ACT Difficulty

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
1

I recently took the SAT and I didn’t do so well. I was wondering if the ACT is really hard or easy?

2

It depends on the work you put in. If you know you are going to work hard and study well you can do very well on the ACT however it all comes down to the work your going to put in.

3

Different people do better with different tests. Ask yourself some questions.

Were your lower scores in math or in EBRW? If you are not as good at math, the ACT may be better for you since math is a lower percentage of your score.

Were you finishing sections early? If so, the ACT may be better for you since it is more tightly timed.

Were you barely finishing on time? The SAT might be better for you.

Are you good at reading charts and tables and extrapolating answers? The ACT science section tests this (along with basic scientific vocabulary and reading comprehension) while the SAT has less emphasis on it.

4

Old ACT tests are available online. You might print one out and take it yourself to discover whether you’re better or worse at it. Just make sure to set an alarm for time because the timing is a big part of the difficulty level.

5

A couple of comments:

  1. Did you study hard for the SAT? What was your score and what score did you hope to achieve? Practice helps. There are free online resources to help you study and improve (ex. Khan Academy).

  2. My S’s guidance counselor said that typically a third of students do better on the SAT, a third of students do better on the ACT, and a third of students do the same on both exams. Do a practice ACT and see if it is a better exam for you. If you go the ACT route it would also benefit you to study for the exam.

6

@happy1 I studied really hard, and I did good on the practice. When I took the test, I didn’t do so good.

7

I feel like without a doubt, you should take the ACT. I studied 10 hours for the SAT and when I got my score back, I got an 1190. I studied another 10 and when I got my score back, I got a 1290. I was absolutely infuriated, as I put in 20 hours and only improved 140 points from my PSAT overall, as I also took 2 PSATs and 3 practice SATs. I decided to study for the ACT, as it focused less on the reading section, which I bombed each time because I have trouble paying attention to something not interesting (Funnily enough, when taking the SAT practice tests, I aced the science reading part, as those were extremely interesting). I didn’t have much time and only had enough time to take one practice test and spend an hour or so extra on studying the math section.

I got a 30 the first time, with a 33 in math. I’m never taking another standardized test in my life again.