My quest for the 36 has begun. I need help though.

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
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<p>I want the 36, seriously. I need to get the best preparation possible and I need help from all of you here. I know it is a long shot but I am willing to throw everything I have at making this score.</p>

<p>First of all, I plan on taking the October test. I want to be fully prepared for this test date. If I feel that I am not fully prepared I may wait until the December one.</p>

<p>I have been using a reading software known as EyeQ. It is supposed to increase reading speed and comprehension. It teaches you to do this by block reading. I am starting to recognize multiple words at a time, but I am not comprehending them. I seem to be learning speed reading though. If anyone else here has used this program please let me know anything you know about it.</p>

<p>Also, on average, for those of you that have made a 36 on the reading part, what kind of reading speed, in terms of wpm, would I need to be able to read everything in the time given and answer all the questions? Does only scimming and reading questions first also work to get a 36 on this part?</p>

<p>I also need help on grammar. Grammar is something I am not strong at. When I take grammar tests I usually just choose what sounds correct. as we all know, that doesn't work all the time. I want to know the best book and/or software that could teach me the grammar I need to know. I know that if I study the right material that I can become great at grammar. I just need to know what to use as I don't want to waste any time.</p>

<p>math is something I am very good at. Math seems to come very easily to me. However, complex math stuff, like complex trig and whatnot, can be hard to remember. What kind of prep could I do? softwares, books, whatever that can teach me what I need to know.</p>

<p>Science is another section that I hear is mainly based on your ability to read the information and graphs they provide you and apply it to the questions. This would go back to me using the EyeQ program to increase my reading speed and comprehension. I am open to anything though. Can any of you guys who make 36's here tell me what I would need to prepare myself for this part.</p>

<p>Last, but not least, is the writing section. This is the section I care the least about, since it isn't factored into the composite. I am only doing it because some colleges I want to attend make it mandatory. However, I want to know how to write the perfect essay in the 30 minutes they give you. Please, give me any information you know.</p>

<p>The best ACT Prep books, please give them to me. Anything else is very appreciated. I mean anything. I am willing to go all out here for the 36. I seem to pick up things very quickly and have a good memory after I absorb it and take it in. This doesn't actually translate into my long-term memory, but if I continue to review it it should stay in my head for a long time. </p>

<p>Please any and all help is appreciated and needed.</p>

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<p>Like you, I also am shooting for a 36. I went overboard and bought about every practice book out there. Even the ones with the bad practice tests just for more practice. As for reading, I started reading like 2-3 hours a day a couple weeks ago and both my speed and comprehension has gone up. Just read a ton of stuff.</p>

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<p>Typical CC users...</p>

<p>I got a 35 on the reading section, and the trick is NOT to read everything. You can answer most of the questions by reading the first third of each passage.</p>

<p>You can know the math and science sections really well, but in the end it's the time that kills you. If given the ACT math as a regular test with a longer time limit, I could get a 36, but with 60 questions and limited time, it is easy to make one of those foolish "duh" mistakes most people make.</p>

<p>The writing? Based on the fact that an 11 is in the top percentile, getting a 12 is extremely difficult. My recommendation? Take a lot of practice writing tests, and be a good writer. Put emphasis on good writer. Though it is possible to improve your writing through practice, the best writing stems from natural ability. </p>

<p>May I ask why you want a 36? Trust me, it's not worth the effort. If you want to get into a good school or get lots of scholarships, you would be much better off with a 33+ and awesome extracurriculars. In the long run, colleges really don't care about the difference between a 35 and a 36, and once you get into college, no one will care that you made a perfect on the ACT.</p>

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<p>hey i searched the EYE Q program a long while ago.. but i heard that other programs like acereader are better and cheaper.. anyway does EYE Q really work? did u gain in a short amount of time?</p>

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<p>I scored a 36 on the Reading, and a 36 on the English.</p>

<p>I read very fast, but, as said above, the key really is to not read everything. Now, I did read very near close to everything, but lots of the questions can be answered without reading the entire passage. I know there was at least one passage I didn't read at all, I just went back and found answers as I needed to.</p>

<p>On the other hand, your speed reading program can do nothing but help. I've taken a speed reading course before, and my reading speed is very fast (haven't tested or pushed myself in months, so I don't know what it really is), and that does help.</p>

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<p>so is it b/c of the program that ur speed is fast?</p>

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<p>Thanks for your posts so far.</p>

<p>The EyeQ program seems to be working. I don't think that the program is worth 300 dollars like they charge for it.</p>

<p>I'd say try Eyeq, but don't use it as directed. Abuse their rules. They tell you to only do like 1 session a day because your eyes need to rest. I usually do at least all 12 sessions in a day. Of course I want to get super fast at reading and comprehension, so I am using it like crazy.</p>

