STEM Academy at the LeCroy Career Technical Center in Clanton is hosting an ACT Prep Boot Camp aimed at helping students in Chilton County prepare for the college entrance exam.

“Our goal is to help students prepare for taking the ACT,” said one of the camp instructors Jay LeCroy. “What I like to explain to parents is a lot of colleges now base how they award scholarships off of a student’s ACT score. So the higher the score, the more money a student could get in scholarships.”

Jay and Nelda LeCroy led a group of 10 students for the first ACT Prep Boot Camp in June with plans to hold a second camp in July.

Students attending the camp learn all of the basics covered on the ACT with detailed lessons on each section of the test, as well as a practice test, which is administered at the beginning and end of the camp.

“We give the students a pre-test at the beginning of the camp which is then sent of to Cambridge Education to be graded,” LeCroy said. “We then get the scores back and see what weaknesses the students have and we focus on those during the camp to try and help them prepare for taking the test.”

At the end of the camp, students take a second practice test to help determine how their scores might have increased.

“I like to tell them when they come in that for the two weeks they are taking the camp, they need to study, study, study,” LeCroy said. “I compare it to training like it is an athletic sport. The more you practice, the better you are going to get.”

ACT tests are offered to high school students six times a year throughout the state with the scores sent to colleges nationwide.

Colleges often base a student’s acceptance to a school based off of ACT or SAT scores and a high school GPA.

Maplesville High School student Breanna Weaver signed up to take the June ACT Prep Boot Camp with the hope of boosting her ACT score.

“I took the test once and was not very happy with my score so I wanted to figure out a way I could increase my points,” Weaver said. “I found out about this camp, and hope when I take the test again I will increase my scores.”

Weaver said she thought the camp was helpful in covering each subject included on the ACT in a thorough and detailed manner.

“We really go over every topic,” Weaver said. “I thought I didn’t necessarily need to focus on parts of the test, but after coming I found out that I really didn’t know as much as I thought I did.”

Weaver plans to take the ACT on June 13, with the hope of attending Judson College after she graduates from MHS in a year.

LeCroy said Auburn University recently raised their college entrance score to 24 with scholarships beginning at a score of 28 or 29.

The University of Alabama begins awarding scholarships to students who score a 27 on their ACT or higher.

“When students are competing with millions of other students taking this test, it makes sense to be prepared,” LeCroy said. Roughly 15 slots are still available for the July camp which will begin July 20 and end July 31.

The cost of the entire camp is $250.

To sign up or for more information, contact LeCroy at (205) 299-0889 or email jlecroy@chilton.k12.al.us.