Academic Approach’s student-centric approach emphasizes skill mastery, critical thinking, and adaptability to prepare students for future challenges and achievements.
Academic Approach achieves remarkable results, boosting scores, scholarships, and college admissions, while fostering critical thinking and academic excellence.
While standardized tests are optional at many universities and colleges, many top schools are still taking test scores into consideration.
Check out our analysis of some top universities from the 2025–26 Common Data Sets for college admissions.
The PreACT 9 Secure is required by the Chicago Public Schools’ Selective Enrollment Schools, such as Walter Payton, Northside Prep, Lane Tech, Whitney Young, Jones, Brooks, King, Lindblom, Westinghouse, and South Shore. This test is administered in the fall of the students’ eighth-grade year.
The PreACT 9 Secure is the admissions test for entrance into Chicago Public Schools’ selective high schools. The PreACT is taken during the fall of eighth grade, is a shortened version of the ACT, and is a fully digital exam. It assesses English, Math, Reading, and Science skills and takes 2.5 hours to complete. Achieving a high score on the PreACT (and having strong seventh-grade letter grades) can considerably increase a student’s likelihood of being admitted into their preferred selective enrollment school.
Given the critical role that the PreACT plays in the admissions process for these highly competitive schools, it is essential for students to start preparing early. Since the PreACT is aligned to the ACT, Academic Approach can offer tailored tutoring programs designed to not only help students do well on the PreACT, but also to also jump-start their ACT preparation!
Stay ahead of the curve with our insightful blog—a treasure trove of expert advice, strategies, and tips to empower your academic journey.
By now, most families have had some version of “the AI conversation.” As we noted…
Vanderbilt will require ACT/SAT scores from students applying for fall 2029 entry and beyond.
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That tells us you’re serious about your student’s future.
So are we. Let’s stop circling and start a real conversation.