How to raise my composite score?

Hey everyone!

I am an international student and I will be applying to american colleges next year. I’m looking at quite the elite universities, so I was hoping to get around a 34 on this last June test. I got around a 34/35 on the three practice tests I took, so I expected to get this on the actual test as well. It was my first time taking the test.

Instead, I ended up with a 30C. Breakdown: 33E, 25(!)M, 34R, and a 28S. I am really upset about this. My GPA is very high and I have good EC’s, so I feel like this score is holding me down. I plan on taking the september ACT next fall, and I was hoping some of you had some tips to increase my score?

For this last test, I couldn’t prepare to much because I had finals as well. I took three practice test, practice the math formula and learned English grammar rules. Anyway, I will be going on holiday for like 4 weeks this summer, but I can still prepare during it. Basically, what tips do you have for me to increase my score to around a 34?

Thanks in advance!

Anyone?

Where your practice tests taken under the same time restrains?

@kassh4 Yes they were. I think I was very stressed on the actual test but still… A 25 in Math isn’t good.

Again no one?

Science just requires practice. For math, why are you scoring so low? Is it time? Is it that you don’t understand the concepts? Also, maybe try the SAT instead?

@ben69420 I ran out of time on the test. And the thing is that, looking at the answer explanation, I do understand the content, but I never know what content to use on what question.

@liltounchie When I read the answer I understand immediately why it is that way, I just seem to be unable to do it on my own. And I also run out of time on like, the last 8 to 5 questions.

If time is the issue, then just practice the math with stricter time constraints.

“When I read the answer I understand immediately why it is that way, I just seem to be unable to do it on my own.” That’s what I was going through the first few months I started practicing the ACT. What helped me improve my scores, especially in math, was marking questions I was even a little unsure of and studying those and the questions that I got wrong. Then I’d look up similar problems online and solve them. Time used to be a big issue for me on math but after practicing and practicing multiple problems I have around 10 minutes left by the time I finish. Also, I would just skip questions and come back to it in the end if I don’t understand it so I don’t waste time and free points for the questions that I actually understand.

@chelsalina I think thats what I really have to do: understand my mistakes, even the ones that I have the slightest doubt about. Thank you!