I have had finals and sports and a ton of homework recently, and the ACT flew right over me. I now only have 1 month left to study I have a 24 on the ACT and I want at least a 30. Can you guys help me out. Finals are over but I get home at 5:30 and do homework till like 8:30 and i’m just too tired to do anything else. Can you help me form a study plan?
also I finished the ACT red book, Barrons 36, and Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT. I’m about to do a practice test this would be me 3rd. But I don’t really know what or how to study.
Hi. So i increased from a 30 to a 32 and here are a few tips:
- Aim to get a 30 or higher in each individual section. I believe that colleges weigh the most importance on math and English section, so work on those. I believe that these are the easiest sections on the test, so aim for a 32 atleast in those two sections.
- Barrons 36 has been EXTREMELY helpful for the science section (which was the toughest for me) I improved from a 23 to a 30 by using it, so I suggest the same for you.
- I would suggest spending a Saturday (or maybe the weekend, depending on how fast you work) reading through the Barrons 36. As you read, do the practice exercises they give you as well. I am not too sure as to how helpful it is for the math, english and reading sections, but it is worth the shot!
- PRACTICE PRACTICE AND PRACTICE. After that weekend^, do a practice paper daily. Do at least 5 full test under complete test conditions. This will help you prepare in terms of time management, and physical and mental fatigue. Once you think time is no longer a problem, work on section you arent able to consitently score above 30 in. ( If this is all the sections, then keep doing full length practice test, but you need not do them in a continuous sitting. Maye practice section by section) Start with the ACT red book and then you will be able to find official old test papers that the ACT would have published. I dont think I'm allowed to post them here though :P
People may tell you that it is impossible to improve by more than 2 points. That isn’t true because I improved by 7 points in science! I think it is all about finding a technique that works for you!
Good Luck!
Thank’s a lot. I know it’s possible because I started of with a 21 and went up to a 24 hoping to get above 30!
If you are “too tired” to do anything when you have the free time to study, how do you expect to grow 6 points? From my experience, a 3 point growth between sittings is lucky, even with intensive studying.
From my personal experience, I began taking the ACT in 7th grade, once I had learned all of the possible material. It took me 3 years and 4 more official sittings to increase my score by 6 points up to a 35.
^^^
Starting to prepare for ACT in grade 7 is way to early. My guess is most kids won’t get a hang of prep material until they have finished at least grade 9 and have some foundation to understand advanced concepts and critical reading. On the other hand if you start someone prepping in Grade 7, 4 years seems to be about the right time when you should expect to see some results. Similarly you can start someone in Grade 9 and see same results in 2 years. 
@sanwal the first one in 7th grade was for a competition. My 29 earned me 2 decent awards. I continued taking it once or twice a year until recently. Each test improved my score by at least a point until 35 in 10th grade. I took two more after that, hoping to get that last point, but to no avail.
Yes, I could have waited, but why not start preparing early, especially after already preparing for the competition? My state covers a decent portion, and no practice is better than the real thing. I even spent less than most kids (or rather parents) do on the ACT/SAT with prep overall, even including the Chipotle burrito my parents bought for lunch after each test (as a young teen, this was fine with me!).