Pub. 9 2019-2020 Issue 1

7 Traditionally, students and their fami- lies have been largely on their own when it comes to prepping for the ACT. This can put many students at a disadvantage, because they may not know vital facts for success on test day, including what the test covers, test-taking strategies, and content areas such as trigonometry or data analysis. Utah’s flagship public universities provide generous merit scholarships to high scorers on the ACT, but many stu- dents, especially those who are first-gen- eration or in rural areas, aren’t aware that these resources are available. Shmoop offers no-nonsense guides to real-world topics such as financing higher education, picking a major that will support adult independence, and of course, prepping for the all-important ACT. Shmoop has already engaged with educators at Utah’s charter schools. Consider this review from Diana, at Capstone Classical Academy: “I love that my students are able to practice writing essays each week. Plus they love earning Shmoints!” Want to know what Shmoints are? Well, you’ll have to log in, and you’ll soon get hooked! Our dashboards show your students’ progress. You can give them drills after they take the diagnostics to reinforce the concepts actually tested by the ACT. Shmoop believes in democratizing educa- tion, and our ACT courses – including the crash course, which is an accelerated version – share that spirit. Shmoop lets you hone in on your “problem areas,” and Melissa of Providence Hall Charter School noticed a huge improvement in her students’ ability to score well under time restrictions. Utah’s charter schools are diverse, and many secondary teachers are pressed for time to cover all their coursework. Shmoop strongly believes in student-led learning. Once teachers are registered, students can log in on their home devices and prep for game day. The statewide ACT, which is admin- istered to every single high school junior in Utah, is administered in February. Shmoop’s unique blend of practice problems, vetted courses, and humor- ous videos will engage your students to perform their best, and open doors to college and career readiness. You may even find yourself brushing up on SOHCAHTOA once you log in. Utah teachers can access their portal at: Schools .shmoop.com Use the magic word ZION. D id you know that the state of Utah provides access to Shmoop’s ACT prep materials to every public school – including charters? Shmoop has been providing engaging, out-of-the-box study guides, classroom materials, and test prep for over a decade; and with a recent move to Arizona for its headquarters, and Utah for the product team, we’re excited to partner with educators in the Beehive State. ACT Prep Through Shmoop BY KELSEY OLSON, DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS AND SERVICES