35 on a practice test... fluke???

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
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<p>Here is my history on practice and act tests to give you an idea on how to answer my questions:
*all are either from red book, actropolis, or actual act: REAL tests.</p>

<p>Some practice tests were split into 2 or 3 days except most recent one: explained below
English,Math,Reading,Science = Composite Score.</p>

<p>Practice test around march 20th?: 30,31,33,35 = 32.25 I also did Practice test 2's reading: 32
Actual on april 9th or w,e: 32,31,25!,31! <-- Idk why my reading was so off
Nother practice from red book few weeks ago: (assuming the 32 from before), 32,32,32,33 = 32.25 again
Next practice test was about 2 weeks ago on actropolis: 32,31,35!??,31 = 32.25 again lol</p>

<p>But monday I took the final test in the red book... 34,36,34,34 I was extremely surprised, that math score I knew I guess I was capable of but I mean I figured I'd still make a few dumb mistakes. HOWEVER reading I had to put an extra 2 minutes on the clock to sorta look at the questions and partly guess on the last section. total time on last section took me roughly 7 minutes. Why? It was cuz I took 12:30 on Prose... I got every one right tho.
Conditions were pretty close to the actual act cept I took about 10 min break between each section.</p>

<p>*So I mean my scores are kinda all over the place but I went from 3 32's to a 35 (34.5 rounds up)? </p>

<p>*Did anyone else do much better on the red book's last test than actual tests or should I actually be aiming for a 34+ on the next act? Cuz I did get a legit 35 on a really apparently easy scale (I got 3 wrong for a 35??) but my reading scores I still feel like are all over the place (usually the same amount wrong though). Are the scales for this years acts much harder than the red books or something?</p>

<p>*If so, how should I study for it (I have 2 real practice tests left I can take as well as 13th ed. Barrons act...)?</p>

<p>*I got about an hour a day to study for the act for the next week or so.</p>

<p>Thanks for reading/replying!!!</p>

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<p>The Red Book tests are REAL former tests. The ones you see in other guidebooks are made up, may contain typos and other errors, and maybe be easier or harder than an actual ACT.</p>

<p>Tests vary in difficulty and are normed after the test results are in to be consistent over time. This means that if you take a test that the mass of test-takers found exceptionally hard, the curve will be more forgiving and you would be permitted more wrong answers for the same composite score. On the other hand, the curve will be harsh if the test-taking group did unusually well because the questions were, as a whole, easier.</p>

<p>You should be able to do as well on the real test as you did in the Red Book tests, assuming:

  • you don’t freeze up or otherwise get nervous during a real exam; and
  • you don’t suffer fatigue from taking all the tests at one sitting – it would be a good idea to take at least one practice test all the way through (3 hours?) rather than just take sections over a couple of days.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Wow I was wholly expecting a response telling me that that test actually was easier. I guess that if its from the redbook and its accurate than thats good news (or maybe I got majorly lucky)</p>

<p>So quick question, does anyone know how I can do my strategy of reading then answering questions, but do it faster? Would this mean attempting to read slightly faster than good comprehension speeds or what?</p>

<p>Thanks you for your response Lorem!</p>

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<p>

All I did was take two practice tests from the red book (which are actual prior tests) and I did better on the actual ACT (35 comp.) than on the practice tests (was getting 32/33 comp.).</p>

<p>

Don’t read the questions first. Go straight into the passage and read at a steady brisk pace to where you aren’t looking at every little letter of every word, but you’re still understanding the fundamental concepts of the passage. If you aren’t good at reading briskly or fast at all, practice is the only way to get better.</p>

<p>If you read at a steady pace, you should have plenty of time to answer the questions. Don’t spend too much time on any one question.</p>

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<p>Okay Thanks!!</p>

<p>I guess I knew your advice in a way but didn’t put it together. It makes more sense now; I’ll try it soon.</p>