COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS CHECKLIST - How to use for high school plans

Oct 9, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

A college and career readiness checklist for high school educators outlining recommended activities by grade level 9–12. It emphasizes revising and completing student career and academic plans, holding a career day, and using ACT non-test information and Preact and ACT WorkKeys assessments to counsel students. It also covers job shadowing and apprenticeship opportunities, administering Preact 8/9 and Preact, conducting readiness days and PEP rallies, organizing advisory classes, financial aid/FAFSA nights, district testing, and ACT test prep and online prep resources.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Career readiness activities

Revise and/or complete career and academic plan

Set up job shadowing and apprenticeship opportunities

College readiness activities

Administer Preact 8/9 and review results

Establish readiness day with Mosaic by ACT social emotional learning assessments

Administer Preact, review results, and hold events

Book a motivational speaker and offer advisory classes

Hold financial aid/scholarship application and FAFSA completion night

Administer ACT district testing and offer test prep

COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS CHECKLIST ACT provides holistic tools and services designed to help you make a difference in your students’ college and career readiness. Consider using this checklist when creating activities for your high school college and career readiness plan. CAREER READINESS ACTIVITIES REVISE AND/OR COMPLETE CAREER AND ACADEMIC PLAN GRADE LEVEL 9 10 11 12 HOLD A CAREER DAY UTILIZE THE ACT® NON-TEST INFORMATION AND PREACT® ASSESSMENTS INTEREST INVENTORY INCLUDED IN ADVISORY CLASSES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO COUNSEL STUDENTS ADMINISTER ACT® WORKKEYS® CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENTS | OFFER THE ACT® WORKKEYS® NATIONAL CAREER READINESS CERTIFICATE® (NCRC®) | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | ADD THE NCRC EARLY INDICATOR LEVEL FROM PREACT 8/9 AND PREACT TO THE CAREER AND ACADEMIC PLAN | | | | | | REVIEW WORKPLACE SKILLS WITH WORKKEYS NCRC PRACTICE TESTS | | | | | SET UP JOB SHADOWING AND APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE READINESS ACTIVITIES GRADE LEVEL 9 10 11 12 ADMINISTER PREACT® 8/9 (IN THE FALL) REVIEW PREACT 8/9 RESULTS IN A CLASSROOM SETTING AND/OR WITH INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS ESTABLISH A COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS DAY, A SPECIFIC DAY DEDICATED TO THE READINESS OF YOUR STUDENTS. BUILD YOUR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS DAY BY ADMINISTERING MOSAIC™ BY ACT® SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ASSESSMENTS PAIRED WITH OTHER GRADE APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENTS (PREACT 8/9, PREACT®, THE ACT®, ACT® WORKKEYS®) ON THE SAME DAY TO REDUCE DISRUPTION ADMINISTER PREACT (IN THE FALL AND/OR SPRING) REVIEW PREACT RESULTS IN A CLASSROOM SETTING AND/OR WITH INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS HOLD A PEP RALLY TO CELEBRATE TEST SCORES BOOK A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER OFFER ADVISORY CLASSES: HELD WEEKLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. TOPICS CAN INCLUDE: • TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL • ACADEMIC PROGRESS/NEEDS • TUTORING PROGRAMS AVAILABLE • ACT TEST PREP • COLLEGE/CAREER EXPLORATION • INTEREST INVENTORIES • SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES • COLLEGE APPLICATION COMPLETION • RESUME WRITING | HOLD A FINANCIAL AID/SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION/FAFSA COMPLETION NIGHT | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | ADMINISTER ACT DISTRICT TESTING (FALL AND/OR SPRING) | | | | | OFFER AN ACT TEST PREP COURSE | | | | | UTILIZE ACT® ONLINE PREP™ THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO
SUPPLEMENT THE CURRICULUM IN CONTENT AREA CLASSROOMS (IF NOT INCLUDED IN ADVISORY CLASSES) | | | | SCHEDULE COLLEGE FAIRS OR VISITS FOR A COMPLETE EDUCATOR’S GUIDE TO COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS VISIT ACT.ORG/K12 © 2022 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. MR025542

FAQs

How should educators revise or complete students’ career and academic plans?

Educators should revise and/or complete the career and academic plan by using ACT non-test information and PreACT as well as offering WorkKeys curriculum and assessments.

Which assessments and testing activities support college readiness?

Activities include administering PreACT 8/9, reviewing PreACT 8/9 results, establishing a readiness day using Mosaic by ACT social emotional learning assessments paired with grade-appropriate assessments, and administering PreACT in the fall and/or spring.

What college and career events are suggested beyond assessments?

Suggested events include holding a career day, setting up job shadowing and apprenticeship opportunities, scheduling college fairs or visits, booking a motivational speaker, conducting a PEP rally to celebrate test scores, and running a financial aid/scholarship application and FAFSA completion night.

Oct 9, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven