October 2014 ACT discussion thread

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
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<p>@austin23 That’s weird. Not sure why they keep changing the test to be honest. I think that it was ok to add the double passage for reading (it makes sense and is an important reading skill to be able to compare/contrast two passages), but the science is stupid that they keep reinventing. Either make it so that you need to know stuff for the science section or make it so that you can go in with the knowledge equivalent to that of a squirrel and still be able to get a 36.</p>

<p>I also find the rhetorical skills questions entirely hit or miss. The grammar questions are usually pretty cut and dry, but I hate it when the rhetorical skills questions could go either way.</p>

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<p>As far as the English Rhetorical Q’s go, something my AP Lang teacher said about the AP test applies: “Testing English and rhetorical skills is really testing your understanding of one person’s - the test writer’s - view of the passage.”
Thus by nature we had a few confusing ones in English. I picked based off of what I’d write and expect if I were an ACT writer. We’ll see how that went.</p>

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<p>This is from my perspective, but here it is. I hope these help if you’re prepping for the Dec. one:
-Third time ACT taker (hopefully will be the last)
-Comp scores: 29 first time, 33 second time, aiming for 34+ this time
-Studied with, in order:

  1. Princeton Review books (personally the easiest; did all 3 practice tests that came with it)
  2. Real ACT (best one- did all 5 practice tests that came with it)
  3. Barrons 36 (hardest- idk how many tests there were but i remember doing all of it)</p>

<p>Oct. 25th test difficulty was:
E- Very similar to the red book. Had 5 mins left over.
M- HARDER THAN THE RED BOOK! From what I’ve noticed, the math section of ACTs are getting harder each month; when I took the Feb. one this year, it was the same level as the red book.Couldn’t solve the last 3 questions and had to guess :cry:
R- Similar to the red book except for the two passage thing they’re throwing on the book these days, but they aren’t that hard. Finished just in time.
S- A little bit harder than the red book, but I might be wrong; I finished just in time.</p>

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<p>Hope all ya’ll did good, so glad to be done with that stuff as of the September ACT.</p>

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<p>Hey guyz any1 here with a 70B test form as I did not get a dual passage, so I’m pretty sure that our test forms are different … </p>

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<p>Is it going to be november 11th before the scores are released, or is it just going to be like a week and a half like the last one</p>

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<p>What’s the best prep book for science and math? In September I got high english and reading scores but low math and science. </p>

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<p>it’s going to be november 11? why is this test going to take longer to grade than the other test dates?</p>

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<p>I took the ACT in June and September and I felt that this was harder than Septembers. Math especially - I got a 34 in September on the math section and I know I did not repeat that. English as well was difficult for me, but it always is. I kept getting three of the same letter in a row and it kept screwing up my thoughts… Science and reading were average</p>

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<p>So you guys are 100% sure that the scores get released by Nov.11? Because from the past few times I’ve taken it they have always set the expected time similar to the length of this one’s. However, every single time I’ve taken it the scores have been out within a week and a half, and even sometimes a week.</p>

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<p>My problem with the math is that I ran out of time to even guess on the last two questions, but I don’t care as long as the score’s close enough to my other sections so as not to bring down my composite score too much. But honestly, the test could have gone way worse than it actually did.</p>

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<p>Some of you people are sickening me with “oh no I had to guess the last two on the math”… :frowning: because I’ve taken it three times and I’ve never had enough time to get through the last ten, always had to guess those. This time was no different. Hopefully my LD will enable me to get extra time, then maybe I’ll join you guys on guessing the last two… </p>

<p>My essay was crap. Of course I got a topic that I really had no opinion about so I had to make a (weak) argument up on the spot. I’ll be lucky if I get a 7.</p>

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<p>The reason dates are longer is because there are more tests to grade compared to other times. This October one my test center was full and so were neighboring ones… Probably the last one for the seniors and some smart juniors are starting it</p>

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<p>I got my September test results like within 10 days of the results it was like a 1.5 weeks…I have a feeling that they results should come out within 1.5 weeks…The September test was harder in general on top of that I was sick, this test was better.</p>

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<p>Does anyone else feel extremely anxious about the science? I’m normally good at the science section but it was like I couldn’t comprehend any of the sections after the first two. </p>

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<p>@limmazom I hope they curved the science section. I had studied past tests and I swear this time around there were questions you HAD to know background info to get correct. </p>

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<p>@limmazom Same. Thank you, AP Bio!</p>

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<p>Yea I was wondering the same. ARe the scores sure not to come out before November 11?</p>

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<p>If you took it with writing, can you still see your scores on Nov. 11?</p>

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<p>@wilguen yes. The only difference is that the writing score comes out later.</p>