<p>I will be taking the ACT in April and would like to know how much the high scorers study for this each day I would like to really dedicate the whole month to studying for this and want to to know how much is enough. Also, what kinds of essay prompts were on the Feb. test? What are some good strategies for this (I'm weak in this particular area) Please share any tips you have to scoring well on this portion.
Thanks in advance for all your help!!!</p>
<p>I took two practice tests over a two year time span.</p>
<p>There is no magic number of hours you have to study to get a good score. I studied for a few hours every night ONLY the week leading up to the test (and I didn’t even review the science or reading sections) and took only one practice test - I got a 33 on the February test.</p>
<p>Also, there is no magic line that divides a score that is “good” and one that is “bad” - it depends on your particular situation: what school you want to go to, your grades, what career path you want to go into, etc.</p>
<p>But in general, I’d say a few hours for at least 3 or 4 nights a week for about a month before the test should be at least a good starting point.</p>
<p>EDIT: Also, don’t fret about the essay prompts too much. Unless you’re going into a major that directly relates to writing (English, Journalism, etc) most colleges really don’t care much about the essay portion and it doesn’t factor into your composite. There’s not much you can do to prepare for it anyway if you’re not already a decent writer.</p>
<p>First off, relax. I think you will find that approaching the ACT as the be-all-end-all is not the surest road to a high score.</p>
<p>Also, every person is different. Some high scorers do not study at all and only take the test once. Some study a ton. I think the best thing, if you are worried about it, is to start studying early and take practice tests to see how you are doing. If you are doing well, obviously you don’t need to study much. If not, identify the trouble spots and focus on those by using different approaches to the sections.</p>
<p>Also, I agree with Harpo7. The only thing you can do for the essay section is to maybe practice timed writing. Otherwise, you really can’t study for that portion.</p>
<p>Again: relax. Remember to take a breather. Personally, I did much better after I had taken a few practice tests to get comfortable with the format and reassure myself that I was capable of doing well. Feeling overwhelmed by the test is a sure-fire way of not doing your best.</p>