<p>Hey guys, this is my first post! Anyway, I took the ACT back in august I believe, here's my breakdown:
I'm in the class of '12 (current Junior) so I am planning to retake it. I'm a prospective HYPSM applicant, which makes me want to fix this even more.</p>
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<p>ENG: 34
MATH: 36
READ: 36</p>
<h2>SCI: 28</h2>
<h2>COMP: 34</h2>
<p>What would you guys recommended in order to increase my science score?
I'm currently enrolled in AP Chem and AP Physics, but I haven't taken Bio since freshman year and wont take it until senior year. Is there any way to supplement my lack of bio with a website/book that gives me a crash course on common Biology labs?</p>
<p>If you know how to read graphs, you can honestly get a 36 on the science without ever taking a science class. Every answer is on the page, you just have to find it. I’d do a few practice tests and you should be good.</p>
<p>You already have nice scores, so I really wouldn’t fret too much. I know a few kids at Harvard with a 34.</p>
<p>You don’t need to know much science to get through the passage. Just treat it as a reading passage (hunt for information in the passages provided that will back up your answer choices. Everything you need is found in the passage).</p>
Prepping for science doesn’t really work; you need to improve your reading comprehension skills and/or ability to correlate data or interpret what it means. Having scientific knowledge does in fact help, but is usually not required. </p>
<p>You shouldn’t read the science passages if you can help it. You may have to if a question seems to be unsolvable to your abilities and the passage might have valuable information in it.</p>
<p>cjgone is correct. However, I remember on my September ACT there was a question about human body systems that wasn’t on the passage…I would’ve gotten a 34 had I know that information. So, I guess you can say some background knowledge will help.</p>
<p>Definitely, there is usually 1-2 questions that require background knowledge. You can still get 34+ without knowing them though. </p>
<p>Usual common themes i’ve seen that require outside knowledge are:</p>
<p>Genotypes \ biology (seems to be very common, you should just know this)
Chemical equations ( <= 1 questions)
human body (<= 1 questions)</p>
<p>In general, if you can solidify your score between +/- 2 of a score ( e.g30-34), you probably will do as exepcted on the real test as this section probably fluctuates the most (it only takes a mistake to get a drop or a delay because a topic is confusing). You need to be on your best day as well (good breakfast, lots of sleep).</p>
<p>so then how does one improve in science and reading? should i just continue doing sections over and over again? should i practice them with slightly less time than usual?</p>
<p>and for science, how do u guys manage your time? cause I usually do the data sections first, then move on to the experimentals, and finally the debate one…</p>
<p>and for reading Im trying to practice spending 8minutes on each passage, 3 minutes to read, 5 to answer</p>
<p>You should DEFINITELY not do that. You shouldn’t even be using time (reasonably less than 40-45 minutes though) on your first practice test actually. It’s more important to answer all questions than to randomly guess them and have no chance of trying the problems.</p>
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Uh, read…when you can understand most things you read, your scores will match up to your proficiency.
It’s not an over night thing and never will be. There’s really no secret trick involved, this isn’t the SAT.</p>
<p>the thing is though, im taking the ACT for the first Dec. 11 and im a senior… So far, eng/math have been good around 31, but my reading/science have been fluctuating from like 27-31…</p>
<p>so what can i do in the next 2-3 weeks to improve my reading/science?</p>