<p>I decided to take the ACT as I do much better on it then the SAT. Coming from the SAT essay, the ACT essay seems very different. The topics are more relatable, generally have to do with school, etc. On the SAT essay some good things to add were counterarguments. Should these be included in ACT essays? I do the worst on the essay on the test and if I can get a 10+ I will be able to get a 34/35 on the ACT. How do I prepare for the ACT essay especially since I can't use historical facts or pieces of literature in my essay?</p>
<p>Look at the examples on pages 70 and 71: <a href="http://media.act.org/documents/preparing.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://media.act.org/documents/preparing.pdf</a></p>
<p>I think you can still use historical facts on the ACT essay…the prompts just don’t really call for them nearly as much as the SAT does. Counter arguments are good, I used them and I got an 11. Just read online or in your study book what they recommend doing, and you should be fine. My essay was not especially complex and as mentioned, I got an 11. I got an 8 on the SAT essay so I think the ACT was much easier. Good luck!</p>
<p>For the ACT, the quantity of writing matters a lot. Write as much as you can pack in to the pages you are given. You can also use examples that are not actually factual, because it is not about WHAT you write as much as how you write it.</p>
<p>Hate to hijack, but I’d like to ask a question about essay time managment.
About how much time do you guys spend on each part of the essay process? (ie: brainstorming, outlining, writing essay, revisions)</p>
<p>Don’t waste time on an outline, just brainstorm 3 solid points as quickly as you can, write them down and then write your essay. The points are important though so I spend more time doing that than I usually would</p>
<p>Yes, include counterarguments in your ACT essay. It’s not completely necessary but definitely helps boost your score.
ACT Essay does NOT factor into your composite score, so even if you get a 2 essay, you can still get a 34/35 composite.
You definitely CAN use historical facts and literature on your essay if you choose. However, it’ll probably be harder to incorporate that type of evidence on the ACT than it is on the SAT - but it does not mean you aren’t allowed! If I had to write an essay with the prompt you linked, I’d spend at least one paragraph, if not two, talking about stuff I learned in AP Psychology, so it can be done.
As far as time management, I generally spend about 5 minutes brainstorming/outlining, and 2 minutes for revisions (I do most of them as I go). The 23ish minutes in the middle are for writing. It seemed to work well for me, but find your own groove. I don’t make a lot of simple spelling/punctuation errors when writing so I don’t need a lot of time to revise. I don’t write a formal outline, I brainstorm and then write a number next to the points I decide to keep. If you need more time to revise or create a formal outline, it’ll be different. Find what works for you.</p>