<p>Hi there! I'm currently an 8th grader. On my second try taking a ACT practice cold (from the red book), I got a 27. My subscores are 26 in english, 24 in reading, 27 in science, and 32 in math. Yes, math is my strong area. Just a few questions. How can I improve my ACT score? Besides the ACT red book, I also have the "Cracking the ACT" book. Is the book helpful? How can I fully utilize the info the book? Also, what can I do to improve my reading act score? After taking the practice test, I realized that the reading tests were very difficult for me. It was hard to comprehend everything in a short period of time. Please just give me some helpful advice. My goal is to get a 30 by the end of this year.</p>
<p>Someone please help me…</p>
<p>Really guys? No one can give any advice?</p>
<p>Please let this be a joke.</p>
<p>You are in 8TH GRADE! You will not have to take the test for another three or four years. We don’t go to school for no reason you know, it’s so we can learn things. Your reading comprehension skills will increase over the years as you take english classes. Were you as good as you are now at talking as you were when you were a baby? I didn’t think so. </p>
<p>Slow down, enjoy your life. And a 27 is good score according to averages, and very impressive considering your age.</p>
<p>YOURE IN 8TH GRADE AND YOUR WONDERING HOW TO IMPROVE A 27!?!? I’m a junior and got a 22. Sorry. But you will, u guarantee you, get above a 31 fall of senior year. Wowwwww </p>
<p>Well to give a straight answer, the best thing to improve ACT scores is to use practice books. I haven’t noticed any huge discrepencies between ACT/SAT books, but the ones I used were usually Kaplan or The _______ for dummies series (those yellow how to books). Being an avid reader is certainly the best help on reading sections of any standardized test, but if you aren’t, then practicing often certainly helped. I studied a few times a week at least for months leading up to my ACT, and it definitely helped (34). </p>
<p>TL;DR, practice books. (Oh, and you /are/ in eighth grade, so even though freshman year is only a few months away, you have plenty of time before you run out of testing opportunities.)</p>
<p>use real tests</p>
<p>First, I agree that 8th grade is a bit to early to be worrying about the ACT. The first time I took a science practice test was at the end of my freshman year. I got a 21. When I took the actual test I got a 35 on the science section. Also, I never bought one of those ACT books. If you go to sparknotes you can get the same advice for free. That is how I studied. If you really want to practice, I’d suggest reading scientific articles. The science test is all about be able to interpret the information that they give. But remember, you have a ton of time before you really need to be worried about your scores. </p>
<p>*haha… for some reason I though you were talking about the science section not the reading. On reading I also got a 34, which was still a huge improvement from the first time I took it. Overall, my same advice would apply in that the test is about interpreting information. If you want to get good at it, you need to be reading (I’d probably focus on non-fiction works mainly because I personally don’t read non-fiction often). Maybe after reading something, take a moment to identify the main idea of the work, why the author wrote the article, etc. </p>
<p>Take these practice tests:</p>
<p><a href=“http://web.archive.org/web/20050403153051/http://www.actstudent.org/pdf/preparing.pdf”>http://web.archive.org/web/20050403153051/http://www.actstudent.org/pdf/preparing.pdf</a></p>
<p><a href=“ACT Practice Tests | Preparing for ACT | SAT & ACT Prep”>http://www.collegetidbits.com/tools/preparing-for-the-act.pdf</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.mediafire.com/?bs6f0a471589g4f”>http://www.mediafire.com/?bs6f0a471589g4f</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.act.org/aap/pdf/preparing.pdf”>http://www.act.org/aap/pdf/preparing.pdf</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.actquantum.com/storage/act-tests/ACT%20Practice%20Tests%202005-2006%2059F.pdf”>http://www.actquantum.com/storage/act-tests/ACT%20Practice%20Tests%202005-2006%2059F.pdf</a></p>
<p>Go to actquantum.com for more free act tests. Also, there is no problem with prepping for the act early. Just don’t let it interfere with your social life. </p>
<p>@12lijonathan It is wonderful to see someone focused on outstanding achievement at such a young age !</p>
<p>Clearly the best strategy is to take practice tests and examine them carefully to discern the gaps in your knowledge or performance. A number of the early posters were trying to remind you that since you have a good amount of time to retest just going through your upcoming high school and/or dual enrollment college classes for the next number of years will make great improvements in your scores. I’m certain that is true, but if smoking the ACT is your “hobby” I understand.</p>
<p>Why do you want to reach those ACT scores ?</p>
<p>I ask that question because I honestly feel there may be better things for you to do with your time and intellect. Test scores are just a small part of your future.</p>
<p>What are you really interested in doing or learning ? My suggestion is that you chase your passion, if its Math or Science find a nearby college lab where you can volunteer and learn, or take a free online college class. If you want to make this a better world, find a hospital, or non-profit that can use some help (.the food bank, tutoring program, whatever you care about )</p>
<p>Your passion is just as important to a great college as outstanding test scores and more important to your future happiness and employer. I promise no one will ask whether you got a composite 34 or 35 on the ACT in a job interview. or before saying yes to a marriage proposal. What you stand for and care about will define you. It’s a good time to start figuring that out…</p>
<p>Good luck on your bright future</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Take these practice tests also: <a href=“http://bestactprep.org/preparing-for-the-act”>http://bestactprep.org/preparing-for-the-act</a>. They’re also real, like the ones in the red book.</p></li>
<li><p>As for the reading test, I don’t really like Kaplan and PR’s method of taking notes in the margins. Try this: <a href=“http://bestactprep.org/act-reading-strategies”>http://bestactprep.org/act-reading-strategies</a>.</p></li>
<li><p>For strategies for each of the four sections, go here: <a href=“http://bestactprep.org/act-strategies”>http://bestactprep.org/act-strategies</a>.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The strategies that I used for the ACT are very similar to these. I scored a 34.</p>
<p>I admire your ambitiousness. I think for math and science, you will do fine and can just do some practice tests as referenced above. For reading etc., I would make it a practice to read regularly. My son was reading Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables just for fun any free time he had in 8th grade and he did zero preparation for the reading and writing part of the ACT and just got a composite score of 36. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>Nice job getting a 27 on the ACT! That’s exactly what I got in 8th grade.</p>
<p>Then, I forgot about my score for ~3 years. I took the PSAT and with minimal practice scored a 223. A couple of months ago, I took the ACT again–this time as a junior–and scored a 34. I had to re-take it again because I didn’t take the writing section in February, but here this: anything above a 32 is sufficient for any college, and you’re well on your way to a high score.</p>
<h2>For now, though, you shouldn’t worry about the ACT. As you excel in your classes, you will naturally acquire the skills required to do well on the ACT. Once you’re a junior, prep a little bit and take the test again. I’m willing to bet you’ll score 32+ on your first try if you continue to take challenging classes.</h2>
<p>One more thing: a common reason statistically stellar students are rejected from top colleges (e.g. MIT, Caltech, et al.) is that they are too college-focused. When you take psychology in high school, you’ll learn about the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and you’ll learn that people people who are intrinsically motivated (in this case, driven by a desire to learn rather than to be accepted to good colleges) are more likely to succeed in the long run. Do what you love in high school, discover what you are really passionate about, and excel in those areas. Challenging courses won’t help you unless you really enjoy them.</p>