<p>I did and ran out as well...I think ima skim it..its the only option...by the time I finished reading the passage I was 4 minutes in...and you need to budget about 8-9 minutes per passage W/ questions...so skimming is the only deal.</p>
<p>Ivy..what tests are you using? I've used up the 1st Real test and almost done w/ second (doing timed sections)...the Reading for test 2 I ran out of time :(...I need help!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>Well, I enjoy the prose, the science and the hummanities. I hate the history/gov stuff. I usually speed read. I might just read the intro and conclusion and then just skim the meat of it.</p>
<p>I'm using the "Real"</p>
<p>I usually don't get the prose ones. :P</p>
<p>I like the others though, which is the problem - I get too into them.</p>
<p>I love the prose...hate the humanities / gov stuff and science lol..i must be weird haha...I like prose cuz its like reading a story and its easy to understand...or at least I don't get bored reading it.</p>
<p>I don't do fiction.</p>
<p>Ok, it's pretty much final. I'm taking the ACT this Saturday as a stand-by. Woohoo!</p>
<p>theoneo whats ur strategy for reading and GL Saturday!</p>
<p>Hm just skim the passage I guess haha. I just want better than a 30 (my SAT equivalent). I'm doing practice problems throughout the week, though. Haha, this is so great, I haven't prepped for the ACT before yesterday, and now I'm taking it this weekend. I was like "hey dad, can I take the ACT?".</p>
<p>Thanks, parikhs. Good luck to you, too!</p>
<p>I'll try and answer a few questions...btw, I have a relatively high score (33) but I'm going for 34/35 (don't mean to brag, just stating it, best of luck to all of you</p>
<p>Reading (in time): Best thing to do (or at least what I did to get a good score) was quickly read the first 2 to 3 paragraphs, and then try and answer a question...and then read the next 2 to 3 par. and then try to answer a question, that way you analyze each part piece by piece and answer questions as well.</p>
<p>@Misal: 4 sections: English (grammar and rhetoric) 35 minutes, 75 questions; Math (algebra mostly, some geo) 60 minutes 60 questions (I think); Reading: 4 passages, 35 minutes 40 questions; Scientific Reasoning: like 8 passages (I forgot), 35 minutes 40 questions and then essay</p>
<p>Smurf: For the most part, PR is fairly accurate, and Kaplan is as well. The ACT is a lot easier to mimic based on the fact that they ask simple, straightforward questions....unlike the SAT where if the book can't really mimic the "trick" or the "backdoor" to a solution, then it doesn't appropriately reflect the test....I just got PR today, and the book looked really nice, so I give it thumbs up. Same with Kaplan (though I've actually used Kaplan book) nevertheless, real act is best, hands down.</p>
<p>Sleep: This is a touchy issue....a lot of people have trouble sleeping the night before and go to bed like 9 hours earlier only to find themselves tossing and turning? Solution: Do whatever the **** you want...go watch tv, play on the computer, search collegeconfidential until your head hits the keyboard...at least then you will feel tired when you go to sleep. DON't GO INTERMEDIATE...3 hours is better than 5 hours imo. Go for either a good 6-7 hours or 2-3 hours, no between.</p>
<p>@ivy Don't skim the passage...just read quickly, go through the lines, I suppose that might be "skimming," but not in the sense where you read too quickly to understand. JUST UNDERLINE as you go, gives you an extra second to understand what you're reading.</p>
<p>@ivy and neo: Good for you about the prose...prose ****ed me last time, it was something in old english about this guy who was talking about a marriage proposal (think Pride and Prejudice)...other ones is a love/hate relationship.</p>
<p>@theone: I decided to take the ACT about a few months ago, prepped for 2 days and got a 31, so it's possible to score high on the first try...fortunately, I was able to improve upon that. To be honest, you won't get your best score on your first try. Even if you get a great score, I'm pretty sure that if you took it another time you could get better, but I think you can crack 30 (assuming you're as good at ACT as you are at Bio)</p>
<p>Best of luck to all of you.</p>
<p>P.S.: I'm just going to give my general tips...</p>
