<p>D recently took a practice SAT and ACT. (They offer a free proctored exam for each test type in our district.) Her scores were very similar between the two on each comparable section, but she preferred the format of the ACT better. However, her Science score was way below her other scores. Mostly it was because she didn't finish the section (she didn't have a problem finishing other sections but this one threw her) - she didn't answer the last quarter of the Science section.</p>
<p>She has heard that, with practice, she can get faster at the Science and "learn" what you're supposed to be looking for but she isn't sure how common it is to do much better on this section than where you start out (which is 8 points below her Reading/English score). Since she preferred the format of the ACT, and as a side bonus, it often means that she won't have to take SAT IIs, we are both wondering if it is worth the time she will have to spend getting the Science score up (versus concentrating on the other sections). D is a bit of a lopsided student - doing much better in English/History/Foreign Language than in Math or Science, so she also has to spend some time working on her math score for either test. Her English/Reading (Reading/Writing) scores were much better.</p>
<p>Any advice? Thanks!</p>
<p>Did she take the test without practicing much?</p>
<p>If she ran out of time on that one section, but not on any of the others, with a little practice I would expect her to do much better with timing on the section. How would her score compare if you guesstimated her science score to be about the same on the skipped portion as it was on the answered portion? Would it make up most of those 8 points?</p>
<p>She had no practice at all - in fact, she had never seen an ACT! </p>
<p>That’s a good question - I would have to ask. We didn’t get the test back - she just got a report of her scores and a brief analysis which highlighted issues (such as the fact that she didn’t finish that section). Thanks!</p>
<p>My son’s science section went up 10 points, from his lowest to his highest after becoming familiar with the test. After taking the ACT with absolutely no preparation in January, he thought the science section was impossible. I did a little reading on CC and discovered that the science was more reading comprehension than knowledge and convinced him to try again. Instead of dragging his overall score down, the science gave him a slight boost. He used the ACT with writing since his SATII in German was terrible. </p>
<p>I agree. The Science section = Reading comprehension, reading graphs, using logic for inferences.</p>
<p>Student here, my science was higher than any other section mostly because it’s all reading. I never had the time management problem but if she could ace the reading part science should have no problem once she gets the timing right. I only took it once, more I regret it because I know many increase their scores. </p>
<p>My D did great on all the other parts and couldn’t get her science score up from pre-tests to two actual tests. She ended up doing the SAT and SAT IIs instead because science was dragging her down so much. </p>
<p>Scores can definitely go up. When D retook the ACT’s most her scores went up a point or two but science went up 9 points</p>
<p>I think students can freak out on the Science section because they read the section on say, J chemistry, and immediately think “I never learned this!!” and skip the questions. I heard some kids say this while waiting for my daughter. But it really is a chart/table reading comprehension exam… Practice will certainly raise her score.</p>
<p>Practice will increase all her scores. D’s Science score went up 5 points and she had minimal preparation on that section (she focused on Math and English). If your daughter did well on Reading, she can come very close on Science.</p>
<p>These videos are supposed to help with the SR section: <a href=“ACT Test Prep - Science - YouTube”>ACT Test Prep - Science - YouTube;
<p>The SR was always my ds’s lowest score b/c he is dyslexic and we didn’t pursue extra time. He ran out of time every single time he took the test b/c he couldn’t finish reading it. The irony here is that he took AP chem in 10th grade (5) and completed 5 upper level physics classes (including 300 level mechanics 1&2)) with the highest grade in every class! It is definitely not a science test. It is a reading test. A person who develops reading fatigue near the end of the test will probably see a drop in score in this section.</p>
<p>This is very valuable information - thank you! For those of you whose kids’ Science scores went up significantly, did your kids tend to be strong readers/do well initially on that section? D is strong reader and got a 33 on that section so that give me hope. Thanks!</p>
<p>Op,
The first few times that someone takes the science section, they try to understand all which is being said in the paragraphs and the graphs and it often freaks out the reader because it’s about topics that they have not been exposed to and it all seems very complex. But if you read the QUESTIONS before reading the passage, most of the answers can be found by analyzing the graph and skipping the paragraph (as an example). Seriously, the science section is really about analyzing graphs and charts. There are 4 free practice ACTs on the internet, with one of them on the ACT website (the other 3 are ones that they posted on the ACT website in prior years). Just download one of them and have her take the science section again with this info. I bet her score increases significantly by just having 1 test under her belt already.</p>
<p>Chalkdust has math videos for SAT math prep. I don’t know much about them, but thought I’d mention them.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.chalkdust.com/satrev.html”>http://www.chalkdust.com/satrev.html</a></p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, the S section is probably the easiest to raise when the student understands how it works. Gifted elementary school kids who have never learned the material of ten score very well because they read the questions and the graphs, and don’t get entangled in the scientific content.</p>
<p>I think that the way a student feels about the ACT Science should certainly be considered in choosing between the SAT and ACT. However, just because a student “bombs” the ACT Science on a practice test, I don’t think he/she should be encouraged not to take the official ACT.</p>
<p>I recently had a student who improved from a “3” on the ACT Science section of a diagnostic test (practice test produced by ACT, Inc.) to a “30” on the official ACT. Biggest point-swing on an ACT section that I’ve ever seen! To be honest, I think the student underperformed a little on the official test. In my opinion, the ACT Science score is the easiest section score to improve for most students because, for whatever reason, this is the section that unprepared students tend to give up on mentally.</p>
<p>Like any other standardized test, what determines how much a student can improve depends on so many different factors: how seriously the student took the original test, the presence of any cognitive learning disabilities, motivation level, work ethic, overall attitude, time, organization, stamina, etc. Most of these can be addressed with the proper guidance.</p>
<p>lol my son’s went down 6 points 1st to 2nd taking. He was so worried about bringing up the others and thought he’d nail science the 2nd time. Hopefully the 3rd time is a charm this fall!</p>