I feel defeated

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
1

I took the ACT last year as a sophomore and got a 20 (22E, 17M, 21R, 20S)
With little prep, I took the test this December and got a 21 (26R, 19M, 18R, 19S)

I’m a good student. I have a 3.89 unweighted GPA and I’m in the top 13% of my class.
I panic and my mind goes blank when it comes to timed tests such as the ACT.

I feel extremely discouraged because my friends can pull off competitive scores without even knowing the basic set up of the test.

In the future, I wish I could claim to have some great underdog story and miraculously manage a 30, but now I’m not so sure. I’m really beginning to question my intelligence.

2

Have you tried the SAT?

3

@ambereyes I took the PSAT in October and received a poor score of 1020.

4

You said above that you have trouble taking the test under the time pressure. What you should do is study hard and really prepare for the next test. Take practice tests at khanacademy.org with the time constraint. Practicing under the pressure of a time constraint should really help you get comfortable with the timed pressure of the real test. You could even set a timer and time yourself doing problems.

5

@ian1235 I’ve just recently begun timing myself on how long it takes me to finish a reading passage because that’s the section where I really run short on time. I’ve timed myself twice so far and the second time I took it, I got a 25.

I know I should refine a lot of my math skills (I’m taking Statistics through my CC right now)

But where I really get stuck is Science. There’s not much I can review, and I just don’t understand the test at all.

6

You might consider buying the on-line prep course through the ACT. It is interactive so it targets areas that need the greatest focus. My daughter found it really helpful in practicing for the science section.

7

@mamaedefamilia Oops, I forgot to mention that I do have the ACT Online Prep as well as the Official ACT Prep Book, but I haven’t necessarily made much use of them :x

I’ll definitely be studying the science section on the online program a lot more now, though. Thanks! :slight_smile:

8

Consistent daily practice will reduce your anxiety. Familiarity creates confidence.

If you want a higher score, you need to practice. Don’t worry about what your classmates can seemingly do without practice. YOU need practice—so…just do it!

Create an hour at least every other day to do nothing but sit and practice. I don’t know you so I don’t know what you will need to do to create this time. You may need to cut back on an activity, a job or maybe it cuts into your “chill” time directly after school? Whatever it is, carve it out of your schedule. It will pay off.

Take a practice section test every other day. Study what you miss. Keep a master list. Dive deeper into any gaps in your knowledge. The ACT Online prep has an amazing depth of test questions—practice, practice, practice.

I work with a lot of students who just don’t seem to get that practice helps. The ones who have actually put their time and energy consistently into doing this are reaping the rewards this admissions cycle.

Best of all–this method of prep is FREE.

9

This was motivating, thanks! I certainly have time do what you suggested, and I’m going to make it a commitment to do exactly that.

It’s go time :slight_smile:

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@iStudyMan --awesome! Please report back with your results! Reach out to a teacher or someone if you encounter questions you don’t understand. Take at least two full length practice tests before your next ACT. Expect to have to take it a few more times. That’s ok!

The important thing is to stay focused, set goals and be consistent.

11

@iStudyMan, my kids have all scored really well on the ACT. But they started where you are. And the thing that got them north of 30 is a 4-letter word known as: PREP.

There is no way around this. The ACT especially is a time-pressured test. 60 math questions in 60 minutes doesn’t leave much room for make-up if you are stuck on a question.

The science is more like “science reasoning”. You do NOT have to know science to do well, but you DO have to be able to read charts, graphs, and data tables quickly.

But it is a LEARNABLE test. Not everyone will score a 32, but you as a 3.9 GPA student should be able to improve your score significantly. You already know some of the content and that which you don’t know - well, that’s what the prep is for.

Think about it: Does anyone doing a timed event NOT train and practice? This is a no-brainer to athletes.

You have the study materials you need. Begin the online course in earnest. Reserve three two-hour sessions twice a week (say, Tues/Thurs/Sat. 4-6 pm) and stick to that schedule. Every month, take a timed test at the library. Bring two number 2 pencils, a stopwatch (or relevant ap. on your smartphone), your calculator, a snack and a bottle of water. Stick to the timing.

If you are performing well on a topic, do NOT review it anymore. You can only improve from what you don’t know. Focus your time on what you missed, not what you are doing well.

Lastly, know the strategies. You don’t have to know every question but you do have to learn how to test smart. Those who are “natural test takers” already know these strategies (either inherently or because they’ve used them somewhere before . . . ). There are MANY articles on the internet by prep experts on how to conquer the math or the reading or the science. Some of them even suggest multiple strategies so you have a chance to change it up if something’s not working. Know a few tricks and you will go a long way toward improving your score. And - btw - don’t expect ACT’s prep to TEACH you these tricks because that’s not in their interest - you need to find them from outside sources.

You will need to be very disciplined but you can really improve if you formulate a plan with some of the above and - most of all - STICK TO IT.

Good luck to you!

12

Okay so definitely study as much as you can, obviously (if you need tips on that, just ask - I got a 36 - but idk how much they’ll help you since I had more of a content issue than a timing issue).

To get over the nerves, I did this thing I saw on Grey’s Anatomy (yeah I know it’s not the most reliable source but I think it helped me). You stand with your feet shoulder width apart, put your hands on your hips, like in a superhero pose or something, and think positive thoughts, like how you are going to do so so so well and the test has nothing on you, for 5 WHOLE MINUTES, right before the test. Don’t do it everyday or it might stop working lol.

I just think it helped me get into a positive mindset and I got super hype tbh. Had 10 minutes left on math, whereas on practice tests I barely finished.