April 10th, 2010 ACT Official Thread

<p>I’m also a junior taking the ACT for the first time. Math and English seem to be my better subjects and then Science and Reading last. My worst fear on reading is just not understanding a passage. That happened on my last practice test and I managed to get 6 answers wrong…</p>

<p>I’ll be taking the ACT this Saturday as well. I scored a 34 (probably 1 question away from a 35) on the state test in March, and I’m hoping I can pull it off again this time with the additional Writing test. My main concern at this point is time. I know the format of the ACT well, and to tell the truth I’m comfortable taking it, but the time still makes me sweat on the Reading and Science sections.</p>

<p>I also hope I can crank out a lengthy, half-decent essay in the 30 minutes alloted for the Writing test. My state gives a test almost identical to the ACT writing to all juniors, but I’m sure the ACT will have higher standards than my state. I took a practice writing test yesterday and barely finished on time. I plan to take another today to see if I can fix that.</p>

<p>I’m not hoping for a ridiculous score. Anything above a 30 will be alright with me, although it would be nice to score a 34+ again!</p>

<p>Hey y’all! </p>

<p>I’d like to ask you folks who have taken the ACT before a question: how did it compare with the official practice test in the booklet that they give out every year? I’m using a book from 1998-1999 to prepare for the ACT and most of my scores are in the low 30’s/high 20’s. When I took the official test for 2007-2008 (a booklet my college counselor gave to me), I got a score of 33 though. </p>

<p>Sorry for making this post so long, but I’d also like to know what strategies you use for Reading- I always end up finishing 2 minutes before time is called. I’m pretty good with my other subjects (I got a 36 in Math and English on my last simulation test, and I received a 236 on my PSAT), so if you have any questions, I’d be happy to help!</p>

<p>Finally, I think that since we’re pretty much in the same boat (Juniors, have taken the ACT or SAT a couple of times), we should have an online ACT forum tomorrow. I’ll be on college confidential for an hour between 12:00 am to 6:00 pm (Berlin time). If any of you want to drop by and ask questions or give suggestions about how to do well on the ACT, by all means do so.</p>

<p>I took the ACT in February, and now on Saturday I will be taking it again. I really don’t want to take it too many times, so I am hoping that after this weekend I won’t have to take it again <em>crosses fingers</em>.</p>

<p>@hwpan88:
If you were able to manage a 33 on the practice test, you will be more than fine. Most colleges aren’t looking for a perfect score on the ACT. Unless you’re applying to ultra competitive schools/ivy leagues, anything between a 25 and a 30 is more than fine. You could even venture to say that a 23 isn’t’ terrible. </p>

<p>As far as reading, I don’t really have any strategies. I would say just pace yourself, and get as much done as you can. If you see that you only have say a minute left, they say the best thing to do is just bubble in random things. You don’t get marked off for getting answers wrong, so you still have a chance of getting it right by bubbling anything in if it comes down to the wire.</p>

<p>Good luck everyone!</p>

<p>I am only taking this for the writing section, and I am pretty worried about that. My composite scores should be fine, as I have taken it twice before (3 if you count 7th grade), once last year and again last month for the Tennessee mandated test. I got a 34 both times, but the second one should have been a 35. Our proctor cut us short by 5-7 minutes on the science section, and, because she ran late, bells were going off and announcements were being made during the science section. In the end my breakdown was 35-35-35-31, pretty annoying.</p>

<p>Does anyone have any tips for the essay? I really don’t want to have to take it again because I messed up the writing portion the one time I do take it. I have taken one practice essay in the book and I filled up 2 1/2 pages, which based on reading this forum, won’t do me much good.</p>

<p>1 day until the ACT! Do you guys recommend practicing the day before or no practice?</p>

<p>kaplana and princeton review says no preparation in the last 48 hours.</p>

<p>I was planning on devoting a few hours tonight towards studying for it.</p>

<p>Gl everyone I’m praying that I hit a 30 or higher. On the red book I got a 30 so I’m really hopeful</p>

<p>I haven’t studied at all for the ACT, but I did get a 30 on the PLAN and a 2270 SAT. Studying isn’t really something I tend to do for standardized tests, but I might just look at a practice test tonight.</p>

<p>Prayin’ for a 33+
But I got a 2230 on the SATs, so I’m not really worried about the ACTs, since I’ll just send my SAT score.</p>

<p>I’m the same as superexcited. I took the SATs and did well. If I do really well on the ACTs (34+), then ill just send those and never have to take either again, but I’m luck that there’s really no pressure for me.</p>

<p>Well this is a totally useless test for me.</p>

<p>I took a practice test back in January and saw that my ACT was better than my SAT. I studied a lot for the SAT and got a score I couldn’t even imagine, so I’m basically playing with house money tomorrow…that, and wasting 5 hours.</p>

<p>I wish that I didn’t need to study.</p>

<p>I heard that the last few ACTs had a low curve. Should we expect a low curve on this one as well?</p>

<p>I’m hoping to get a 33+
I’ve been hardcore studying for the past three or four months. I’m set with English, Math, and Reading; it’s only the science section that gives me a spot of trouble. I’ve never gotten above a 30 on a practice test for the science section. But we’ll see what happens tomorrow!</p>

<p>Anyway, good luck everybody! :)</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>This is nerve-wracking.</p>

<p>Good luck everybody, I wish you all the best (and best scores)! I hope they don’t throw anything too peculiar on any of the sections.</p>

<p>i have strange feeling this test will be harder then average, but will have a very nice curve. Just a hunch, but it is better for me that way because the questions i miss is not because they are hard but because i rush and make a stupid mistake.</p>

<p>Isn’t the curve typically the same though?</p>

<p>no not really i have seen curves where you can get 2 science wrong and get a 36 or on another get a 34. I have seen reading sections where 3 wrong is 36 and on another it is a 32.</p>