SAT/ACT

Test Preparation
1

I am having the hardest time with the SAT and ACT right now. I got a composite score of 25 the first time I took my ACT. My english score was 26, math score was 27, reading was 20, and science was 25. This second ACT, I got a composite score of 27. My english score went down to 24, math went up to 31, reading went up to 28, and science went up to 26. I would say I’m pretty proud that I was able to get most of my scores up by quite a bit, except of course my english, which went down… My mom, however, says she’s not but judging by the way she’s acting is really upset. I don’t get why she can’t just be proud of the fact that I RAISED my score and my scores didn’t DECLINE. ugh wow… the more I rant, the more fury I feel.

ANYWAYS, I need the most effective and quick method to get my scores up to at least 32. I want to do early decision to Harvey Mudd and because of the intense competition there, I HAVE to get my scores up. This is my last summer to prepare as I will be a senior this upcoming school year. PLEASE, I am begging on my knees! PLEASE, help me get my scores up! I’m sure there are people who raised their scores from 20 to 33. PLEASE, tell me your wayyyyyssss. I am unable to go to those SAT prep classes because of time issues. I have to be able to study for the SAT/ACT by myself this summer. Please help me. I am so incredibly desperate to get my composite score up to a 32.

(oh, and I have more hope in raising my ACT score than my SAT score… so that’s why my post happened to circle around the ACT)

2

you seem to dont have many variation in your score, which is good, and bad at the same time. for me, i had a nice little score but with a lot of variation for the first time (33 math but 22 on reading). what i did was just print a couple of reading sections and just do two a day or so, while timing myself, and experimenting with strategies. ultimately, i raised my reading by 11 points. these are my advice to you: READING=PRACTICING AND STRATEGIZING, no looking over your mistakes! MATH AND ENGLISH=LOOK OVER MISTAKES, understand what you did wrong. SCIENCE=I DONT REALLY KNOW JUST HAVE GOOD READING SKILLS, science was my worst in the second test :P. Oh, you must do at least one, full, ACT practice test each weekend, WITH BUBBLING SHEET and proper timing. It is crucial that you put your answers into the bubbling sheet, because if you just circle answers, it takes less time, and on the real test day, you would lose pacing because you are only used to circling the answers.

In short, start about a month before the test, get a couple of official ACT practice tests, and print individual sections and do them each day, 1 or 2 a day is enough. if you really want to put in the effort, get a couple of bubbling sheets, and use them even when you do individual sections. If i went from barely scratching a 29 (28.5) to a solid 33 in 2 weeks, you have absolutely all the skills and time you need to raise it from a 27 to a 32 and superscore.

Remember, luck is always the key in tests :wink: