<p>I hate the dumb science section! It's just like the reading section except more absurd. (I mean, come ON, they make up their own graphs for god's sake!)
I got a 30 composite last time and that was only because my science scores pulled me down 2 points! (I got a 25!!)</p>
<p>So, those who get like a 34-36 on the science section, how the heck do you pull it off? I mean do you buy a whole bunch of excercise books and study everday? Is there a trick to reading the graphs and understand them? For me the hardest part is translating the graphs to mean what the ACT people think it means, not what I think they mean. </p>
<p>Calm down. Reading graphs is not hard at all. You have to get yourself comfortable with translating/interpreting/reading graphs. You do this mostly in math classes, but more in advanced science courses as well, like AP chemistry and biology.</p>
<p>For the most part, you have to totally UNDERSTAND (or at least know its context meaning) most of the vocabulary the ACT uses in the science section.</p>
<p>It's really complicated to explain just on CC.. pm me if u wan</p>
<p>But anyway, do not spend so much time going over practice material, not knowing what you are doing. Have two science practice tests... for each one in order..</p>
<p>1) Go over it slowly. Take as much time as you can - take an hour or two solving the problems. The mission here is to get into that science subtest mindset - KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR AND GET FAMILIAR WITH IT. Since you have infinite time limit, you should get all your questions right. No rushing. Look over your answers. Then check. Check your answers and ask yourself why you got some questions wrong, if you got any. Again, the goal and objective here is to find out how you can improve.. chill and relax. -> remember, you have to learn how to read and interpret graphs and tables efficiently and fast! know the terms and variables..</p>
<p>2) Brace yourself. Take this seriously and use everything you might've learned from the last practice test. Pace yourself. You have less than a minute to solve each problem!! Remember that.</p>
<p>I'm usually pretty good in the science subject (hard courses) and pull high grades, but I don't understand why I can't seem to understand the graphs and interpret them the way that I'm "supposed" to on the ACT. I mean, some of the questions are inference questions and they ask you to interpret the meaning of so-and-so, but then, how can they expect only one correct answer? That's why I wonder how people can internalize the material so much better.</p>
<p>well the inferences are usually pretty simple. they have a linear graph, and they ask to extrapolate. well, obviously they don't expect you to think the line is going to suddenly curve, ya?</p>
<p>when i tackled the science, i basically just worked from the graphs and stuff.. don't think too much? if that makes any sense. the answers are alll there. </p>
<p>i read the questions first and then look for them in the graph, if that helps. i NEVER read anything first. got me a 36 and a 34 :)</p>
<p>I didn't so spectacular on the science section; but I did well (33 and 34)</p>
<p>The science section for me is quite logical. The more you understand the content, the more easily you can answer the questions. For 25% of the questions, I can usually answer them straight up because they are nothing more than simply reading the graphs for basic scientific concepts. </p>
<p>What you don't know, you have to look up on the graphs. I personally believe that the ridiculous timing on the science section was put in place to filter out those students who read graphs without prior knowledge. </p>
<p>Taking Bio, Chem, Physics B/C AP before you take the science section helps a lot.</p>
<p>I actually never prepared once for the science section (other than taking a practice test- 34 on the practice, 36 on the real).</p>
<p>You really don't need to know much about science except for the random questions (my test had one dealing with mitochondria). You just need to be able to stay calm, not read the passages, and just look at the graphs.</p>
<p>I don't think I read any of the passages when I took it, except for 1 or 2 questions (and with that, I only needed to find one paragraph). Read all of the questions before you even consider going back to read the passages.</p>
<p>I agree fully with Johnson181... i got a 36 on the science in october... never really prepared and didn't read the passages except for the one or two questions that didn't relate to the graphs... learn how to read graphs and you are golden...</p>
<p>I am 51 yrs old, took a practice ACT in Science (last month) to prove to D , the artist, that the answers are all there. I got a 24 after being out of science classes for 33 years or more. Some of that science had not even been discovered....lol. The answers are in the graph. My D decided not to let the subject matter freak her out and she read the graphs and wrote on the graphs drew lines on them, and she upped her ACT by 8 points.</p>
<p>like someone else pointed out about knowing key words</p>
<p>i believe there is a list in Barron's ACT that has a hotlist of 70-80 words that you should completely familiarize yourself with that should help your science score</p>
<p>So I tried not reading the graphs and going staight to the questions. It seems that I still get just as many wrong.
what do you guys think? ^forizzledj had said that he just went straight for the questions, is that wise?</p>
<p>instead of practicing with the 40 minute time limit, try doing all 7 sections in 35 minutes, so you give yourself 5 more minutes to check everything. also, by practicing with less time, you are allowing for nerves to take up time during the actual test. also, instead of doing the whole test at once, try only doing one passage at a time, alloting yourself 5 minutes. go straight to the questions, they will lead you to the most important graphs and information. only if you really dont understand anything, then you should read the little paragraph starting each passage</p>
<p>hey eritas, i posted this in another thread, but maybe it'll help a little. when i said i skipped the stuff, i only meant the charts and graphs LOL. sorry :( try this? this is my attack-plan haha:</p>
<p>do all charts and graphs passages first. these are the easiest for me and REALLY don't rewquire looking at the information. i skip straight to the questions, and if i don't understand anything, i look at the graphs. usually get a quick answer because graphs are easy to uderstand..follow the lines, etcetc.</p>
<p>i then do the "fighting scientists" passage. this is kinda "fun" for me LOL. i quickly read the scientist's viewpoint, and while i'm reading, i write down/underline the keypts. i do this for each opinion (seriously, like 30 seconds max) and answer the questions.</p>
<p>i do the experiment passages last (I HATE THESE. especially with the physics-y ones ). i underline/skim/note/read the passage in about one minute (probably less..) and then i go the questions. usually works well. </p>
<p>lastly, i just pray LOL. i ALWAYS, ALWAYSS get a huge headache after this section. i'm so glad its last on the multiple choice -___-</p>
<p>what about does questions in the experiment section...it asks you what will happen if this is added instead of this...or things that tell u to extrapolate....not the graph..but the experiment...like...they giving u a new information...</p>