<p>What are the most important things to study? What have you learned from your experience taking the test?</p>
<p>As someone who took the test once and is happy with their score (33 composite), here’s a few lessons learned.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The Red Book is your friend. If you take at least one or two practice tests, you should have a general idea of what to see on the test. The ACT isn’t really about studying concepts, it’s about making sure you can jive with the format of the test.</p></li>
<li><p>On a related note, make sure you can work within the time limits of the ACT. I’m a naturally fast worker, so I didn’t have to work too hard on this, but I have a lot of friends that have ran out of time on various sections because they didn’t practice working quickly. </p></li>
<li><p>You can sorta study for math and English. For math, make sure you know trig rules and basic geometry stuff. For English, remember comma rules. I still don’t know when to use a semicolon or a comma and I’m lucky that I got a 34. Comma rules will cause people the most problems.</p></li>
<li><p>Science and reading are all about practice. If you become familiar enough with the sections, you should be able to handle anything the ACT may throw at you.</p></li>
<li><p>For the writing section, remember to write a five paragraph essay and to include a counterargument. It’s very formulaic. I got an 8 because I left off a conclusion.</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><p>Use real practice tests (5 from the red book and 4 Preparing for the ACT booklets (<a href=“http://bestactprep.org/preparing-for-the-act”>http://bestactprep.org/preparing-for-the-act</a>).</p></li>
<li><p>These strategies really helped me, and I scored a 34 on the ACT: <a href=“http://bestactprep.org/act-strategies”>http://bestactprep.org/act-strategies</a>.</p></li>
<li><p>Bring a watch and practice timing.</p></li>
<li><p>Read a lot to build up your reading comprehension skills.</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li>Practice makes perfect.
Not a thing exists where practicing doesn’t help. Practice practice practice. I take 3 tests a week. Monday = Eng/Math. Tuesday = Read/sci. And so forth</li>
<li><p>Review mistakes
Always review your mistakes. On each test you must review in detail your mistakes. On the English and Math sections figure out what topic you missed and research it. In math, use the Khan Acedamy online. Just google it. In english refer back to you school books about those comma rules.</p></li>
<li><p>Analyze scores and questions missed for trends in your strengths and weaknesses. This step is difficult and time consuming. However, if you truly want to increase your scores, you MUST do this. There’s recently been studies showing just how much self analyzing can improve you.
For an example, I’ll use my scores. After I had taken 5 practice tests, both real and fake, I did the following:
a. Totaled all my missed questions
b. Added the numbers together per section.
c. Catorgorized missed questions.
I sorted using titles like these: For English: Passage Analysis, Sentance Sorting/adding, Comma Rules
For math: Sin/cos/tan, graphs, etc.
Reading: Passage analysis, details in passage, inference
Science: Details in passage, details in graph, science knowledge
I also added a “dumb mistakes” catagory to all sections
After doing this, I was able to view my weaknesses on a practical level. I found that of all missed english questions, 27% were passage analysis mistakes and 27% were dumb mistakes. These were the biggest percents.
For math, I found that at 46%, my biggest errors were dumb mistakes.
For reading, I found my biggests mistakes were again passage analysis
For science, it was dumb mistakes.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Now that I knew my weaknesses, i could fix them. For dumb mistakes in English, I made myself slow down. For the passage analysis questions, I followed these guidelines: The sentance added must completely fit with the preceding sentance and the one after it. I was able to effectively fix my mistakes.
My previous scores had been: E=34, M=34, R=34, S=29. Total=32.75 =33
After studying my mistakes, I had: E=36, M=35, R=33, S=33 Total= 34.25 = 34
I was one question away from a 35! Very close! I had never gotten a 36E, 35M, or 33S before. My science was a 33 but I only missed two questions.</p>
<p>Now, once you hit a composite 30, it can be very difficult to improve your score. However, my method worked drastically! No matter what your score is right now, if you’re dedicated to improving, this WILL absolutely help!</p>
<p>Well, that was HOW I studied. But WHAT I studied also included techniques and guides. This is one of he best guides content wise. <a href=“Jeandevaches' Guide to the ACT - ACT Preparation - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/act-preparation/1071765-jeandevaches-guide-to-the-act.html</a>
I printed it all out, pinned it above my desk, and studied it before each test.
