<p>Ok, so I think I decided to try to take the ACT again in September. I've already taken it 3 times before and my scores from before are 28 (33 on English, 22 on math, 32 on reading, and 25 on science), 29 (31 on English, 25 on math, 30 on reading, and 28 on science), and a 28 again (31 on English, 24 on math, 31 on reading, and 26 on science). I really want to get at least a 30, because it would qualify me for a few scholarships at some of the colleges I'm applying to. So I have a few questions. How good are these prep books for reviewing material and for practice tests: Princeton Review Cracking the ACT, Kaplan or Barron's math and science workbook, and Mcgraw Hill 10 ACT practice tests? I already have the real ACT prep book, but I've already used all the practice teast, so I need a book that will review over all math/English concepts and also have good practice tests. Also any other tips about how to improve my score would be greatly appreciated, mostly for math and science. I always run out of time on these sections and then I have to guess. Any other tips for improving my score, especially in those areas? Thanks so much!!!</p>
<p>Ok, a 22,24,25 constitutes a pretty significant lack of knowledge. You should probably ditch the prep books for right now and review through an algebra II book, a geometry book, and maybe a trig book. You really need to get the concrete knowledge needed for math.</p>
<p>Also, you need to just practice science over and over. Review over the hardest questions and learn from them.</p>
<p>hope this helps :)</p>
<p>^ lack of knowledge? really? quit being so arrogant</p>
<p>Well, i’ll explain what I can. I’m not sure on math, I have the same problem but I can help in science. What I did, is for a few weeks, every morning for like 45 minutes, I just did science problems from 1296 from Princeton Review. For a while, don’t even time yourself. Just try to understand the ideas behind the passages because they could come up again in later tests. Then try timing yourself. When I looked on CC, everyone said they were having trouble with the timing on 1296 science, I didn’t think it was hard, but whatever. Anyway, I took a RB exam for science and it said i’d get a 34, and I missed two that I don’t know how… So I went from a 21 in science to apparently a 34. Best of luck.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^^^^
Ditto on what he said for Science. </p>
<p>I think for the Math … there is an awesome site that someone a long time ago here posted. [DCHS</a> ACT Math Question of the Day](<a href=“http://sbstjohn.com/QODWebSite/act_qod.htm]DCHS”>http://sbstjohn.com/QODWebSite/act_qod.htm)
the guy actually talks and goes through an ACT question. it isn’t confusing like a lot of the back of review books where the work can be kinda messy. this guy shows step by step and talks through it which I thought was helpful. Defintely look through some old textbooks of Algebra II and Trig, that wouldn’t hurt at all. After going through that website and just tutoring someone on Trig/Pre-Calc (which i have to say is helpful to review things like law of sine and cosine, periodic functions, what not), it helped me. After doing all of that, I got a 34 on the Math Section. </p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>"^ lack of knowledge? really? quit being so arrogant "</p>
<p>Erm, I’m not being arrogant at all. Unless he is making a LOT of careless mistakes (over a third of the test or so).</p>
<p>Amaster,</p>
<p>AWESOME LINK, THANKS!</p>
<p>Really quick, i’m not trying to steal this thread, but where do you guys get these old algebra II and trig textbooks? I don’t go to a private school, so I don’t buy them… I dunno. maybe someone else knows…</p>
<p>@ hopeful2b: You could try the library because they might have something. It is possible. If not, you probably would have to wait until the school year starts and just talk to the teacher that would have connections to the books. If you can’t get your hands on it, I think my link is pretty good to help you because the guy is pretty thorough on the math. </p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Try PR 1296, or Barron’s Math and Science</p>
<p>“Really quick, i’m not trying to steal this thread, but where do you guys get these old algebra II and trig textbooks? I don’t go to a private school, so I don’t buy them… I dunno. maybe someone else knows…”</p>
<p>LOL!</p>
<p>I asked myself the same question a few months ago, and here is how I always do it.</p>
<p>Right after a period ends, conveniently walk into the teacher’s classroom. Just say something like, can I borrow this Algebra book to help prepare for the ACT?</p>
<p>He will most likely say yes, but this one woman hammered about waiting till I was older, blah blah blah.</p>
<p>So what I did was I talked to this big black gangster hip hop guy (senior) and told him that I would pay him $10 if he would try to borrow the book. He took my money, walked into the classroom, and handed me the book. He said I would have to bring it back though somehow.</p>
<p>That’s the reason why I laughed when I saw that post, since it reminded me of an awkward experience.</p>
<p>Why would you give a kid $10? Just ask a different teacher… haha</p>
<p>nah, the teacher would have been like “why wont she just give it to you?”</p>
<p>Amaster, that is a great link. I’m going to try to get my math-challenged daugther (32 English, 35 Reading, 27 Science, 23 Math) to spend half an hour a day. This guy talks you through the problems step by step, which is next best thing to a tutor. Thanks!</p>
<p>Well,</p>
<p>the reason I think that that it is a really cool site is because it provides a lot of random realistic math questions.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how well it could cure mathintitus, or if it provides enough information to score high. Well, really it definitely doesn’t have enough info to get you 30+ for one like the June test, and you would have to get lucky to get it elsewhere.</p>
<p>I’m just sayin :)</p>