The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges in the US for admissions. A student’s ACT score can significantly improve or lower their chances of getting into a university. There are many tips to break down what the ACT is and also how to improve your score.
The ACT is broken down into four sections: Math, english, reading, and science.
The math section is 60 questions in 60 minutes, as the questions get progressively longer as the time goes on.
English is 75 questions in 45 minutes, including production of writing, knowledge of language, and conventions of English.
Reading is 40 questions in 35 minutes and includes four sections. These sections include social studies, humanities, natural science, and prose fiction.
The science section includes graphs, tables, and written studies.
There is also an optional essay which takes 40 minutes and measures writing skill.
The score of each section is out of 36 and the average of all your sections determines your overall score.
A lot of a student’s math score is determined by previous math knowledge. But, test takers can review key concepts and formulas to ensure not missing any easy questions.
English is one of the easiest to improve since there is a lot of pattern recognition. Students need to review punctuation, appositives, and other basic grammar concepts. One very helpful tip is to break up the sentence into independent and dependent classes which forces focus on punctuation.
Reading is hardest to improve because natural reading speed and comprehension are hard to change. The best thing to do is to take a lot of practice tests to become familiar with the way that the test works.
Like the other tests, taking practice science tests can help improve your score. The best strategy is to go straight to the questions and not look at any graphs or readings.
One of the hardest aspects of the ACT is time management. The best way to manage time is to keep track of time with a stopwatch. It is advisable to check the stopwatch at the end of each section or in intervals where you know what the time should be. Then, you can evaluate if you need to move quicker or can take your time.
It is important to utilize available resources in order to improve ACT scores.
There a variety of test prep options, the best of which being a tutor. Though this is the most expensive option, it clearly has the best outcomes because of personal coaching and the ability to ask questions.
Another option is self study. You can either use online resources like Kahn Academy or use physical books like The Official ACT Prep Guide.
It is crucial to take a lot of practice tests and review missed problems. The more work that is done in advance, the easier the test will be in the moment.
The next ACT available is April 12 at Watterson and the following one is in June at Otterbein. It is important to sign up early both to avoid late fees and to make sure you are eligible.