<p>I know there are similar posts to this one, but I'm beginning to prep for my Sept. ACT and I need a prep book that is not only manageable (with my own initiative, of course) but also in depth. I already got the book from the makers ('The Real ACT') but that one just seems to skim the lines and introduces the basics of the test. I've never taken an ACT before and I'm not even quite sure if I know how the scoring system works. I'm also new to CC but I've been reading others' posts for some time and the users here give helpful information. </p>
<p>This post is getting longer than I want it to so I'll just end here and wait for responses. </p>
<p>Thanks CC!</p>
<p>P.S. Also, if you make recommendations for a particular book, could you specify the pros/cons if you just happen to have extra time on your hands.</p>
<p>I know there are others who like Barrons and Kaplan, but I prefer Princeton Review’s Cracking the ACT. Its English and Math section will definitely prepare you for the test, and, in my opinion, its practice tests are the closest approximations to the real thing that you can come by (with the exception of the Real ACT). Its negatives would probably be its reading and science overview- completely worthless, in my opinion. But these are not sections that you can generally prepare for; since they do not test learned information, it’s just a matter of finding the right strategy. Some prefer to look at the questions first on the reading section, while others begin reading the passage as quickly (with comprehension) as they can. Some always start the reading section with the last passage and work their way forward, while others begin with prose fiction and go in order. For these sections, you just need to find what works for YOU, and this is where the practice tests will come in handy.</p>
<p>“I’m not even quite sure if I know how the scoring system works.”</p>
<p>Each section has a different curve, but the minimum and maximum score on each is 0 and 36, respectively. After all of your individual scores are converted from a raw to a scaled score (keep in mind that there is no penalty for random guessing), they are added together, averaged, and rounded. For example, a 36 English, 36 Mathematics, 35 Reading, and 35 Science would yield 35.5, and when rounded, a 36.</p>
<p>I completely agree with Vince I bought it and it’s helped me immensely</p>