<p>Okay so I understand this seems a little unrealistic but I'd love POSITIVE encouragement and mostly pointers. I've taken ACT once and came out with a 34. While that is a good score, I need a perfect score. Any tips?
Thank you and good luck everyone!:D</p>
<p>I advise you not to get anything wrong.</p>
<p>lmao^ </p>
<p>And get the Barron’s 36? I think it’s really good. :)</p>
<p>Good luck on your goal. :)</p>
<p>That extra 2 points really wont help your application at all. 34 is excellent dont waste the money</p>
<p>Nobody needs a 36.</p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC App</p>
<p>^That’s true, but so what? We’re not questioning the OP’s motives here, we’re supposed to help. That didn’t really contribute anything.</p>
<p>To achieve a 36, I recommend taking tests from the red book, and after each test, carefully review EVERY QUESTION you were unsure of (even if you got it right). During testing, make some marking (like a circle around the question number) on the questions you had difficulty with and go back to those. Ask yourself why you got certain questions wrong and how you’ll effectively solve a similar type of question next time. I believe this will help you minimize errors and achieve the coveted 36. Good luck!</p>
<p>It is NOT necessarily a waste of money. In fact, it was worth over $30,000 for my son. The valedictorian from his HS the previous year had nearly identical stats, except his ACT score was 35. I would say the other student was at least as gifted as our son in math and science, if not more so. They are both attending the same university and studying engineering, my son is just one year behind (will be a freshman this fall). My son was awarded a significant engineering dept scholarship, while the other student received nothing of significance (only a one-time $1500 that every in-state student receives). I know this because I’ve had talks with the other boys father.</p>
<p>It was more than worth spending another Saturday morning taking a 3-4 hour test and paying for the test. If you got a 34 on your first try, I would highly recommend having at least another go at it. My son took it 4 times, I believe, but the last test was required by our state and AFTER he got the 36. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Honestly, MichMom, do you know that the difference was the 35 vs. the 36? </p>
<p>I’ll admit I don’t know the whole story, but it looks to me like classic post hoc reasoning. Could it be that the applicant pool was just stronger in the valedictorian’s year? Or that his essays somehow spoke to the committee a little less strongly than your son’s? Or that there was some important difference in their teacher recommendations? Or one of a hundred other possible explanations?</p>
<p>I’m sure Kaplan loves to hear stories such as yours told. They gin up the test-prep frenzy. But I don’t know how you can say with certainty that your son got a much better scholarship because he got a 36. I suspect one can only say with certainty that he got a better scholarship and he got a 36.</p>
<p>I remain highly skeptical of the notion that a 36 is either necessary or sufficient for…well, anything other than getting a 36 on the ACT.</p>
<p>Of course I do not know with 100% certainty that the 36 vs 35 was the one reason for the scholarship. I do know, however, that this other student was very well-respected by the faculty at our high school (it is a small HS) and would have had stellar letters of recommendation. Also, the applicant pool at the university was most likely considerably stronger this year, as this was their first year going to the Commom App (record number of applicants). Is it possible that my son’s essays were that much stronger than the other students? Possibly, but knowing both of them I would honestly be surprised.</p>
<p>I’m not saying that it would make a difference at every college, but their school is notoriously tight with merit aid, and I believe that one point made my son stand out.</p>
<p>A 35 and a 36 are like the difference of 2 questions.</p>
<p>I would be extremely surprised if a Student got a scholarship over another student because of 1 point on the ACT. A 35 and 36 are both outstanding scores. 1 point at that level doesn’t mean a significant distinction in the academic abilities of those 2 students.</p>
<p>maybe we should save the 35 vs. 36 debate for later. it doesn’t answer the OP’s question.</p>
<p>@OP practice tests. LOTS of them. and make sure you review and completely understand everything you got wrong on them.</p>
<p>*get wrong on them</p>
<p>I agree, Stressed… to the OP, practice, practice, and re-test. Becoming more and more familiar with the test can really help with results.</p>
<p>what if ican’t practice for a long time?</p>
<p>Retaking a 35 would be ridiculous, since basically anyone who can get a 35 could get a 36 on a good day with the test. Retaking a first time 34 is a little less ridiculous. You won’t need the extra points, and it probably won’t make or break your app, but it is true that most people <em>do</em> improve on their second try. Don’t obsess over it, though. Taking it more than one more time would probably be overkill.</p>