Use this guide to get a good score. Then analyze yourself to get a better score. Then use this guide again for perfection!</p>
<p>One last thing. Some of my personal tips per section:</p>
<p>English. If you have time read most of the content. It will help with questions about the passage as a whole. Most people don’t have trouble with time on this test. Follow the guide in the link above!</p>
<p>Math: You know it, or you don’t. If you do, don’t go to fast through the first 30-45. That is where most mistakes by students getting 30+ are made. If you don’t know the math, hit your math books! As I said use Khan Acedamy online and the guide above.</p>
<p>Reading: It’s vital you practice until you can read the ENTIRE passage in 3.5 to 4 minutes tops! Use the finger method to speed up your reading. Simply move your finger faster than your eyes. Remembering content is key on this section. You must practice immersing yourself into the story and making it exciting even when it’s not. Pace yourself. You need to be done with each section in 8:45. If your ahead of time always refer back to text for confirmation. Never answer only 5 questions and come back later. You’ll have forgotten so much that you’ll have to reread. This causes timeloss.Only skip ahead if you have NO IDEA what the answers are. And even then guess</p>
<p>Science: Read the short paragraph at the top then hit the questions. Don’t look at the content first. The science test is all about time. Read the questions and as you read them place your fingers accordingly. “Figure 1, bird x at site C produces how many eggs?” Place your fingers onto each part of the figure as you read the question. After this. follow the guide above.</p>
<p>One thing that works for every question is this: “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.”</p>
<p>In conclusion, if you want to do well on the ACT, you have to commit to it. Slackers are lackers. If you truly want to do well and throw yourself into the prep, the you’ll succeed. Otherwise, no one can help you.</p>
<p>Reading - </p>
<p>-Read books on your own!! It immensely helps with comprehension speed, which is needed.
-Learn how to pick out main ideas. Talk to the text (annotate) in your practice time. Talk to english teachers about setting up something like this if it isn’t in place.
-Skip the general idea questions. Circle them, and at the end of the passage come back to them. Chances are you will have read enough that these questions will seem easy!
-DON’T read the whole passage! (Unless it really works for you, but it isn’t necessary.) Just go question by question, and the ideas will pop out.</p>
<p>Math - </p>
<p>-Program your calculator!! Input formulas that they don’t give out. Distance Formula, Midpoint, and Quadratic are all super helpful. Look around for the types of questions and add them. They give us graphing calculators, so being resourceful and putting in formulas is a great way to improve.
-Practice practice practice! There’s only so many topics they ask about. Learn them as best as you can! I love the Red Book.</p>
<p>English - </p>
<p>-Reading books on your own also helps here. I never spent much time on grammar because I just pick what sounds best and I got a good score, but that method won’t work for those that dislike reading. Grammar books would help if you don’t read, though.
-The shortest answer is the best guess if you have no clue whatsoever. ACT likes concise answers, even if emphasis of something may sound more sophisticated. Simplicity is key!
-Don’t mix tenses. Make sure they all agree within a section, unless there is a clear time change.</p>
<p>Essay - </p>
<p>-Put a relevant quote in your conclusion! It doesn’t have to be word for word accurate (I think some people even fudge up who said it or make things up), but if it’s relevant, it’s a nice little way to wrap things up. I think I used Abraham Lincoln and somehow tied it into my essay about community service.
-Make sure your ideas are clear and identifiable. Make it an essay that looks great when it is skimmed for ideas.
-Develop your thesis and counterargument well! I do my counterargument as my 2nd paragraph and then do my 2-3 body paragraphs after. </p>
<p>I can’t help on science, I did pretty bad! I personally need to work on my timing. Just make sure you’re very careful I guess.</p>
<p>Just don’t stress. 
With effort your scores will definitely improve!</p>