MONROE - Area students woke up early to take their ACT tests Saturday.
Some of the students arrived at Monroe High School a little more awake and a little more prepared than others. Some obviously were nervous.
Emily Folstad and Paisley Bennett, seniors at MHS, took the test for the second time. They said they wanted to improve their scores. They weren't alone.
"A lot of seniors take it over," Folstad said.
Monroe High School counselor Laurie Plourde said colleges and universities take students' highest scores. It's advantageous for students to retake the test to improve their scores.
Plourde has administered the test for 23 years. She's well aware of how important the test is and has seen the number of students who take the ACT increase.
"More technical schools look at ACT scores now," she said. "Especially if you're going into a health-related field."
The health care profession is one area of the job market that seems to continue to be in demand, Plourde said.
Folstad said she isn't sure what she wants to study in college.
"I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up," she laughed.
There probably are other students who aren't thinking too far ahead. Their main tasks are to do well on the test, finish high school, then go on to college.
Plourde said she hasn't heard many students talk about the economy or wonder if they're going to be able to get jobs after college.
"It's kind of encouraging," she said of the students' optimism. "The kids don't really talk about it."
Some of the students arrived at Monroe High School a little more awake and a little more prepared than others. Some obviously were nervous.
Emily Folstad and Paisley Bennett, seniors at MHS, took the test for the second time. They said they wanted to improve their scores. They weren't alone.
"A lot of seniors take it over," Folstad said.
Monroe High School counselor Laurie Plourde said colleges and universities take students' highest scores. It's advantageous for students to retake the test to improve their scores.
Plourde has administered the test for 23 years. She's well aware of how important the test is and has seen the number of students who take the ACT increase.
"More technical schools look at ACT scores now," she said. "Especially if you're going into a health-related field."
The health care profession is one area of the job market that seems to continue to be in demand, Plourde said.
Folstad said she isn't sure what she wants to study in college.
"I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up," she laughed.
There probably are other students who aren't thinking too far ahead. Their main tasks are to do well on the test, finish high school, then go on to college.
Plourde said she hasn't heard many students talk about the economy or wonder if they're going to be able to get jobs after college.
"It's kind of encouraging," she said of the students' optimism. "The kids don't really talk about it."