<p>All right, so I looked up my ACT scores online from the February 8th test, and I'm disappointed, yet again I'm not at the same time. Here's the breakdown:</p>
<p>I studied for this test (it was my first test BTW) for about a month, so I wasn't really expecting what I wanted (which I would've liked a 31, which is still optimal for any upcoming test), but I was trying to be hopeful. HOWEVER, since life doesn't always go as planned, I came down with the flu two days before the test and it refused to go away. So I took the test anyway and died halfway through the math section.</p>
<p>Anyways, looking at what I got on the test do you think it is possible for me to reach that 31 for the September test? What tips do you have for the reading and science portions? How comparable are the ACT and SAT (I'm taking the SAT on March 8th)? I know that my next ACT isn't for about another seven months, but the sooner I start the better my scores will be. Thanks guys (: </p>
<p>I took the February 8 test as well for the first time the results were this:
Composite: 34
English: 33
Math: 32
Reading: 34
Science: 35</p>
<p>Take it from me that getting a 31 is entirely possible! However, take the SAT into account because some people do better on one than the other. Just keep studying and work hard over the summer. Look into getting a standardize test tutor.</p>
<p>My Act is
Composite: 35
English: 33
Math: 36
Reading: 36
Science: 36
Test is not really that difficult if you had more time i’m sure you would had done better.</p>
<p>there’s tons of stories on cc, literally dozens that i’ve read, of kids scoring <180 on their sophomore and junior PSATS (and keep in mind for some they got closer to 160) and then within one year and some preparation scoring 2200+ on their first SAT. to a smart kid who wants to score well (and he or she doesn’t even have to be that smart, it’s more about the dedication and desire past a certain level of intelligence which is by no means a high level) for a kid like that, like you, practice and time ARE EVERYTHING. and with those two things a 31 is easily within reach. like you really can do it. you must believe and you must want it. it’s totally possible. although most people don’t improve very much for the kids who want to improve and try to improve, they accomplish spectacular feats of improvement all the time. that this is true is proven beyond doubt by the many examples on cc.</p>
<p>I have no idea how three people interpreted this as a poll asking for their ACT scores, but that’s College Confidential for you. :-D</p>
<p>What are you getting on practice tests? These aren’t always especially accurate (my real test scores were always higher than my practice test scores, and some people’s are lower), but they can give you some idea. Do you think being sick made you perform a lot worse than you would have otherwise?</p>
<p>Overall I think it would definitely be possible to get a 31 in September…that’s pretty far away.</p>
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<p>My scores on the SAT and ACT were pretty much the same (even though I never specifically studied for the SAT), and I think that’s true for some people, but others score a lot higher on one test than the other. </p>
<p>You guys are awesome for being so nice and supportive:P A lot of people aren’t on here. Thanks for all of your answers. </p>
<p>To answer your questions halcyon heather:
My practice tests varied a lot. One day they would be in the high 20s and another they would be in the low 30s.
I think that being sick brought down my score. I mean, I wouldn’t of gotten a 34 or whatever that some of you freaking amazing people are getting, but I like to think I would’ve gotten about a 30. My friend took the same test and her and I are on the EXACT same page (same classes, same grades, ect.) and she got a 31 without studying, but she always does so much better than me on standardized tests for some reason. In the classroom we generally get the same scores, but when it ACTUALLY matters, she does better. It makes me so mad, but good for her:P </p>
<p>27 is a respectable starting point with one month of prep and a cold on test day. You are definitely within striking distance of a 31 with a great deal of prep work. Get the Red Book, Princeton 1296 Q’s and work through every practice test while making certain you understand all your mistakes. Find a strategy for each section that works best for you. My son struggled with the Reading section and finally found a strategy that improved his score consistently. You really have to find the strategy that works for you through trial and error. There are a number of great suggestions on this site. Good luck! </p>
<p>For me, the science was the hardest section until about my 6th practice test. During that test, it just clicked. For me, i had to read everything in the passage (intro and all experiments) at a comfortable pace. My strategy was to “wide open eye” read everything. I just opened my eyes wider while i read. This helped to read more while moving my eyes less. This really helped reading the passages quicker. This also helps for the reading passage. I got a 35 composite with a 36 on the science</p>
<p>Try different strategies for the science section(read everything thoroughly, skim everything, read nothing and just refer back to the passage as needed) until you find one that works for you</p>
<p>Entirely possible. I took the test the June after my sophomore year, got a 26. Went in the October Test without any prep and got a 31. For the Reading suggestion, I suggest just reading books to get your reading speed up. The Science portion is simply Reading Part 2. Just pace yourself and read more often and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>Absolutely possible. I also scored a 26 composite my first time, and ended up with a 31 my third time with a 32 superscore. Lots practice tests was the main thing I did in between scores. It really helps because after awhile you start getting the system down and recognizing the problem types. I’ll probably try one last time for a 34 or something in that area, I actually enjoy taking the tests now because they’re all so familiar now. So yes, I think it’s entirely possible.</p>