@stin8419 My primary method for preparing for this test was going through the Official ACT Study Guide. I love it because, unlike the Official SAT Study Guide, it actually provides in depth explanations as to why an answer choice is correct, and, more importantly, why answer choices are wrong. So, I suggest doing all 5 practice tests and looking through not just the explanations for incorrect questions, but also explanations for questions that your son was unsure of, as I feel that the ACT encourages students to find a quick answer.
That being said, I initially struggled most with time and getting answers in before the end of the section. To correct this I just kept practicing and getting familiar with each question type. Over time, I saw that I was able to answer questions faster as I learned how to solve the more advanced concepts. The ACT is much more reliable than the SAT in giving the same types of questions between tests, which makes it a lot easier to learn.
Now, here’s some section-specific advice:
English: I’ve found that this section is probably the easiest, so it has the harshest curve. The rules I generally follow are:
-Skim the passages because some answer choices may be grammatically correct but may not necessarily be consistent with what the passage is saying.
-Usually omit the underlined portion is the correct choice, but don’t count on it.
-pay attention to Subject-verb agreement
-if in doubt between two choices, go with the shorter.
Math: This was the most time-constrained section for me. I’m a pretty strong math student, but I struggled to finish the section within time. Most of my progress came from completing Precalculus, and I found that studying for the SAT Math II subject test really improved my speed, as a lot of the content overlaps. I would recommend brushing up on trig and geometry, mainly. During the test, I found that plugging in answers is probably the best way to save time in a pinch.
Reading: I never really had much problem with reading on the ACT, but reading on the SAT is a lot harder to me. I’ve found that if you read enough, you can very quickly skim the passage just to get the main idea. This is because a lot of the questions, unlike the SAT, are very superficial and don’t require an in-depth understanding of the passage i.e. not many inference/implication questions. For example, on the ACT many of the correct answer choices are quite literally there in the passage. And when I say there, I mean there there, as in verbatim. So, I just tend to go quickly with ACT reading and don’t focus much on trying to understand every detail.
Science: Basically, just be able to read charts and graphs. This was also a very time-pressuring section for me, so I tend to rush on this part. I really have nothing else to say about this section, sorry.
Take-aways are to:
- Pace yourself and try to get answers as quickly as possible.
- Practice and try to be thoroughly acquainted with not just the content areas the ACT tests, but also the specific types of questions.
Long post, I know, but hopefully I’ll be able to put all of this into practice tomorrow lol. good luck