<p>I think it is working though cause I seem to be recognizing multiple words at a time, it's just that I can't comprehend them yet. See, EyeQ teaches you to read things visually, not with sub-vocalization. This allows you to read like paragraphs to entire pages at a glance, and comprehend everything. Of course to do that you have to be very skilled at it. They claim this has to do with using the right half of the brain in coherence with the left side or something like that.</p>

<p>Anyways, I need to learn the grammar and stuff. I haven't been taught grammar stuff since like 6th grade maybe. Every English class I've taken since then just focuses on literature and poetry. I just finished English 3 and I really don't know a lot of the grammar rules, mainly because all that is taught is lit and poetry. I think we might have done something on the usage of commas in English 3. That was about the only grammar covered. So please, what kind of software or prep books can teach me the grammar stuff I am gonna need to know for the ACT English?</p>

<p>As for writing, I can usually whip up a 5 paragraph essay in like 10 minutes and usually get an A on it. I just let the pen touch the papaer and before you know it I am done. I am just worried about this because some of my friends can do this too and they got like a 7, which is average, on the writing part. What kind of prep books can help me get to where I need to be for this part? </p>

<p>I just finished taking Math 101 and 102 college in 11th grade and got a 93 in 101 and a 89.3 (I know that sucks .7 form an a) in 102. College level math seems very simplistic it's just there are so many rules and whatnot to remember and sometimes I forget. Any prep books that cover every single type of math problem that would be on the ACT that could help me to know what I'll need to know to dominate this part?</p>

<p>Science, well I just need to know what prep books are best to help me prepare for this part. I hear it's all about your ability to read and comprehend graphs. What is the best prep books and whatnot I can do for this?</p>

<p>As for why I want the 36 so badly? I want the perfection. For one thing , I kinda need to make a high score on it to get some good scholarships and whatnot since I doodled around in HS and instead of applying myself I didn't and my transcript is like a 3.3 GPA. Had I only done my HW and cared I could have like a 4.0. I also have no ECs, so I kinda need a high score on this test to outweigh all of that. I will say though, that if I get a 33+ I will be satisfied since that is uaually 99 percentile anyways. But if I am going to work for something I am going to work for prefection, if I get it fine, if I get a 33+, then I'll be satisfied since I'll still be 99 percentile most likely. If I get 32- I may be dissapointed depending on what the number is. Basically that is just how I think, if I am going to strive for something and put my all into it, I want the best possible result, in this case the 36.</p>

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<p>hey I also got a 36 on reading. If you have taken teh SAT reading section, then don't fret. The ACT reading section is not CRITICAL at al. It's just basic question and answer stuff. I really did not have a time crunch on that section at all, and I am a barely above average reader speed wise.
Mostly, familarize yourself with all the sections and the wierd way it is laid out. That was the hardest thing for me. Hope you do well.</p>

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<p>zuglinbushababwa, do u read the entire passage or wat are ur strategies for the reading section?</p>

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<p>What books and stuff can help me? What kind of prep is best for these sections?</p>

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<p>I too am on a quest for the elusive 36. My plan is to start my ACT, Barron's, book and do that till the test in september. In addition I plan on continuing to read a lot, which I do, and keeping a journal to help my writing skills.
As for math, I am quite good at math and don't really need help with that, I do a lot of AMC12 and AIME problems for fun outside of school. Science, I will rely on Barron's to help me there. Overall I plan on studying at least 3 hours a week till the test, which should suffice. Good luck and for the reading tests, I'm not sure if my strategy works for others but I just read the whole passage-I have a good memory- then I answer questions without having to refer back to the passage(Reading practice score-36).</p>

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<p>quite frankly i found that the best way to prep was just taking a few real practice act's (my school had a few past practice tests that they release)</p>

<p>i also founds a few online</p>

<p>(and o yea, i got a 36 haha)</p>

<p>the key i think is knowing what not to read, in the science section almost no reading is required, its all about knowing how to read graphs and how to read them quickly.</p>

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<p>What about Barron's, PR, and all that other jazz? I also got a Petterson's ACT Prep CD I took from an old ACT practice book they were going to throw out at the end of the school year. Will that help me?</p>

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<p>I think Peterson's too hard....... but I don't know, you gotta try it first</p>

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<p>Really? Petterson's is too hard? I will have to pop it in and check it out.</p>

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<p>If you want more tests other than the cd go to march2success.com. from peterson's-7 tests free, need to register.</p>

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<p>are these actual tests from past ACTs?</p>

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<p>I tried the tests @ march2success or atleast I attempted but it is so annoying trying to take it online. >:O
and their website suxs....always gives me errors (and I am pretty sure its not my pc :) )
any other website thats good for ACT?</p>

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<p>Bizzump...</p>

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<p>Bizzzzzump.</p>