<p>Basically, I took about 2 practice tests in the two weeks leading up to the June ACT and I scored a 28 (27E 29M 30R 27S). This is my first time taking the ACT as a Junior. Do I have room for improvement, enough to make a 32? Please give me as much info as possible!</p>
<p>1.Exactly what do I need to do in order to go from a 28 to 32? (Please give detailed instructions)
2. Will I need a tutor?
3. What was your score the first time you took the ACT vs the second time?
4. How did you prepare in the weeks/months/days leading up to the test date?
5. What are the strategies/tricks you used on each section?</p>
<p>Thank you guys so much in advance!!!</p>
<p>any help at all would be great!</p>
<p>Can’t answer all because I’ve only taken it once (got a 34) but I used the Real Act Handbook and took 3 practice tests. My biggest tip is answer every question. I choose C when I’m all out of time because you’re guaranteed to get a couple right (as opposed to bubbling completely randomly) and I’ve heard it’s usually the most common answer. Sorry I couldn’t answer all your questions! Good luck! (Answered just C for like the last 5 questions on science and I got a 34 on Science. Just for perspective!)</p>
<p>My daughter took the test 4 times. The first time she scored a 26 without doing any type of practice tests/studying. The second time she took the test with writing and scored a 27 (got an 8 on the writing). To prepare, she still didn’t do much. I think she took one timed practice test in each subject. On the third try she scored a 28 (with another 8 on the writing). This time I ordered the test with her answers so that she could see what she answered and why the incorrect answers were wrong. She also took more practice tests (from “The Real ACT” book). She’s a great writer, but was fatigued by the time the essay had to be written so she decided to skip the writing on this last test she took on June 8th since it wasn’t really necessary. She said that knowing she didn’t have to write the essay helped her push through the rest of the test. She just got her scores today and she got a 30 composite (34 English, 32 Reading, 25 Math, 27 Science. She was shooting for a 26 on the math so that she would not have to take college algebra, but that didn’t happen and she DOES NOT want to take the test again. </p>
<p>She said that the science test had very little science that she was ever introduced to, but was able to up her score from her first test where she got a 22 in science, by paying better attention to the graphs/charts. The time constraint seemed to be her problem because she did do a few practice tests untimed and scored in the 30s on each test. She also went back and reviewed pre-algebra concepts based on what she missed. Even though she was taking Trig, she had forgotten some of the earlier concepts.</p>
<p>Your best bet is to plan on taking the test at least 3 times (more if needed), and take lots of timed practice tests and then review the answers in the book. The more times you take the test, the more familiar the process becomes and the better you’ll do. Good luck!</p>
<p>I think the best thing you can do is take as many practice tests as possible. After each test carefully evaluate where and why you missed the question. After a few tests you should be able to start pinpointing certain types of problems you have trouble with, and will then be able to practice those particular types of problems (that’s for math in particular). Math is really just a matter of knowing the math. Just practice every problem that even gives you a slight pause until you can’t find anything that challenges you on any practice test. If you need to find more practice tests, go to the library and use those. I bought about five of those terribly gigantic prep books that contained seventeen practice tests all in all so I personally had enough to work with through those. I will say though that not all practice tests are created equal. The ones I tried were Princeton Cracking the ACT book, Kaplan’s Blue book, Barron’s Red book, and Princeton’s 1296 Practice Book. Princeton tests were the hardest, Barron’s the easiest, and Kaplan had the worst in my opinion (too easy but in a weird way). I prefer Princeton as I’d rather overprepare than underprepare.</p>
<p>For English, just learn the grammar rules covered in Barron’s Perfect 36 by heart and you’ll do just fine (I consistently score in the 34-36 range on practice tests doing this and scored a 35 on the real English ACT test). </p>
<p>For Reading, you just have to be super super focused. Remember that all the answers are in the passages, you just have to find them. I give myself up to three minutes to quickly but carefully go over the passage (skim where you can understand, doubleback if you didn’t quite get something). Also, be liberal with your pencil. I mark everything and anything that I think might pop up later in a question. The key for me is really understanding what the passages are saying and what they’re about. It takes a bit of time, but it allows me to quickly answer all the questions and ultimately saves time because I rarely have to check back to the passage. </p>
<p>Science, I don’t really feel qualified to give advice on because I scored a 27 come test day. It was the section I practiced the least. It’s really not about understanding any actual science, just more of a scientific reading passage. The most challenging part is the extremely short amount of time given on the test. The thing that helped me the most (my practice scores were 21-23) was just taking practice tests. I took maybe five (as opposed to the 17 I took for each of the other test phases). What helped me a lot was giving myself five less minutes on practice tests. Also, do the three five question passages first, then the six question passages, and finally the fighting scientist passage. That last bit of advice really made a huge difference in my score, I just started using it recently (studying for September ACT) and my science practice score has gone up to an average of about 30. </p>
<p>Didn’t mean to write so much, sorry about that. If you really want advice there are many CC’ers that have written mini books on the subject. Here’s one I found very helpful, but there a few more like this if I’m not mistaken: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/act-preparation/1071765-jeandevaches-guide-act.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/act-preparation/1071765-jeandevaches-guide-act.html</a> . Best of luck, and also, Roll Tide!!!</p>