I need help with the ACT please

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
1

Hi,

I am a senior (international student), I knew about US admissions at the beginning of this year and I don’t have a counselor or anything like that, which makes it harder for me.

My ACT score are 28 in English, 25 in Reading, 33 in Math, and 34 in Science.

Some context about me:

I knew about the ACT late, and I registered for the exam on 10 December (this is my first time taking this exam).

I think I have a good profile as I have done some competitive activities and some international and national competitions and got first place in them, and I am a 4.0 student in my school and valedictorian.

Not only that, but I already have read some resources from old posts here, prepscholar website, and read many comments but still lost.

I got many resources, but my problem is that I really don’t want to just solve many practice tests by sense as people said, I think solving with a specific technique for a question will help me more. I don’t know what to do! I’ve read Erica English, For the love of science, and Panda Math.

I want a 34 at least (the 25% percentile of a school I want), don’t tell me please it is not possible or something like that, I am not asking if it is, I have to do it with no other choice or will apply this year and if rejected will take the ACT again and take a gap year, but I don’t want to do that because my profile is above average already as I worked hard all the year and don’t want a test to affect me(I am humble, and I don’t mean anything; this is just my situation)

Please, if you saw this post and can help, message me or comment here as I didn’t want to post a post like that, but I got to a point were I don’t hang out for about 2 months just for studying this exam, knowing that I started with a 16 overall score like (math + English + science+ reading = 16)

I can do what it takes, but really need direction.

2

I’m confused. Are these scores ones you already have gotten…or are you taking the ACT on December 10 and hope to get these scores?

There are many colleges here that are test optional but I’m not sure if that always applies to international students.

Where are you planning to apply to colleges? Have you considered applying in your home country?

3

I’m very confused. You say you already have ACT scores, but you’re taking the exam for the first time on Dec 10th? Or are the scores that you’ve listed just practice exam scores?

You have very little time, maybe about ten days, and I suspect that you have other schoolwork that you must accomplish in the next ten days, too. That being said, the ONLY thing that will help improve your ACT score in this short period of time will be taking practice exams (real, legally-released, retired ACT exams with explanations of the answers), going over the questions you got wrong and trying to learn whatever it was you didn’t know, by reviewing the correct answers.

Science is easy. It’s just data interpretation, so do a few more science sections to familiarize yourself with how the data is presented, and you might be able to get the Science section up to 36. Math can be a bit tougher, but if you do practice math sections and carefully read the explanation for the ones you got wrong, you might be able to learn/refresh the few concepts you’re missing, and get your math grade up a point or even two.

The problem is going to be the English and Reading. Your English is imperfect (nothing to be ashamed of - it’s your second language). The solution would have been to have been reading, reading, reading for pleasure in English since you were young, certainly for the past few years. That’s how you can absorb grammar and vocabulary. Obviously, you cannot do that in time now. So you’ve got to do practice sections, correct them, and go over the corrections for the mistakes. You might be able to learn some more points of grammar that way, and hence bring your English/reading scores up a bit more.

Don’t plan on a gap year to do test prep. Instead, tailor your college applications to the credentials that you have, now, in senior year. Unless your family can afford to send you to do this summer and a 5th year of high school in an English speaking environment, another year is unlikely to improve your ACT or your college admissions chances. Much better to tailor your applications to the credentials that you currently have.

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4

Please read this. All of it.

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I mean this scores are from my practice test that I have taken.
I got your point and I don’t know if it will be a douable thing for me in this period to get that score, so I am kinda lost.
Thanks for claryifing this point to me about the gap year and will do what you 've said.

6

Does anyone know if test optional applies to international students also?

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Yeah, it applies in most of the schools.
What I knew when I was searching is that if someone have the same stats and activities as you and have a good ACT and the other applicant is test optional, but It is a small chance that the other one will get in.

8

Being good at math, or English, or just taking tests at school doesn’t mean you’re good at taking the SAT or [ACT ]
Then the problem is not in me. I was questioning myself all day long, Am I bad at math?knowing that I am taking something like AP calculus BC and I can’t solve something easy, and when I know the answer, I will be surprised, who did I don’t get this question

9

The english section is supposed to be easy to raise up because it is just rules/grammar. Here is a list of what you need to know. The Complete Guide to ACT Grammar Rules

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@Needinghelp1

I believe you will also be required to show English language proficiency via the TOEFL of English isn’t yours native language.

@mynameiswhatever do you know?

11

Have sent OP a PM since it’s slightly off-topic.