<p>I really need your help guys. I am going to be a senior and I have taken the ACT 2 times so far. I have an above average GPA, i am heavily involved with ECs and have a government job at age 16. I have no doubt in my mind i can compose beautiful applications. My only problem is my ACT score. I originally took 3 month classes for the SAT with Princeton review and ended up getting a 1490. I then persisted the ACT and took classes with a private tutor and ended up with a 25. I then self studied by doing practice problems alot and ended up with a 24....... These are not acceptable for me considering I am applying to NYU, Berkeley, UCLA, UT Austin.... What study tips can you guys give me to help get a 30+ on the ACT. I feel like i have tried everything..... I have 2-3 more times max to retake the ACT and I want to start studying now for the September one but I want to approach it in another way. Please help me. I feel like this is the only thing restricting me from getting to my full potential. Please help.</p>
<p>Practice tests. </p>
<p>Familiarize yourself with many prep books. Expand your current study program. It’s all about taking the time to review on concepts and understand what questions you’re struggling with and be sure to fix your mistakes.</p>
<p>Alright.</p>
<p>I’m going to be completely honest with you; as a rising senior, it will be extremely hard for you to raise your score six points. It will take you the rest of your summer, and if not, until September to do it.</p>
<p>Just sit down, study three hours a day straight from the book, and you should get your score to float around their.</p>
<p>but it is possible?</p>
<p>It’s possible I believe. It’s how much effort you put in. I’m a rising junior and I get like 21 max and I think I’m screwed I applied for the October ACT test and I’m trying to get 28 by improving this summer. My summer is like studying in my room for 6 hours just looking and doing practice test and read the explanation of what you got wrong. It’s up to you believe in yourself and study like your dying. Cry every night and cry more until you reach in the 30’s and you can get in the Top university. Good luck :)</p>
<p>@sam12233 It is possible.</p>
<p>In April 2013, my son took it and got a 25. He worked hard on it, and just got his scores back for the June 2014 test and scored a 33. </p>
<p>There is no magic to it. Take the practice tests, see what you miss, and for every question you miss work on learning the CONCEPT behind what they are trying to teach you.</p>
<p>No real short cut, but it is a formula if that is what you are looking for.</p>
<p>Too many people take the same tests over and over and can get specific problems, but don’t really understand the concepts behind it.</p>
<p>@CATDECAL </p>
<p>Wow, that’s amazing! Do you know what prep books he used?</p>
<p>Honestly, I think he used every prep book out there. (Anything that had practice tests in them.) I’m not aware of a book with practice tests he didn’t use.</p>
<p>He’d use the tests as tools to identify concepts he needed to work on. It really made a huge difference.</p>
<p>I was able to raise my score from a 26 to a 32 if that makes you feel any better. I found that the ACT is very repetitive and that questions are very similar from test to test. Take a lot of practice tests and familiarize yourself with the test. </p>
<p>@sam12233 I agree with the others, practice tests are king. But it sounds like you are trying that and its not working for you.</p>
<p>So maybe we can help to identify what’s going wrong. Here are some questions for you:</p>
<ol>
<li>Are you taking practice exams timed?</li>
<li>Are you reviewing the problems you missed?</li>
<li>When you review a problem do you feel an ‘ah ha moment’ where you realize your error and how to fix it.</li>
<li>Are you studying a little bit at a time, keeping it fun, and avoiding fatigue.</li>
<li>Are you getting good rest and eating the night before the exam.</li>
</ol>
<p>I’ve worked with two students now, one of them raised her score 6 points, she took about 7 practice exams and lots of focus to get there. So it is totally possible if you have good study strategies and do a lot of practice exams.</p>
<p>hope that helps, good luck!</p>
<p>Ben</p>
<p>I went from 25 to 31… For me it wasn’t so much practice… I could nail my practice tests… My real-test improvement came from getting into the right mindset! My biggest issue was this: I would cruise, reach a problem I couldn’t do, and panic. Luckily, I didn’t panic in the June ACT test until halfway through the science portion. All of my other subject scores were well above 30… but I freaked out in the science portion and fell into the terrifying, stress-inducing trap that is getting stuck and freaking out… So uh… If you’re like me, chill out. I did my best when I wasn’t constantly aware of the importance of what I was doing. Whenever I screwed up, I suddenly became aware of the importance of what I was doing and psyched myself out. </p>
<p>Don’t quit! Find a long-lost pal to practice your math with!</p>
<p>Yours,</p>
<p>ckoepp127</p>