<p>Took practice tests in official ACT book
33, hoping for 35 next time
TIPS:
1.Know what ACT wants/is looking for
2.English keep sentences short and not redundant
3.Math underline key words in question: What exactly is it asking?
4. Science underline key words in question (Even more important in this section)
5. Reading, don’t make assumptions and no answers that stretch what the passage means (I got 36 in reading)
6. Do your best and try not to make stupid mistakes. if you don’t know a question, it’s ok there is nothing you can do.</p>
<p>I got a 30 on my first try. I used a Princeton Review book. I didn’t look at it too much but what I read did help. I plan to take it more seriously this time and take one of their classes to raise my score. I heard they have great classes! Good luck!</p>
<p>My son got a 36 after doing two practice tests. His tip for the science and social science sections was to not even read all the text but head straight to the charts and tables. For the essay section, he said they basically give you the structure of the essay. Also, he studied a lot more for the SAT but did less well. Found the ACT way more straightforward.</p>
<p>I went in without anything and got a 33. It’s not bad at all if you work efficiently, good luck!</p>
<ol>
<li>
Something that I recommend to all who I help is to pay special attention to what kind of questions you’re missing. It is easy to figure out which subjects are your weakest, (generally science) for most people, but you should study your performance well beyond that. Take a full practice test. It’s preferable if it’s in a book that breaks down the type of question asked. After you grade the practice test, look at what type of questions you’re missing; see if you can find a pattern. Do you consistently miss the conic questions on the math section? Or the “Everything is true EXCEPT” questions on the reading section? Once you’ve narrowed down what types of questions you struggle with, it is easy enough to study those specifically. Additionally, if you know what types of questions you struggle with, when you get to the test, you should be able to recognize those questions if you encounter them. Make sure to give those extra focus. Good luck!</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>What were your study techniques?
I used the ACT Official Study Guide as my pillow the night before the test.</li>
<li>Which book(s) did you use?
I think I used Princeton Review… like all of them… but just for tests.</li>
<li>Do any practice tests?
Yes, many. Like 10+ and took notes on what I got wrong.</li>
<li>Private tutors or classes?
No.</li>
</ul>
<p>Result: 36 ftw</p>
<p>I took no ACT practice tests and didn’t study at all for the ACT. The only preparation I had were the classes I took my junior year, which were Jazz band, AP US history, honors english, AP biology, spanish 3/4, concert band, and precalculus. Obviously not all of these helped for the test. Also I was so busy with cross country, wrestling, and tennis during the year, I didn’t even get straight A’s in these classes. I also was in NHS, FBLA, and Key Club, and went to everything for those clubs, as well as all the competitions in both bands I was in. Needless to say, I was booked, and I didn’t get much sleep throughout the school year just trying to stay on top of things. Tests that helped in preparation were the three AP tests I had taken before, and the SAT the weekend before. So I took the SAT the first weekend in June, and the ACT the weekend after. Before taking the SAT, I was busy with finals and massive semester projects, so I didn’t get any studying time in, and almost no sleep, and scored a 1990. The next week I pretty much slept like 12 hours every single day, and didn’t study for the ACT. When I took the ACT, I was super refreshed and was in a good mindset after all the rest. I ended up scoring a perfect 36, and didn’t miss a single question, so it was truly a “perfect” score. Lesson learned: GET SOME GOOD SLEEP BEFORE TAKING BIG TESTS!!</p>
<p>I got a 36 (not a perfect 36, but a 36 the same :)</p>
<p>I just did all of the practice tests in the McGraw Hill guide. (I can’t say whether it’s good or not, I asked my dad to buy me one and this was the one I got…but it worked!) Kaplan did a free practice test at my school, and it projected that I would get an 1800 on my SATS and a 27 on my ACTs…I think they were just trying to get me to shell out some money for test prep. (The first practice test I took out of the book gave me a 35.)</p>
<p>For me, the best thing was taking the tests when I was distracted. I took it the weekend before the end of school, so we watched a lot of movies/had parties in class…and I would try to do the math section and talk to my friends or watch the movie at the same time. I would also try to finish one section in the car on the way to/from school (15 minutes), which helped me with timing but is not a good idea for the easily nauseated. </p>
<p>I’m a fast reader, so I could skim the science section, which I think really helped. Other than that, the focus and speed that I got from practicing the way I did were very beneficial.</p>
<p>Oh, and just a note–don’t try to take the test, then go to ten graduation parties, and then try to study for your Spanish exam. Reading over the flashcards I made, I was really out of it. It took a while for my exhausted brain to even figure out how to get me into bed at the end of the day.</p>
<p>33 in one sitting, 34 superscored.
