just receive the correct answers and list of their own answers, but also a digital copy of the actual test booklet. Note that they do not receive their actual test booklet, but rather a clean copy.
You can order a Test Information Release during the registration process or during the three-month period after your test date. Of course, youâll pay an extra fee, currently $34 if the order is placed before the test begins or $42 if ordering after the test.
Regrettably, My Answer Key is only an option for tests taken on October, April, and June national test dates, at least during the 2025-26 school year. This means that many students find themselves unable to take advantage of this valuable service.
What exactly does ânational test datesâ mean?
The My Answer Key option is only available for tests administered in the United States on the official Saturday test date administered during specific months in a given year.
What if I test on a day other than Saturday?
The Test Information Release service is only available for Non-Saturday National Testing in April.
When will I receive my Test Information Release materials?
Expect digitalâŻACT My Answer Key materials to be provided a few weeks after your score release, so maybe 4-8 weeks after the test. Do not expect to receive them before the registration deadline or in time to study for the next test date.
NAME THAT SCHOOL
Think you know a lot about colleges? Try to guess this institution of higher education. (Find the answer at the end of the newsletter.)
Founded in 1870, this school is one of the oldest technological universities in America.
The schoolâs founders were pioneers in engineering and innovation, inventing everything from the first steam-powered ferry to early railroads and harbor defenses.
Awarded the nationâs first undergraduate mechanical engineering degree
Consistently ranks among the top STEM schools in the country, especially for engineering, AI, cybersecurity, and data science.
Current motto is âInspired by Humanity, Powered by Technology,â but used to be âPer Aspera Ad Astra,â which means âthrough hardship to the starsâ
APPLICATION ACTION STEPS
đ Learn important grammatical terms.
đ Remember 5 questions to ask students when you visit colleges.
đ Find out which colleges allow self-reporting of SAT and ACT scores
đ See if you qualify for the nationwide need-based merit Hagan Scholarship
HOTLINE
Do you have any burning questions to ask or want to share an issue, article, or resource our readers should know about? Dial up the College Eagle hotline through this easy form. We appreciate you!
NAME THAT SCHOOL ANSWER
Stevens Institute of Technology recently announced The Stevens Investment, a plan to offer full tuition coverage to certain students whose families earn $75,000 per year or less. If that isnât cool enough, the schoolâs mascot is Attila the Duck. Go Ducks!