ACT Test & "no snacks"...are they serious?

[agnes!]

Look, I am so far from having a snowflake and hate helicopters in every parenting sense of the word *but*

The official ACT test website says:

Do not bring any of the following:
*food or drink (including water)

I need some experienced hands here, the students have to be at the Center by 8am and if they're taking the "Plus Writing" portion, they won't get out until 1:00pm...

Does the ACT *really* mean that you can't bring a snack & leave it out in the hallway or someplace similar and retrieve your water/food during breaks? Do they REALLY mean you have to then buy whatever the test center *might* have available for purchase?

I mean, *really*, they say get plenty of sleep, they say eat a good breakfast, they say allow enough time to get to the test-center, they say, they say and then they think teenagers will think well while taking a test with possibly no food for five hours?

Yeah, not eating for five hours won't kill her, but I need to know what the experience with the ACT is. With the SAT and the APs, I think they are allowed to bring water/snacks they leave them in a common area (maybe out in the hallway or in the back of the gym?) and they're allowed to retrieve the items during any breaks.

So, anyone out there in DIS-land who has experience either taking the ACT themselves or if they have a kid who took it recently, etc...please post here.

Thankseversomuch.
agnes!

 

[Sparx]

I've never had an ACT test take more than two hours. I took it four times in high school. However, about halfway through we were allowed to go to the restroom and get a drink at the water fountain. No outside food/drink can be brought in though.

 

[Buckalew11]

My dd told it in February and no snacks or water. I do not think the test center even offered anything.

It wasn't a big deal to her though. She was hungry for lunch after the test but I think she was fine for the 5 hours. She finished the writing part a little before 1 and was allowed to leave when done.

It didn't seem to hurt her score either. Maybe adrenaline kicks in? She ate a halfway decent breakfast--very nervous, so not what I'd call a "good breakfast".

 

[Buckalew11]

I've never had an ACT test take more than two hours. I took it four times in high school. However, about halfway through we were allowed to go to the restroom and get a drink at the water fountain. No outside food/drink can be brought in though.

Really? 2 hours? I'm sure dd had to be there at 8 a.m. and finished a little past 12:30. hmm...

 

[agnes!]

Hey Sparx, I was hoping you'd check in.

About how long it should take...

The Admission Ticket says:
*To report at 8am
*Dismissal about 12:15 for ACT (No Writing)
1:00 for ACT PLUS Writing

That's why I'm thinking it takes 5 hours...

agnes!

 

[texaslover]

I took ACT and SAT back in the day and don't even remember leaving the room until I finished! We certainly couldn't bring anything in and I don't recall getting up for bathroom or water. "Hydrating" wasn't as big of a deal back then and we survived every school day on what we drank at breakfast and lunch and the water fountain Oh, and if we played sports after school we had a jug of water that we could pour into those little paper cups which held about one gulp. Yes, even in TX in 100+ weather.....

 

[LivingtheWDWdream]

I am thinking the reason being there are websites that you can create your own "label" that looks like the coke/sprite/pepsi labels where you can put answers to questions. There are ways to slip inside a candy bar between the foil and wrapper a pre written paper that could be copied etc. It's a way to minimize the opportunities for any unfair advantage, or ability to cheat on any exam.

Sad to think that it could happen with the labels etc but it happens and they have to find ways to prevent cheating as best as they can.

 

[HelenePA]

I think she'll be fine.. my elemetary school age kids go to school at 8am and dont eat til 12:30 and one eats at 1pm.. She's 9. No snacks. No drinks. nada.

 

[cats mom]

DD says they were allowed one short break between test sections and another short break between the regular test and the writing portion. But yes, they were adamant that absolutely no food or drink was allowed in the testing room.

DD took the test at her high school, so she just left her personal items in her locker, but no, she didn't take any snacks that day. Hey, maybe that's why she did really well on the general test, but bombed the writing portion... she was wasting away by then.

Good Luck to your DD OP.

 

[ilovejack02]

Many many years ago ; ) 1990 ughhh .. no food or drinks either, but we did have a break or two. I remember flirting with a boy or two in the hall during break LOL.