I would suggest that you work on the sections that you’re weakest on. Like for me, I was really bad at the English Section, so I kept taking practice tests on that specfic section and go OVER the questions you missed. I used the PR 1096 Practice questions book, but I thought it was too…easy, especially in the Science sections. The PR book can first be used to practice and build up your speed, but if you want to know your realistic score, then take PTs out of the official ACT book.</p>
<p>Actually I forgot some information, I took the PSAT twice and the PLAN twice, which probably helped as well.</p>
<p>What exactly do you mean by “social science section”? There isn’t any type of social science section on the ACT, just English, Math, Science, and Reading…</p>
<p>The ACT reading is split into four sections, one of them is Social Science.</p>
<p>bumppppppppp</p>
<p>34 here. Haven’t done any practice tests or studied, but I’ve taken it several times.
Science- I always do each questions individually without reading the passage. The question will always tell you which charts/graphs to look at. You’re always pushed for time so the minute or two you save by not reading the passage part helps.
Reading- I’m sure this isn’t the most popular way, but I always read the passage entirely then answer the questions. If it’s one of the questions that asks “Which of the following isn’t mentioned,” I go back and check off the ones I see and eliminate. I finish with plenty of time to go back and check with this method.
Math- Just do it all, it’s always easy. I ALWAYS go back and check every answer. This time around, I found two mistakes. I’ve made a 36 on math twice so I think it works.
English- Same as math. Go straight through then check. It is my lowest at 33, so I may need to try something new.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>-Reviewed the more advanced mathematical concepts, e.g. matrices, permutations, for the math section, memorized the more obscure grammar rules, practiced for reading and science
-Red ACT book (4-5 practice tests)
-Yes; 5-6 practice tests
-No; imo, intrinsic motivation is far more important than private tutors and classes. Unless you’re not motivated (which I doubt, seeing that you started this thread) at all, the best method is probably to set up a self-study routine, e.g. an hour every other day.</p>
<p>35, hoping for a 36 in February.</p>
<p>Honestly, I didn’t actually prep. I took it cold. However, I think my success is attributable to two things.
- I knew what I was good at, and I also knew what areas I was going to have issues with. I made a point of being methodical and obsessive when it came to checking my answers on the english and reading sections, but let myself relax when it came to science and math.
- My Sophomore Physics teacher forced us to do weakly ACT sheets that she counted as way more points than they ought to have been worth–when your grade depends on it, you get good at them, fast.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would take it (maybe with some prep in science if you haven’t previously been exposed to it) and then see what you need to work on and go from there.</p>
<p>I got a 35 (35 on every section except reading which was a 34) last october (i’m class of 2012). I think that if you’re a good test taker on these tests then you’ll be fine and if you’re not thats what you gotta work on. I went in blind in october just to see what i’d get (had a bet with friends). The only practice test of any sort I took was the PSAT sophmore year and this year. And I know the PSAT is a lot different from the ACT but I’m a good test taker and really lucky on multiple choice answers. So if you want to do well just sharpen your test taking strategies. Like not wasting time on any one question, or noticing if two answers are complete opposites maybe its one of them types of things. Idk but anyone can do well on these you just gotta be smart and not over think.</p>
<p>I got a 36. I took a few practice tests. I don’t know about those seminars or tutors…</p>
<p>My advice is to do a few practice tests for each section and don’t worry about it too much.</p>