GBHS ACT & Career Planning
GBHS Test Dates:
- GBHS Pre-ACT: October 22, 2026, @ 8 am at PAC and GBHS Main Gym
- GBHS ACT: February 23, 2027, @ 8 am at GB Events Center
Kansas Free Assessment Program
Kansas Free Assessment Information
GBHS will host the following state-paid assessments: PreACT, WorkKeys, and ACT.
Eligible students will receive testing information in advance of registration deadlines, and parents/guardians will also be notified of the testing opportunities via email.
PreACT
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The PreACT is a multiple-choice assessment that offers students early experience with ACT test items, provides a predicted ACT test score, and offers a wealth of information to help students get the start they need to be college and career-ready.
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Reports and scoring will be used to identify trends in content areas (English, Math, Reading, and Science) and how our students are tracking toward the College & Career Readiness benchmarks. Data will be shared with Math, English, and Science Departments to aid in classroom instruction.
All 9th-grade students at GBHS will take the PreACT in October.
WorkKeys
WorkKeys assessments measure foundational skills required for success in the workplace and they help measure the skills that can affect job performance. WorkKeys assessments are:
- Relevant: WorkKeys assessments are developed to solve actual workplace problems. Unlike other assessments, they don’t simply give an indication of reading and writing competency. Instead, they measure a range of hard and soft skills relevant to any occupation, at any level, and across industries.
- Recognized: Successful completion of WorkKeys core assessments can lead to earning an ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) — a credential that verifies the skills found to be most essential across industries and occupations.
Held in early November at GBHS, the WorkKeys test is approximately 3 hours in length and covers Applied Math, Workplace Documents, and Graphic Literacy.
- WorkKeys is free to all 11th-grade students and any 12th-grade students who have not yet tested.
- All eligible 11-12th-Grade JAG students will be registered to test.
ACT
The ACT is a test that 4-year universities use to gauge a student’s readiness for college. Some scholarships are also given based on ACT scores.
- The ACT is 3 1/2 hours long and covers English, Math, Reading, and Science (Science is optional, but will be offered)
- If a student is planning to attend a 4-year school (FHSU, WSU, etc.) after high school, they should consider taking the ACT at least twice.
- Most students are academically ready to test in the spring of their junior year. A student may test earlier if they are in advanced courses. Students are typically ready to test if they have taken/are currently taking and passing Algebra II.
- Students are not required to take the ACT if they plan to attend a 2-year school like Barton or Hutch, a technical school, or enter right into the workforce. For example, Barton CC no longer accepts an ACT score for academic scholarships (only uses GPA).
- Students are encouraged to take a Mock ACT to determine if a projected ACT score would increase their scholarship award at the college they plan to attend.
- Taking the ACT is an individual decision dependent on many factors (current math class, grades in core classes, expected college major, etc.). If a student is unsure if they should test, please encourage them to visit with Ms. Wolters.
The ACT is free to all 11th-grade students. GBHS' testing date is held in February each year.
Click the tab above to learn more about the ACT.
National ACT Information
National ACT Test Dates Schedule:
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Test Date: September 19, 2026
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Registration Deadline: August 14
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Test Date: October 17, 2026
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Registration Deadline: Sept. 11
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Test Date: December 12, 2026
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Registration Deadline: November 7
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Test Date: February 27, 2027
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Registration Deadline: January 22
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Test Date: April 10, 2027
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Registration Deadline: March 5
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Test Date: June 12, 2027
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Registration Deadline: May 7
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Test Date: July 10, 2027
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Registration Deadline: June 4
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ACT Registration Information:
Students may register to take the ACT at various testing locations. Beyond the February testing date in Great Bend, Barton Community College and Hoisington High School are the closest locations for GBHS students. The website above provides additional locations and testing center codes.
- Great Bend High School offers a free ACT in February for GBHS Juniors.
- Barton Community College offers the ACT in October, December, February, and April.
- Hoisington High School offers the ACT in October, December, and April.
When students register to take the ACT, sending a score report to Great Bend High School (school code 171-158) is helpful. You can also select up to four colleges to receive the score report for free by completing the ACT registration online at the above website.
ACT Registration Fees:
- ACT (No Writing) $68 (recommended for most students)
- ACT Plus Writing $93
*Many students qualify to use fee waiver vouchers - check with your GBHS Counselor or Ms. Wolters.
Ways to Maximize Your ACT Score:
Timing/Frequency:
For most students, it is best to begin taking the ACT your junior year and then again in the fall of your senior year. The last test should be taken in October of your senior year. With adequate practice and preparation, many students benefit from taking the test multiple times.
Test Information Release:
On certain test dates (December, April, and June), students can purchase the test questions, a copy of their answers, and a list of correct answers. This is a great way to improve your score. What types of questions are you missing most? What do you need to focus on for the next test? It’s worth the extra fee ($30) if you’ll learn from it. Click here to order.
Practice and Preparation:
- ACT Study Sessions - Click Here to View Schedule
- Mock Test - Click Here to View Schedule
If you need help preparing for the ACT but cannot attend school study sessions, here are a few free websites that offer great tips and practice questions/tests so you are ready for the big day.
Scholarships
There are 3 broad areas of scholarship funding as follows:
College-Specific (Academic scholarships based on GPA + ACT or GPA only) - Most universities (4-year colleges) have fall priority deadlines, and community colleges (2-year colleges) have spring deadlines. The following document lists some of the admission and scholarship requirements: Admission/Scholarship/ACT Information. Click here to view information for all Kansas schools: 2025 KS Admissions Guide
Local/County Scholarships - The counselors and I will visit Gov't classes in January to discuss these applications that are due in early March (Instructions & Applications will be linked below in January 2026)
National/State Scholarships & Scholarship Search Engines - I will post these opportunities to the Class of 2026 Google Classroom as applications are sent to us. Deadlines vary by scholarship, and you can view them here: National/State Scholarships
Local & County Scholarships
GBHS coordinates the Local & Barton County Scholarship program for graduating seniors.
2026 Scholarship Instructions
Local Scholarships
* GBHS Local Scholarships - Students can only receive one scholarship
2026 Local Applications
County Scholarships
*Barton County Scholarships- Part of Local Scholarship Program, but a student can receive as many as are awarded
2026 County Applications
Scholarship Search Engines
- Matching - Once you fill out your student profile, you are automatically matched with scholarships you are most eligible for.
- Direct Applications - You can apply directly to multiple scholarships - you never leave the site.
- Auto Filled Applications - All of the information from your student profile is autofilled into each application, saving you time.
- Estimated Application Times - Every scholarship has an estimated application time to help you prioritize them.