I’m trying to increase my score from a 33 to a 35/36. I didn’t study my first time taking the test, and I got a 33. This will be my second time taking it, and I really need to improve my score for scholarships. Does anyone think this is possible?
I got a 27 on my first test in April… kind of disappointed but I should have expected it since I scored between the 27-30 range. I’m not sure what the best materials to study with are since I finished the red book. Should I take the tests again since I have two of them? Right now I’m doing Cracking the ACT 2016 but the reading and science section isn’t updated.
@chelsalina go to ■■■■■■■■.com it has official tests from past dates
@AllyssXx For math; you have to spend A LOT of time on drilling down your mistakes. Here is what I am assuming is your problem right now: 1-2+ questions are missed due to “careless” errors, the rest are missed in the last 20 questions or occasionally somewhere halfway in-between.
In order to fix these errors, I’d suggest to first focus on what you DON’T know; so when you take a math practice test, circle all questions that you don’t know the answer to or don’t know how to solve. Mark EVERY question that you are unsure of. After the test, go through these questions and spend up to 15 minutes without any answer solutions/etc. and try to figure out by yourself how to solve the question. If anything, for every question that you do get incorrect, look up the question type and practice practice practice.
Math (in my opinion) is primarily knowledge, which is why it can be the easiest subject to improve on (whereas reading and science is all timing and tactics when looking for the answer; the only way to improve in those is to just keep on testing).
Good luck.
@Deferno54
Thank you so much for this advice! I’ve been making a lot of practice tests, but I have barely improved in math. I realize now that’s probably because I don’t look at WHY I got things wrong, but instead just move on to the next practice test. Next practice test I take, I will mark every single question that I feel the slightest bit insecure about. I’ll also go back to the test I took before, and check those again as well. Hopefully I’ll see improvement after this.
Thanks again!
I took the April act for the first time and got a 27 composite with a 26 English, 29 Math, 24 Reading, and 27 Science. My final goal is a 30 and I really want June to be my last time. Is this possible? And does anyone have any suggestions?
Hello everyone,
Newbie here
I took the ACT in February and got a 29 composite. 31 english 28 math 33 science and 24 reading
Then i took it in April in hopes of a higher score, but i received a 28 composite: 30, 29, 27, 24
I bought 3 books for this coming up June test: 5lb book of ACT problems, Princeton Review Cracking the ACT, and ACT Black book strategies. I have taken somewhere around 6 english test, 5 math tests, 4 reading and 4 science tests. I review what i get wrong then take more tests, and ive read just about every strategy out there. BUT no matter what i do, i always seem to get 8-9 wrong on english, 8 wrong on math, reading and science fluctuate from 23-30. Nothing is consistent! And its not like im getting the same type of questions wrong every-time. Some english tests, I miss 90% of the Rhetoric questions, other times I get them all right. Sometimes I get every Geometry and Trig problem right and other times i get them all wrong.
I read books all the time and I love to read. But can not score any higher on the Reading. The science is, well, ACT science.
I feel like ive hit a brick wall when it comes to studying.And i am almost ready to just quit wing-it on the June test, And Keep my 29. All i need is one more point to get the scholarship to Auburn University.
PLEASE. Has anyone had a similar situation, and increased their score?
I’m joining the party in search of a 30+ score. I have two 29s, so I am almost there.
@uf8764 Yes, it is definitely possible. I would start with drilling on English - English is generally regarded to be the easiest to improve on. Think “short, simple, straight to the point” on the rhetorical questions. If you’re unsure, choose the answer with the least commas. Always pay attention to the passage title for help on the question about the “overall goal” of the passage. Drill grammar rules.
For reading, I would do tons of practice sections and get a passage order. I always do the natural science passage first, followed by the social studies, then humanities and narrative. I’m best at recalling straight “facts” from passages, so I do the former 2 first when I’m still loose from the break. I’m not as good with “how the author felt” or really anything about humanities so I save the latter two for last. Also, do not necessarily do the questions per passage in order. I’ve found there are always 2-3 “hard” questions between the second and sixth question to trip you up and panic for the last 3 or 4 easier questions. Generally the shorter the question and answer choices, the easier the question(not always though). These are also the questions that I find to be verbatim. Do them first. A lot of times you’ll go back and re-scan the passage to find the answer and it will be easier to answer questions about the main idea, etc.
Your math score is already pretty solid. Maybe a few practice sections just to see what to improve on. I really have no tips for science; I regularly fluctuate from 25 to 32 on that section lol.
@maxomo32 I’m with you on getting a 30 for Auburn. I was probably two questions away from an extra $16,000 on a scholarship from them on the April state test. I wish a 30 still got full tuition instead of a 33, but $32,000 is still a pretty good amount. I would look through my tips for reading I put above. I would also try using “short, simple, straight to the point” for rhetorical questions on English. A friend told me that last year, and it has been great. Just keep drilling English in hopes of 33+ to inch that average up.
My score on practice tests completely fluctuates. I’ll get 36s on both math and reading one day and then lower than 30 on some days… really frustrating
I’m starting to get nervous about the test. This will be my second and last time taking it, and I’m super nervous that I won’t reach my goal score. 
I need that score to get a scholarship.
Thank you so much! @jwn9917
Hey guys. I’ve been taking 2 or 3 practice tests a week and my science score has gone from a 27 to a 32…with one of my two mistakes being a dumb mistake not comprehension. I suggest start taking lots of practice tests now because they REALLY do help. This was also with doing practice sections on my own. Good luck!
@messiisgod123 I’ve taken the ACT three times already and have gotten 33,34,33 and the only reason I took the third one was for a better writing score but my composite went down so I’m taking the June one. I’ve done all of the tests in the Real ACT Prep book and I know that the reading section was changed recently, but do you think I should still practice with the older released practice tests?
And does anyone have any writing tips? I just don’t completely understand how to write it.
@doctorgirl28 do NOT take the test another time… 4 times is too many, and the writing score is essentially meaningless
@deeeznuts She still has the option to delete her other ACT scores. She is fine to take as many as she needs if she wants to get a certain score.
@doctorgirl28 I do agree that 4 is too many, so make sure you delete your previous scores but remember that once they are deleted, they are gone forever.
Hey guys I had a great idea: since we are getting the new Red Book soon lets take one of the practice tests on this upcoming Saturday, using the same time procedures as the actual exam on June 11th.
Lets treat it like a real test and simulate it as much as possible (for example: we dont grade it until like 5-6 hours later, we discuss on this how we feel we did and what we want to get, then we discuss our scores and etc.)
Who is with me?
(PS this thread is so dead, I can see that the motivation has been drained out of all of us hahaha. I say this because if you look at the June 2015 thread it was pretty lit by this time of the month.)
@Deferno54 Sure, I’ll do that on Saturday. I’m not getting the new ACT book but I have a test left from an old ACT book.
Okay I’ll post an actual thread on it to see how others react.
I have my SAT subject test this saturday, but considering the difference in timezone (I’m in Europe) I might be able to join!
@Deferno54 I’m getting the new book wednesday. I’ll try to take a test on Saturday.