<p>Do you think it's possible? </p>
<p>I got a 31 in June. I'm taking it again in September. In January, I'll be taking a practice ACT at school, which is basically an old copy. I'll probably also take the one in February, and then another practice test at school in April. I can also take it again in June and next September before applying to colleges. </p>
<p>I know all of that really doesn't matter that much. I mean I'm sure the experience will help, but I need to do a lot of studying too. I have the PR Cracking the ACT 2010 and 2009 Editions, PR 1,296 ACT Practice Questions, and Cambridge's ACT Victory 8th Edition. What other books should I invest in? Also, how much time should I spend each day preparing myself?</p>
<p>Well I’m assuming you’re a sophomore, so a 31 is a great start. With all the practicing and actual testing you intend to do, a jump is probable. Keep in mind, though, a lot of schools don’t want to see you taking the test more than 3-4 times. So if you apply to a school that demands all testing data, they might see you in a negative light if you took it 5 times. (They might question how much time you’re committing to testing, when they’d rather see it spent in other areas.)</p>
<p>My advice is to just keep taking practice tests–how you want to break it up is your choice. Obviously the closer to the test you practice the better.</p>
<p>I went from a 29 (my first ever practice test) to a 35 this past June.</p>
<p>So a 31 to a 36 is feasible. But any top score requires a certain bit of luck. That is fact. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks. I’ve already taken it three times 
17 in 7th, 19 in 8th, and 30 in February and 31 in June of my sophomore year. The January and April testing dates are strictly practice and they won’t be sent out to anyone. I just really like standardized tests, lol. I never thought about what the schools might think…</p>
<p>First off, don’t worry about 7th and 8th grade tests–nobody will care about those. And if the schools you apply to use Score Choice, they never even have to know.</p>
<p>But if a school does require it, 5-6+ times might raise an eyebrow.</p>
<p>My suggestion would be to take it as many times you want and forget about what the policy of the school your applying to. It is up to you completely on what scores you send to schools regardless of their policy. Ex: If school A wants all tests ever taken on act, and I have taken it 15 times but send only my best score report they have NO way to know that you didn’t follow protocol. It’s more an ethical dilemma. But if it keeps you up at night and you feel like you broke a commandment, then maybe you want to send all your scores. Good luck.</p>
<p>^Yes the schools don’t have a way of knowing, and 99/100 times they won’t find out. </p>
<p>But it would be nothing short of cheating. Some applicants will inevitably do it. Still though, if thousands of kids are honest and send in all their testing (potentially putting them at a disadvantage) what makes you so special that you don’t have to follow the rules? You could potentially be accepted over other deserving kids simply because they were honest and you weren’t.</p>
<p>I looked at the website for the main school that I want to go to and they don’t require you to send all of them, so problem solved.</p>
<p>Cheating it is not. I believe it is legally the applicant and only the applicant’s score and they are free to send what they want and colleges that do not comply with this are trying to over power score choice either for sat/act when it was created for the applicant and to fatten the wallets of the testing companies who create the exams. In your argument, there will be thousand’s of applicants who do adhere to the “rules” but also consider there will be 1000’s of applicants who do not. Does it give an advantage to those who have more means. Of course. But life isn’t fair after all.</p>
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<p>Are you referring to the fact that they can afford more testing? If so, I don’t see how that is relevant to the topic.</p>
<p>Either way, I believe the College Board offers one score report for all testing, at the same price. If that is not the case–and going by your logic that colleges are fattening the wallet of testing companies–why would they offer score choice in the first place, since you say it loses them money?</p>
<p>The fact is that colleges are making a big decision by accepting students for the next four years. I’m not a fan of them requiring all testing, but they have a right. Why should a testing company have more say than the actual school?</p>
<p>Some students will ignore the rule, yes. Does that make it okay? Each applicant will have to decide that. But, in my opinion, cheating because others are cheating is not a legit justification. Think steroids in baseball.</p>
<p>are you serious?</p>
<p>you’d prolly score 36 in e m & s!!</p>