Hello, CC community!
I’m looking for the communities’ opinion and experience on the best strategies for prepping for the SAT/ACT (preferring ACT) as well as the best ways to self-study for AP Exams. I’ve never prepped much for any test aside from taking practice tests, so I’m genuinely curious as to what you all like to do to aid yourself when prepping. I understand that some people have some relatively eccentric testing prep strategies, so I’d love to hear about other peoples’ methods. I have also never self-studied for an AP Exam, but I may take AP Exams for my college classes, as they cover most of the material anyway, and I also have the textbooks used for the AP class, ex. Dual Enrollment Physics and AP Physics Exam. So, if there are any generally agreed-on methods to doing well on those, I’d love to hear them.
Things to specifically focus on for each test, ways to prep casually during one’s free-time, and methods of improving one’s weak-points would be especially appreciated!
(Advice for the PSAT would also be nice, although it is coming up rather quickly so I wouldn’t be able to use more time-consuming tips. I’m prepping with a group and none of us really know what we’re doing so it could help majorly if you have any advice!)
KHAN ACADEMY! I can’t stress this enough. Link it to your College Board account, and after you take the PSAT, they’ll tailor practices to what you need to work on. They offer not only practice tests, but also practice problems and in-depth explanations. I spent a short amount of time on it and drastically improved my score within a few practice tests. This will even help for the PSAT. Just make sure you know how to be accurate under time constraints. Learn how to skim a passage but still pick up enough details to answer the question. Also, I bought a PR book for the SAT and spent very little time on it as Khan Academy was enough. For AP classes, I often use CrashCourse videos online. They do a pretty good job of concisely summing things up. Good luck!
For the ACT form a study group & get some official tests. The red book & the real act one should b fine. If u are having trouble w/ the english sections sat prep from khan academy should help. for science check out For the Love of ACT Science book, if you are struggling. As for math hone in on whatever concept you are struggling with and memorize the formulas necessary. There are some rly funky concepts that can pop up on the ACT (probability distribution is one) so if u notice weird math concepts on the ACT repeatedly pay attention. TIME MANAGEMENT IS KEY DURING THE TEST (also when ur taking practice tests). Make sure to skip problems if you can’t get them quickly, and skip around w/ passages in the reading and science sections (just make sure to come back to them later/choose 1 letter to fill in when u have to guess) Focus on what you know and can answer quickly. I didn’t focus on the SAT but I’m sure whatever advice I gave for the ACT is also applicable (somewhat) for the SAT. Good luck!
I have since taken my first ACT practice test; the grade is an alright baseline score but my math dragged me down heavily. I have been trying to prep for the math but, due to my desynchronization with the level of math course the ACT reaches, I have to learn many new concepts entirely.
If anyone has any resources (other than CrackACT and such), I would be extremely thankful.
(Score Distribution: 31C 35E 23M 33R 32S)
^ I don’t know why it censored the name of an ACT prep website??