For some Mount Carmel students, CRS Testing Day lingers on the corners of their consciousness like a bad memory. Others try to forget about it for a while, and just when they’ve completely washed it out of their minds – boom! It rears its ugly face again, and five cruel hours later, they are exhausted.

That was the experience for many students this week.  Although they had just returned from Christmas break, it was time again on Thursday, January 12, for the Trimester 2 CRS Test.

CRS Testing is basically a practice ACT test that prepares MC students for success on the actual ACT.  The subjects mirror the ACT with sections on English, Reading, Math, Science and Writing. Seniors who have already taken the ACT and scored “college ready” are exempted.

The upside to the CRS program is that students can use it as a basis for predicting how they will score when they take the actual ACT, and for identifying what they need to focus on to score at a higher level.

Freshman Tony Livermore is one who sees  advantage. “It will be a good test so I can see how I can start preparing for tests like these down the road.”

Despite the benefits of preparation and prediction, some still voice frustration over the requirement, like junior Peter Beltemacchi, who explained  “I don’t really like the CRS.  I have already gotten a decent score on my ACT so I don’t see the point.”

Regardless of their attitude, the good news is the CRS came and went – except for those who were absent due to this morning’s ice storm.  Undoubtedly, they’ll have a chance to make up the test in the near future.

Boom!