Juniors are sharpening their Number 2 pencils and brushing up on their reading, writing, math and science skills as March 19 PLAN test looms closer. The PLAN is a preliminary ACT test that is generally administered to sophomores as a predictor of how students will perform on the ACT. PLAN is viewed as the ACT’s equivalent of the PSAT. 

“We expect [the juniors] to do extremely well,” Assistant Principal for Curriculum Jackie Ingratta said. “Based on the PLAN scores from last year, I really do personally feel that they’ll excel.”

The ACT, along with the SAT, provides test scores that colleges look at as a large deciding factor for admission. This pressure doesn’t seem to faze junior Randy Slomin, however.

“I’m not going to worry too much about it,” he said. “If I stress, I know I’ll just end up doing worse. Just have to keep positive and relax, you know?”

Ingratta says she thinks the junior class will be just fine.

“Our senior class has totally killed their competition,” she said. “Being West Shore students, we’re pretty confident that the juniors will perform very well.”

By Paula Kostro