<p>Disclamer: I am looking for actual, help not trying to be showy of any of those things you people here at CC, are always so hyped up about.</p>
<p>Well I racked over all SAT & ACT past posts & the ACT post. I checked all but the SAT/II posts, & still couldn’t find very relevant information that was helpful to me, so sorry if some of you think this is repetitive. Anyway this is a plea for help. If You want faster Stats, skip, 1, 2, & 4, but read 3 then start at 5. Questions are in I & II. I apologize in advance for this long post, but the extra gives the context. Plus I’ve always sucked at summaries.</p>
<li><p>First of all, in case this info is helpful. I studied for the SAT math portion last year in the essense of taking practice math exams, but reading the math portion of my prep book, but the were fun. I did take a few verbal practice test but basically prepared by reading books, especially the ones that incorporate the SAT vocab into them, those were fun too. I thought when I took the SAT that it was a pretty easy test, & got higher then my expectations, which already high compared to the other CTD particpants. I know lots of useless info, sorry.</p></li>
<li><p>For the ACT, which I also took through the Talent search, my prep was much more limited, plus I knew alot less about this test even though I live in midwest, Minnesota. Why should I care, not planning to go to Midwest school, plus SAT always appealed more felt prestigious, maybe 'cause know for east coast schools… The only pratice test I took was for the English, which after taking maybe me want to give up, because the time it took me to read & answer was too much for the limit & I didn’t even get that great a precentage correct. But I did return to review the week before the test by reading the English section review, & grammer review of some Big ACT review/prep book. Well while I took the test I was actually optimistic. I finished the English section in the time limit, The reading was easy, The Math pretty good. What I had thought was the true killer was the science section, which I had never taken a practice exam for but did review its concept. I just couldn’t finish all the questions in such a limited time, don’t know how the do it. BUt anyway way when I finally got my scores back I found out it was all about English, & I sucked ass. Didn’t have as much expectation for the ACT, since I didn’t know it’s scoring system.</p></li>
<li><p>The situation is this. During Febuary, 2005 I took the last version of old SAT, as an 8th grader as part of the Northwestern CTD talent search. I scored 1390, with a Verbal<em>660 & a Math</em>730. I think these were pretty decent scores for my age at least & I know you improve alot in the years. Well anyway I am not really worried about my SAT score, except maybe the new SAT’s Writing Test, have no idea what to expect of that, though I am a pretty decent writer & BS’er.</p></li>
<li><p>What does worry me is my ACT scores. I took the ACT this spring’06 in March as a 9th grade, freshman. My composite score was a 29, which was generally a blow 'cause I have really high expectation, even compared to older high school students. Well a major factor in my low composite was my one really low subscore. My subscores from highest to lowest were, Reading<em>35, Math</em>29, Science<em>26, & English</em>24, ughh.</p></li>
<li><p>My interpretation.
Composite-29, lower than 30, sucks. But 95th%, pretty decent 
Reading wow,35, 99th percentile through, thats great test was easy but never expected to do so well.
Math, 29, 95th% that kind of sucks, my best subject is suppose to be math but I see, Pre-alg-17<em>98th, Alg/Geom.-15</em>96th%, Trig-14<em>91th%, so I need to brush up on my higher math.
Science-26</em>90th%, not my usual expectations but greating considering how incredibly hard the test felt.
English-24<em>75th%, dying from incredible shock, at this point I disgust myself, how is this possible, I know I’m not perfect but & not to sound pretentious this is just plain mediocre form my view, 75th percentile, I still shudder.
Anyway breakdown of English.
Usage/Mechanic-12/18</em>73th% eww. I guess this is my strongest weakness
Rhetorical Skills-14/18*89th% not as weak here, but still weak.
What I don’t understand is how 89th% & 73th% average to 75th%, must be weighted.</p></li>
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<p>After taking both test, I don’t understand how they majority can all say the ACT is easier. But I guess I’ve alway been an exception to things. The SAT felt so much easier, & fun. <em>For you confused about my use of fun, I enjoy taking Standardized tests, I know weird</em></p>
<p>I know these aren’t scores I most likely will be sending to college, & the is a freshman ACT, but will you guys treat it like it is relevant to college, but in the context of me.</p>
<p>I. So first real issue/question is about the discrepancy between SAT & ACT scores. From the conversion charts I’ve seen the comparable ACT to my SAT is about 31, or low 30’s. It sadder, because I took the ACT a year after the SAT, a supposed year of high school schooling. So what does will universities think about that? I know the test measures different things. If this streak continues<em>ACT way subpar to my SAT’s</em> into my high school future, should I abandon the ACT?</p>
<p>II. Second, & most important issue, how can I improve my dismal ACT scores. What I am really coming for help to CC for is how to improve my dismal ACT English Score? What does it also mean that my Verbal score was 660, but my English was 24, though my Reading was higher, does that mean the SAT V is just basically a reflection of the reading portion.</p>
<p>I looked through the forum, & no one seemed to ask about how to improve on their English grades, it was more likly reading. Am I the only one doing so poor on the English subtest. Now that I think about it I’ve always had a confusion over some grammer rules personally especially in messageboards where I have the desire to use run-un sentences & am not alway sure about how to split it up correct gramatically. Plus I generally leave off questio marks. You’ve probably seen, many instances so far, but I usually did pretty well with school essays.</p>
<p>I plan to take the ACT again as a sophmore this year through my highschool, & hopefully the new SAT. Along with Plan, Psat, SATII, & a score of AP’s. Sigh… but hey I do love standardized tests, still sigh… </p>
<p>So, I would sincerely appreciate any advice you can give about these matters, but if you can give me nothing, or very little, then at least guidance with the ACT English.</p>
<p>If any of you actually read through this, & are willing to offer meaningful advice, I will be indebted to for the rest of my our stays at College Confidential, whatever that entails. Thanks.</p>