ACT: 32 to 34

Test Preparation
1

Hey all! I’m currently a junior, and I’m trying to bump my ACT score up from a 32 to a 34.

I’ve already jumped from a 29 (35 E 25 M 32 R 25 S) to a 32 (36 E 29 M 33 R 29 S), and many of the schools I’m interested in accept superscores, but I want to jump the last two points (or higher if possible but I won’t try to retake once I hit 34).

First off, what should be my target breakdown for a 34? I’m thinking either a 36 E 32 M 35 R 33 S or a 36 E 32 M 34 R 34 S, but what seems easiest based on where I typically score?

My main difficulties are obviously math and science, so how can I improve these scores? I only missed 4 science questions and still got a 29, so what should be my study approach? Math is a bit more difficult (I think I missed like 15-ish?), and it’s the only section I can never seem to quite finish, so what should I do? I’m most likely going to get a tutor, but are there any other options?

I’ve done a lot of practice tests now and I’m starting to run out of the free online ones. Where can I find more to work through and self-test on? I’ve mostly just done them as timed tests. Would breaking some of them apart and taking them slower just to see how high my accuracy is when not pushed for time be beneficial/help me to learn the content better (particularly in the math section)?

How about reading? I only missed 3 questions for my 33, so what are the little tips for getting this higher? Part of me wants to -try- for a 36, but it’s not the greatest necessity. If I do try for a 36, how do I even study when it’s only little things that are keeping me from that score?

Thank you for any advice!

2

Hi!! That was my exact situation about a month ago, so I know how you feel – I was also hitting the 32-33 range with almost identical scores for the breakdown, with science in particular lower than the rest. I managed to bump my science score from a 27-28 range to the 34-35 range by doing the following:

a) I recorded every mistake I made on any science practice test on a notebook. It sounds really unnecessarily time-consuming, but try it – it really helps. Make sure you note why exactly you got the question wrong, and create a concrete reminder to yourself on how to fix the problem i.e. underline more or circle units, etc.

b) Try the 500 ACT Science Questions book from McGraw Hill, and the Princeton Review and Kaplan overall ACT prep books. tbh just look up “ACT prep” on your local library server and order a bunch of books that are available, and then do all the science questions in them. Make sure you’re spending 40-60% of your study time reviewing your mistakes instead of just doing more practice problems, because that’s how you get your score up.

For Math, I just did some of the Barrons book for SAT II Math II.

Good luck!!! You got this!

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@icravedeath Thank you, that’s very helpful!