We made it through and so will your girl.


Well wishes for high scores sent to your DD.

 

[geffric]

Hey Sparx, I was hoping you'd check in.

About how long it should take...

The Admission Ticket says:
*To report at 8am
*Dismissal about 12:15 for ACT (No Writing)
1:00 for ACT PLUS Writing

That's why I'm thinking it takes 5 hours...

agnes!

\
DS took the test in April and was not allowed food etc/ nor was any avail for purchase.. his test with writing started about 8 am and lasted until about 1 pm..

 

[punkin]

just make sure she has a good breakfast.

 

[Sparx]

Hey Sparx, I was hoping you'd check in.

About how long it should take...

The Admission Ticket says:
*To report at 8am
*Dismissal about 12:15 for ACT (No Writing)
1:00 for ACT PLUS Writing

That's why I'm thinking it takes 5 hours...

agnes!

VERY VERY few schools in Tennessee (where I live) ask for writing. That said, usually 3-5 students take the writing portion. When I did it, we were put in a different room from the other students. With such a small group we finished all the sections very quickly and could move on faster than the larger groups (who were left waiting on one or two students to finish a portion) we finished all sections plus writing before any of the other rooms were ever released.

It really depends on the proctor. Some proctors will move on when everyone is finished (this is how we finished so quickly) and others will wait the full time.

If writing is in high demand where you are, it may be the opposite is true for you that was true for me.

I however, was in one room where a student had a bottle of soda. The proctor made him throw it away, so yes, they're serious.

Also, if there is any kind of "disturbance" like a cell phone ringing or anything the proctor has to do extra paperwork to cite that something disturbed all the students at this point in the test, so its really a pain if someone tries to sneak something in or break the rules.

 

[daisyduck123]

I'm reading all these responses with great interest, as my DD15 is taking the ACT tomorrow too (writing included).

I'm thinking I should arrive by 12:30 in case she is dismissed early.

 

[minkydog]

DD17 is taking her ACT tomorrow, second time. She didn't do well on the first one, probably because she totally blew off the practice tests. Someone told her "oh, it's so easy, you don't need to study"...famous last words. At least she knows what she's in for this time. Bless her heart, she does NOT test well on a good day. I'm just hoping she'll break 21 this time. At the minimum. She'll be a senior this year so time's a-wastin'.

 

[ilovejack02]

DD17 is taking her ACT tomorrow, second time. She didn't do well on the first one, probably because she totally blew off the practice tests. Someone told her "oh, it's so easy, you don't need to study"...famous last words. At least she knows what she's in for this time. Bless her heart, she does NOT test well on a good day. I'm just hoping she'll break 21 this time. At the minimum. She'll be a senior this year so time's a-wastin'.

Practice tests are important, so is sleep and a good breakfast. First go around for me was a 18, stayed up late the night before, didn't study, didn't eat . I learned a good lesson , 6 months later, I made a 23. Funny how I remember that all these years later. Didn't set the world on fire, but got into honors dorms.

 

[ladycollector]

Wow, that's ridiculous. I'm glad that they didn't require that for me when I took it, because I have to eat every 3-4 hours or my blood sugar drops and I pass out.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My 7th grader took the ACT plus writing test in Oct and she survived.

They get 2 breaks with the writing. The first break is after the first 2 tests, IIRC.

We gave my dd vending money and she RAN FAST to the vending machine and got herself a snack and wolfed it down.

She was a 7th grader in a strange HS with other HS students and did it herself.

She scored a 24. We did run thru the practice booklet the day before so she was familiar with the how much time she had to get thru it.

 

[MnMomtoboys]

Our oldest took the ACT in April. He wasn't able to bring in drinks but there were breaks and vending machines.

Make sure to feed her a good breakfast and either give her ones or change.

 

[allison443]

My dd took the ACT with writing last year (actually took it twice, both times with writing) and she has a voracious appetite. There was no food or drink allowed and she was fine. She did have breakfast that morning. She did quite well on the ACT so the lack of snacks was a non-issue. I don't even remember her mentioning it. She didn't bring snacks for the SAT or AP tests either.

Good luck to your dd!