Hello, I took the December ACT and scored a 36. I have taken the test before, however it was when I was much younger, but it did give me a slight advantage because I knew the test a little better, however the highest I ever got in those years was a 20 something. I’ve done hours upon hours of test prep with the goal of a 34 for merit, and ended up getting a 36 (35e, 35m, 36r, 36s) the first time I took it as a Junior. I’ve found out a few things about how to prepare.
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Kaplan/Princeton/etc are good options for developing basics. Their practice tests and questions are fairly unrealistic, but it is still a good way to get a bearing on what content the test has to offer. However, the highest I ever scored on the four Kaplan practice tests I took was a 31, and only got a 30 or above on Reading/Science a couple of times.
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The best way to practice is to do as much as possible. I’ve found with the reading and science tests (which were hardest for me at first) is that as you do more practice, you get exponentially better at those topics. I suggest taking as many official act practice tests as possible, there’s currently 5 unique ones available.
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The most recent official practice tests are the most accurate and representative. In the 2015 practice test, I scored a 34 or 35, in the 2006 one (which I took a week before test day) I scored around a 32 or less.
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Use a watch! Just make sure it’s silent. There is a nice, cheap Casio one for about 20 bucks on Amazon that has silent mode. I preferred a stop watch, but you have to open up the back of it and cut out some springs, pretty complicated.
4.5) Time is key. I’ve done extensive test prep for the PSAT and ACT now. I’ve found that the ACT is much harder timed test, for reading and science in particular (at least for me). Use a watch to track yourself and make sure you stay on point.
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Prep scholar is an awesome resource. If you’re below a 26, look up how to get a 26 in [insert section]. If you’re above a 26, look up how to get a 36 in [insert section]. Honestly, the strategies presented in these articles really helped me, especially in reading.
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Remember, scoring a 36 has to do with luck. You can prepare and prepare, but certain tests will suit you better than others. Perhaps the first time you take it, you have reading passages you hate, but the second time you enjoy reading them.
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Also, if you typically score very high, and the test felt difficult, then the curve will probably reflect that. I know for a fact I missed three questions on Math, but I guess it was difficult test so I still got a 35.
Good luck!