<p>Grammar: Move QUICKLY and always read the words before and after the underlined part...if you don't know one, skip it, you can always go back (unlike critical reading) and TRUST YOUR GUT/EAR...shorter is ALWAYS better...check to make sure the underlined portion is correct.... Sometimes the choice will ecompass more than the underlined. For example (underlined) He will go to the store (underlined end) yesterday....and one of the choices will be: Yesterday, he went to the store (makes sense, but not in context...Yesterday, he went to the store yesterday CHECK FOR THIS)</p>
<p>Always read the passage as you go to get a good feel because there are 2-3 rhetoric questions at the end, and it keeps you interested. But read quickly..</p>
<p>Math: I'm very good at math, I've never needed any advice, nor do I have one other than learn to use the calculator..oh wait, I have one piece of advice (especially for you quick math whizzes) READ THE QUESTION BACKWARDS...I can't tell you how many times I have thrown a test book on the floor when it says: 2x + 3 = 17, find 2X....and then I just look at 2x+3=17, say its 7 mark it 7 and then continue...if you see FIND 2X and you think to yourself (I don't get it, but at least I know what to look for) then look at the parameters.</p>
<p>Reading: Read 2 paragraphs while underlining (don't ever go back to what you underline, purpose is to look at what you're reading for an extra second) and then look at first 2 questions...see if you can answer anything. If not, just keeep going. If you read the passage without looking at the questions, you'll end up referring back to the passage anyway and forgetting what you read...if you read all the questions first then you focus on the questions and lose track of the text or just might simply forget the questions as you go.</p>
<p>Scientific reasoning: Be quick, be accurate, read the graphs and charts but not necesarily the entire experiment. Every passage is different...no sure fired way to do well, just go quickly read the graphs and charts well, and make sure you understand what the experiment is doing (in general) before you answer questions....I have not mastered this skill yet, this is by far the TOUGHEST section...and your knowledge in science has NO BEARING on how well you do...it is a logic game, not a science game.</p>
<p>Essay: Pre-write, have a catchy intro and write well.</p>
<p>That's all my knowledge (from 2 ACT tests), so enjoy.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot Rman..very helpful. I'm gonna try your Reading tips...so far I've been trying to skim/speedread the whole passage and do the questions..but timing myself I've noticed I take 3 minutes to skim the passage and dont have enough time to answer 10 questions in 4-5 minutes. I wish the questions were in chronological order :-. </p>
<p>Question: Lets say you read the 1st 2 paragraphs...do you search the questions for ones that would pertain to those paragraphs or do you just go straight to the 1st few questions available?</p>
<p>I've taken the ACT twice as well, both times without prep or practice tests inbetween. I have no problem with reading or writing - I score in the mid to high 30s there. But math and science always eat me alive. I can't seem to break 26 in science or 30 in math.</p>
<p>I'm officially testing standbye and NO essay...I called Duke and Dartmouth and they both said it would be a waste of my time to retake it with writing when I scored a 12 last time. well, 32+ composite here I come!</p>
<p>GL sanguine...what prep are you doing and IDK if I asked you this before, but can yiou share Reading strategies?</p>
<p>I scored a 12 the first time. The second time I took it I got a 9.</p>
<p>Ivy...how is the prep coming along? I'm breaking up each passage in the Reading and timing myself..trying to do the questions and read the passage in 8-9 minutes but im consistently doing it in about 9:30...grrrr ****ing me off...how accurate is the kaplan book?</p>
<p>I did math and english last night. English is fine, math is better (a few minor mistakes). I think I'm going to focus on reading and science for the most part. Probably this evening. If not, then definately tommorrow night.</p>
<p>Ivy whats ur AIM SN (pm me) so we can discuss it easier.</p>
<p>@parikhs: You should read the two paragraphs, and then you have to search a bit through the questions to see if any pertain to what you read. Unfortunately, there will be times when you read 2 paragraphs and none of the questions are relavent to what you read. Sometimes the question will not be the first ones, so you have to look around and tinker with it a bit.....PS: Kaplan is pretty accurate, I like PR better (seems more thorough) but PR might be slightly easier than the actual test, but nothing significant</p>
<p>Rman: did you just take the tests or did you read the preliminary review information in the Princeton Review Book?</p>