I took it once with quite a bit of self- preparation
29 C
28 M
28 E
30 R
30 S
Not bad but I wanna get a 32+ in April
Anyone know the most EFFECTIVE strategies and programs that are bang for your buck?
Chyten?
Kaplan?
And please don’t say I should sit down and take practice tests a bunch of times because not only do I not have the time, I cannot get my self to focus for 3 hours lmao
Thanks everyone on CC 
I hear Barrons 36 book is really good. People will tell you it is meant for students who have already got a 32+ and want even higher (35-36). I wouldn’t listen to that, it should help you regardless, especially for English and Math which are your two lowest. You should actually be thankful E and M are your two lowest scores since they are the ones that can most easily improve. I know you do not want to hear it, but the best way to improve on E and M is to take practice tests. Maybe do A section a day (thats only 35-60 minutes), and I am sure your scores will go up.
If your schedule does not allow much time for prep, I suggest you try Grockit.com. As little as 1/2 hour day has helped several of my students improve and it is especially good for math.
Alternatively, as suggested above, 30-45 minutes of testing in a simulated session and reviewing your answers will also help you.
If you cannot focus for 3 hours, you will have trouble getting a 32+!
29 shows you are smart and capable. If you want it higher, you need focus and determination.
If you’ve already tried the ACT Red Book and taken those tests (which really ARE the key to doing well!) Jeandevaches guide to the ACT on this website is really good too.
There is a reason why most people say take a lot of practice tests. Because it works.
The ACT is all about timing. The only way to improve on timing is to actually do timed tests. Would you prepare for a sprint by NOT running practice sprints?
The ACT, like any standardized test, is full of predictable patterns. It tests the same concepts in slightly different ways. If you play basketball in high school, then in college. It’s the same sport, but with taller guys:-)
On the “Class of 2016” parents thread, I have read that PrepScholar really helps both with the ACT and the SAT. They are efficient, since they test you methodically through modules. Once you master a module, you move on. It has logic to be efficient. Based on your answers, it tests more if you need it or moves on if you have mastered it. I have not used it- just relaying information I have read on the CC thread.
A lot of methods work. This method seems to be noted for being efficient. It was suggested for getting people from 30-32 up to 34-36, as it drills precision. Chytin/Kaplan have the reputation of working best to get you to the 28 - 33 range; not the last points.
Again- I am relaying what I have read.
Hi @0br0123‌
I wrote a detailed article about the strategies I used (and many of our students use) to score a 36. It explains the mindset and strategies you need to get those last points and push yourself up above a 30. Check it out here: http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-get-a-perfect-act-score-by-a-36-full-scorer
(Even if you’re not aiming for a 36, these strategies are still helpful, and many other experts on CC have agreed with its main points)
The main points are these:
-You have to want to improve. You have to work hard. There’s no way around this. There are no easy “tricks” to get you those last points.
-You need to focus on where your weaknesses are. As you’ve already said, doing a bunch of practice tests without reflection is like hitting your head against the wall. You need to find where you’re weak, and then drill those weaknesses.
-This means you need to be ruthless about understanding why you’re making mistakes. At a 30 level, you’re missing 10% of questions on each section. Every one of these mistakes represents a weakness of yours, and an opportunity to improve your score. Most students don’t do this well enough, and so they make the same mistakes over and over again - thus failing to improve their score.
-Think about it like a dental cavity - what you see on the surface is just a small discoloration, but the cavity actually runs deep. The dentist needs to drill and clean out the cavity completely, then fill it - otherwise the tooth will continue to rot. (Sorry if this analogy is bringing up some dental trauma memories!)
-Similarly, each question you miss is like a cavity. You missed a question for a reason - either you didn’t master the underlying content, you didn’t know how to approach this type of question, you made a careless mistake, etc. What most students do is merely understand how to solve that particular question and how to get to the answer. This isn’t enough! There’s a rot deep down that you have to clean out.
–If you missed a math-triangles question, for example, you need to figure out what your weakness is. Is it that you don’t know the principles of triangle geometry? Or is this particular presentation of question new to you? Once you figure this out, you need to drill that weakness with more practice until it no longer becomes a weakness. Cleaning out the cavity.
Read the full article for more explanation of these concepts: http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-get-a-perfect-act-score-by-a-36-full-scorer
We’re also going to be writing specific strategy guides for each of the ACT sections soon, but you can read the ones we wrote on how to get 800 on each SAT section.
(Disclaimer: I’m co-founder of PrepScholar, so take what I say with that in mind. Like what many people on CC say, a prep program is definitely not required to excel on these tests. But if you’re struggling to figure out what to study or struggling to improve your score, a prep program can help organize your studying and thinking. Thanks for the shoutout @ItsJustSchool‌)