Hey everyone, I just received my results from the first ACT I’ve ever taken.
Math: 28
English: 30
Reading: 24
Science: 25
Essay hasn’t been graded yet, but I feel pretty good about it
Composite: 27
This isn’t NEARLY where I want my ACT to be. I felt good about the english part of it, and my score on it is pretty decent. I felt good about the questions on the math (except for some trig questions), but ran out of time and had to leave like 6 blank. I felt REALLY rushed on the reading for some reason; when the lady called 5 minutes left, I freaked out because I was only 2/3 done with it. Same thing that happened on reading happened with science. I felt like I knew all of the material on the ACT, but it’s SO time-restrictive. Do you all have any tips for me so that I don’t run out of time when I take it in March? I am aiming for at least a 32. Please help!!
Okay, calm down don’t freak out. What grade are you in? A 27 honestly isn’t bad for the first time. However, if you want a 32 by March, it’s going to be nearly impossible. You’re better off aiming for a 29. You have plenty more times to take it, but a 5 point increase in a month isn’t that doable. Have you been taking practice tests?
@southernbelle16 I’m a junior. I barely studied for it, but I got a book called “ACT 36” or something like that and looked through it a day or two before the test. I’m not saying I want a 32 by next month, I just eventually want a 32 by the time I start applying to colleges.
If you’re a Junior, I recommend that you should skip March test and take it after the Summer, when you had a plenty of practices. Remember, you might be “wasting” a test (fee, time, recommended # of max tests etc) if you are not properly ready for your goal score.
Hey! I’m a junior and I just took the ACTs in February as well- it was my first time too. I have a tutor for both SAT and ACT prep, and she’s absolutely wonderful. But you really don’t need a tutor to do well on your ACTs or SATs. My best tip would be to get The Real ACT Prep Guide by Peterson’s and go section by section on all five of the tests. After I finished a section of any subject, I looked at all the questions I got wrong and figured out why I got them wrong (the guide gives an explanation for each and every answer and why it’s right.) I kept going at each section individually until I was satisfied with my performance. I know time is a problem for a lot of people (myself included), but if you keep doing questions, you’ll see a pattern and you’ll eventually crack the test and be able to finish with time to spare. I’d suggest taking the ACT again in June. April may be too soon for you to really feel good about the test, but if you put your mind to it, I’m sure you could ace the April test. Good luck!
My daughter had a 27 the first time she took it, with no prep. After a “boot camp” and using a book she made a 31, 33 composite, and she was accepted EA at UNC-CH. Using the practice test in the book and really help you with the timing of the test.
I’m in the exact same boat as you as I am taking the test in March through my school. I have been told that the Red book for ACT is good because it’s is from the people who write the test. I also need a 32 and am applying to some tough colleges like UNC-CH. If your in state and applying early to UNC-CH you would probably be fine with a 29 or 30 as they accept 53% of in state applicants and their mean score is about a 30.
I had a method for the reading section that worked quite well. My method may or may not work for you, so please try this method and other methods through tons of practice tests to see what works for you. I divided the 35 minutes by 4 (for four sections) = 8.75 minutes. For each section, I watched the clock like a hawk (bring a watch). I spent the first 3 minutes just straight reading the text. At the end, I had a thorough understanding of the main idea of the text and some smaller details. Then I read the questions and answered them for 4 minutes. This method worked for me because by reading first, I could remember a lot of the bigger details. For smaller details, the initial reading enabled me to pinpoint where I could find them in the text. When I reached the science-related section (the last one), I was running short on time (5-6 minutes rather than 8-9), but I found that this specific passage asked really specific questions directly from the text. As a result, I read the questions first and just spotted the key words in the text. Overall, this method was a combination of read questions first/read passage first. Hopefully you find this helpful.
@agc1998 wanted to mention that I actually live in Chapel Hill and am a junior and thought it was cool to see someone else from NC:) You should be fine for getting in to UNC if you keep up with your grades. In state is significantly easier than out of state! A 32 is definitely doable. I got a 28 on my first ACT and got a 31 on my next. I am also taking the one in March and hope to get a 33! The Barron’s 36 is an EXCELLENT book that you shouldn’t just “flip through.” Actually go through it, highlight it, answer the questions and practice. Thanks to that book, I was able to raise my score by many points.
UPDATE: I JUST GOT MY SCORE BACK FROM THE ACT ADMINISTERED AT MY SCHOOL AND I GOT A 32!!! RAISED MY ACT 5 POINTS IN A MONTH!!! 34 ENGLISH, 33 MATH, 32 READING, 30 SCIENCE, 9 ON THE ESSAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ADVICE
