<p>I'm an incoming senior in HS and I plan to take the ACT for the first time in September (SAT wasn't working out). I took a practice test (the ones from the counselors' office) and got a 28.</p>
<p>I've been studying for about a month now. Completed the PR study guide and took their practice tests. I got a 29 on my first attempt and than a 27 on my second (I graded PR's test results using the grading rubric from the actual ACT practice booklet from the counselors' office). Everyone keeps on saying how their test scores went up a few points after the PR but mine's remained the same.</p>
<p>I am aiming for at least a 30 on the ACT, if not 31-33. My ultimate dream school would be Columbia University and MIT. My more reachable goals are UCB, UCLA, and NYU Sterns. I have pretty good extracurricular (leadership roles, community service, and a little drama) plus straight As with the exception of one C and a B in AP Physics. Taken 4 AP courses total, planning on taking 3 more next year, have taken 5 community college classes and is currently taking 2 more.</p>
<p>I'm considering taking the Kaplan ACT courses, but it's really expensive so it probably will not be an option. Anyone taken the Kaplan ACT classes? How effective are they?</p>
<p>Any suggestions? I'm getting sorta desperate as time is running out, and I just can't seem to break the 30 mark.</p>
<p>I haven’t heard anything good about Kaplan review classes at all. In fact, I think it’s better if you don’t take ACT classes and just buy a book and study for the test (REAL ACT BOOK) and if you can’t independatly study, just get a tutor or something. Read up grammar rules on sparknotes, it helps a bit.</p>
<p>You wasted your time doing worthless extracurriculars instead of studying. You made the choice, so I can’t sympathize with you. It’s a bit late now, honestly, but there’s still some things to improve on depending on what your lowest score is. In 10 days, I don’t see much change, but it’s good to note that the PR book is supposedly slightly harder than the real ACT. You may already have a 30, but I can’t say–you’ll have to find out. :)</p>
<p>Princeton Review, Kaplan, and all of the other test preparation classes are certainly not a cure-all. At this point, you won’t get much more out of them than you will with some serious self-studying. Take a look at your practice test scores and try to identify the areas where you are weakest and really focus on those. Then take a deep breath, stop worrying, and just try to do your best on test day.</p>
<p>And keep in mind that your practice test scores may or may not be indicative of what you will earn when you take the real thing. Search the CC archives and you will find postings from students whose actual test scores exactly matched what their practices tests had “predicted” but you will also find postings from students whose actual scores were nowhere close to their practice test scores. (Both higher and lower!)</p>
<p>I’ve taught ACT for one of the big prep companies in the past, and I have to agree it’s not worth your time or expense. I’m assuming you did do some prep for the SAT, and a lot of what you did there is still going to apply to the ACT. There are definitely differences, though, so I’d invest in an ACT prep book. I’m an advocate of the books put out by the testmakers, and I second the suggestion to the Real ACT book.</p>
<p>“You wasted your time doing worthless extracurriculars instead of studying.”</p>
<p>Really now? Because I don’t think they were worthless at all. In fact, I found out and learned a LOT more about myself and the world through extracurricular than study for a stupid placement test that doesn’t even accurately reflect my academics.</p>
<p>By the way, extracurricular is already plural. Lot of good that extra studying has done for you.</p>
<p>Eh, you trade for thing for another. I haven’t done like any extracurriculars but I spent my time worrying about the ACT and getting a higher score. Traded one for another.</p>
<p>Yeah CJGone, I am always very fond of your advice on the ACT forum…you are very hardworking and im glad you did well on the ACT. I do think,however, your statement regarding extracirricular activities was a bit harsh…in many cases those activities can offset a slightly lower school.</p>
<p>But OP, like CJ said, avoid Kaplan. The REAL ACT is ur best bet. I am also attempting to improve from a 29 to atleast a 30. Good luck!</p>
<p>Sorry, I just have a bias against people who stack extra curriculars because I know people who do that. Don’t take it personally, but i’m really getting sick of people over-dramatizing the “amazing” things they did-- which a lot of people do. I’m not claiming that the creator of this thread does that, but I’m aware that it’s fairly difficult to do both X amount of extra random stuff while studying for the SAT\ACT at the same time. Noting my bias, I just can’t help but feel a bit dissapointed that the creator of this thread posts 10 days before the test expecting some significant improvement when they could have used all that time doing whatever they did to get a higher score instead. My opinion though because I spent a good amount of time working my way up from a fairly dismal score to a score much higher. I think others should work their way up to instead of just hoping for the best in the last week. :P</p>
<p>“Noting my bias, I just can’t help but feel a bit dissapointed that the creator of this thread posts 10 days before the test expecting some significant improvement when they could have used all that time doing whatever they did to get a higher score instead.”</p>
<p>If you read my post earlier, you would of realized I have been studying for the exam for a while now. I’ve gone through the entire PR. </p>
<p>And to prove you wrong, I scored a 33 on the math on my last practice test. So it’s not impossible to do both. I know many people that have scored above 2000 on the SAT AND have incredible extra-curricular.</p>
<p>I found the Kaplan ACT Math and Science workbook really helpful. I kept scoring 19-20 on practice math tests (which really dragged down my composite score since I had 31E, 29R, and 27S) but after finishing the math section of the book I raised my score to a 24 on practice tests.</p>