<p>So, to put it simply, I got a 33 on my ACT after taking 1-2 practice tests. (33 e, 35 m, 30 r, 34 s) I had no idea my ACT score was going to be good, since I have a 2100 SAT superscore (720 cr/710m/670w.) The only reason I took the ACT is to substitute it for the SAT subject tests for some schools. Now, because I like the ACT score better, I have to report the score to all colleges too. I wish I could take the ACT again, because I know I could get a 34, but college applications are due tomorrow and I have no time left haha(and I still have essays to write for upenn, stanford, uva, john hopkins, and columbia.) I just have to let people know about this though.</p>
<p>So, for all you people who haven't taken the ACT: Take a practice test and give it a chance. You don't have to do it all at once(I split it up over the week before the test). I hated the first practice test because the English section seemed foreign compared to the SAT. Since I was a slow test taker, I thought the ACT wasn't a fit for me since I couldn't even get close to meeting the time constraints. But, once I got used to the flow, the English is intuitive. I ended up doing far better than I expected. The math, unlike the SAT, is straight forward + fair. None of those perplexing mindf* questions designed to be answered wrong. </p>
<p>It's a better, fairer test than the sat. Just please don't study with anything other than the official tests, just like with SAT tests. Actually... this is all you really need(especially if you have already studied for SAT): </p>
<p>Preparing for the 2005-2006 pdf
Preparing for the 2008-2009 pdf
Preparing for the 2011-2012 pdf</p>
<h2>Miscellaneous college confidential ACT guides </h2>
<p>This post wasn't designed to be a guide, but as a supplement to other guides.</p>
<p>Tips that helped me ACT wise: </p>
<p>English:When you don't know which answer to pick, pick the shortest one. Don't dwell to long over a question and ruin the rest of the section because of time. Use a pencil and follow line after line if you cannot stay focused.</p>
<p>Math: Boy, do I love the math here. I took maybe 2 practice sections here. If you want a chance at a higher score like I got though, you have to fly through the first 40 questions in less that 30 minutes(If not quicker). The rest of the questions are straight forward, but require some solid math knowledge(using graphing calc to solve for zeros, basic logs, and soh cah toa.) The hardest questions will involve the law of cosines(but they give you the formula, so it's not a big deal.) Sometimes, I got the answer the ugly and "wrong" way, but I still worked. The concepts you see in practice tests translate to the real test. </p>
<p>Reading: I didn't complete the practice ACT reading section here, so no surprise this was my lowest. Looking back, I would have familiarized myself with the section more. The different parts of the reading are arranged in this order: Prose Fiction, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science. I didn't know this before, since when I took the practice test and did really well on the prose fiction and social science parts, I assumed the rest would be same(Keep in mind it was 10 pm the night before the test at this point.) I was in for a surprise the next morning. Be familiar with the passages beforehand because time is crucial. Remember that most answers are in right there in the text. It's just a matter of reading at a pace where you can retain the information if it is asked for in the questions. Think of the reading as a word search as a last resort.</p>
<p>Science: Time is so important here(as it is everywhere else). It was 11pm the night before the test when I realized it wasn't feasible to finish this section properly in the time allotted! Don't even try. You have to read the topic sentence, and last sentence for the paragraphs. Then, jump straight into the questions and graphs. Make sure you are looking at the right graph, because I oftentimes caught myself making a mistake. Read the question carefully. By the end of the test, I was worn out, and had little patience for the mind games some of the graphs were playing. This section will make or break your composite. Stay focused and skip a certain question if it is bugging you. When the proctor said 5 minutes, I panicked. I rushed the chemistry one, jumping straight to the questions and trying to connect anything with the diagrams. I didn't have a chance to read or analyze the last section. The letter A looked like an appealing hail mary though, so I went with that for the last 5 questions. I anticipated below a 30 here, and ended up with a 34. Everyone else complained about the science though, so it was probably curved.</p>
<p>How is it different that the sat?
-The reading section.
-Far less breaks.
-Though the math is straight forward no bs material, the science messes with your head the same way some SAT math questions do.
-None of that memorizing vocab trash.
-Guessing doesn't count against you. The proctor really stressed that we couldn't bubble anything in another section after we were done with it. So make sure to have something down before the essay, because the proctor takes away you bubble sheet at the end of the science.
-The reading always involves the same topics. The science always has the same topics. -You get 5 extra minutes for the essay, and it feels so much better. The essays questions are engaging too. Mine involved discussing whether how tutoring should be instituted.
-It's a better test. My proctor was a crazy cynic, walking around all the time, but overall it felt like a "fair" test. The SAT is being redesigned in 2015. I think they'll lean toward styling it the ACT way.</p>
<h2>For the people who struggle with time: Instead of filling in the whole answer bubble, just fill in a third of the bubble circle to mark an answer. At least, that way, you will have something down. When you have the time, fill them in more completely. Don't focus on the time left, but don't forget about it. Find a flow, and stay focused.</h2>
<p>If you are reluctant about the ACT, give it a shot. I only took it to replace subject tests, but I felt it was a fairer test. The SAT penalizes you for the weirdest things sometimes. The ACT is straight forward stuff. If you have already studied for the SAT, just familiarize yourself with the ACT layout and give it a go.</p>