<p>Just signed up for the April one. Question: should I take pre calc next year w/ or w/o college algebra....? Right now I am in geometry and honors algebra 2.</p>
<p>cougar, i read the whole passage, but very quickly. my point is that you should key in on the stuff you marked because 6-8 out of the 10 questions will refer to specific lines or paragraphs. but yes, it is important to know the whole passage so you can answer "tone" and "main idea" questions.</p>
<p>Jax, do you read all of the questions first or do you read the first question and then go look for it? And another awkward question, do you read like say for an hour plus every day? And last, what, if any, do you use to get ready for the English section?</p>
<p>i think i just look at the question, see what line it's talking about, mark it, and then read the next question, mark the line, etc. that process takes all of like 45 seconds though lol. maybe less, i never really timed it.</p>
<p>and no im not a big reader really. i take honors/ap english and history classes, so they require a lot of reading, but i wouldnt consider myself someone who practices reading or reads a lot for fun. on that note, please don't consider me an expert on the act by any means, this is just a reading strategy i learned that works for me and i figured id share it.</p>
<p>english, i got a 29 my first time so it wasn't really a big concern for me (im not shooting for ivy scores on the act). im on the school newspaper so that kind of stuff comes natural to me when editing. i havent retaken the act yet so i cant say what my next english score will be, but ive gotten like 33 on a practice test i think. i guess just know grammar and punctuation rules? the things that confuse me sometimes are when it asks you to know whether the sentences are in logical order. just make sure you're reading the passages, not just skipping to the questions.</p>
<p>good luck</p>
<p>edit: oh yeah, i might as well re-emphasize that in my reading strategy it is essential to NOT read the answer choices for the questions until after you've read that part of the passage. they will lead you to make false assumptions about the passage you're reading and confuse yourself.</p>
<p>Thanks jax. Sorry for those random questions lols.</p>
<p>I read the first third of the passage and then dive into the questions.</p>
<p>Nice, i'll try both ways :).</p>
<p>What kind of books should I read to help me on the reading section. I never read unless it's for homework and it is bringing me down on the Act. </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>It is not always the SAME TEST..true they can be testing the same or similar information.. Here:
A standardized test is a test administered and scored in a consistent manner. The tests are designed in such a way that the "questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent"and are "administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner."</p>
<p>But, they can change the test questions because it is based on curriculum information which can vary for each student depending on courses taken, independent reading and interests.The test emphasize reasoning skills of scientific content, skills in math, or reading ability. </p>
<p>Galib2011, the schools will be looking at more than stellar ACT or SAT score(s)...The whole picture needs to looked at. I am surprised that your guidance counselor would encourage this test-taking mania.</p>
<p>Get a book from your library on test strategies....Do something else for a while :)</p>
<p>Wow, you seem more stressed than the brown kids who go to my school. You are trying to hard. If you want a 30, you need to get about 30+ on every section. And you won't get into duke without at least like a 32+. Cuz you are not even in NC. face it, you just suck at standardized tests. You thought you could buy $100 in prep books and study and expect to score well, didn't you. I am guessing you are that kind of asian who sits in the corner and studies for 10 hours every day. Your ways are wrong!</p>
<p>Let's take the crash course:</p>
<p>English: Be complete, clear, and concise. Don't think too much. Read the whole passage, not just the underlined parts. Remember that the English section is what "sounds" right. You need to spot the mistake.</p>
<p>Math: You did well, but I am sure you can do better. Did you know the ACT MATH can be taken without a calculator and you can still achieve a 36. This is because it is all fundamentals. Some questions take more fundamentals.</p>
<p>Reading: My hardest section as well. I don't why; I do know how to read. Don't read things as fast as you can. Read the questions and underline key words for each passage in about 30 seconds. Read the passage in 4 to 5 minutes. Attack the questions. Trust me, if you don't get the score you want the first time, eventually you will.</p>
<p>Science: Come on, you can read a graph can't you? It's graphs and tables. Don't read the instructions (except for the fighting scientists). You just have to interpret information. Make sure you are aware of trends and the labeling.</p>
<p>I registered for the April ACT. And I am taking one in two weeks (required by my school). I am not so nervous. Because I know that I can get a good score if I don't let the ACT intimidate me. But I can't be all relaxed. I need to make sure that I am setting a good pace for myself.</p>
<p>Tons of students get over 30's on the ACT and they have GPA's in the 3.0-3.5 range. Because those students can relax, yet take something seriously.</p>
<p>I hope this advice helped. I wish you the best of luck on your next ACT. Hopefully we can both get a 30+.</p>
<p>R-KATT</p>
<p>1) "...you seem more stressed than the brown kids who go to my school."</p>
<p>2) "you just suck at standardized tests."</p>
<p>I think you need to calm down.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info, it was great!!! Just one thing, on colleegeboard, it says dukes midle 50 is 29-32. So does that mean if I get a 30 I have a half-half chance of getting accepted saying myother stuff are good such as GPA and ec's?</p>
<p>Why don't you try giving him some advice cmathew12?</p>
<p>Everybody on this site is telling this guy the same thing. He is stressing out too much. Come on, he is going to end up taking the ACT about 10 times and probably get no more than a 28. He will not get into one of his top colleges if he keeps following PREP BOOK GUIDELINES and doesn't take time to realize that he is making this harder than it really is.</p>
<p>Sorry for your perception of foul language, but I am trying to make this guy realize that he is stressing out too much. And it appears that he can't handle standardized tests.</p>
<p>Standardized test are administrated with an expectation that everyone has sufficient resources, familiarity, and overall ability to perform well on the test. And I know what I am talking about. I am not trying to classify Galib (even though he pretty much has classified himself), but I am trying to teach him what his prep books usually can't- to calm down. If he has a 4.0 gpa, then there is no doubt he should know the information. I was basically giving him an introduction on how I perceive his situation and teaching him the most effective way to score well on the ACT.</p>
<p>And by the way, anyone like Galib who spends time posting on college message boards and constantly asking how he can improve his ACT score, surely needs to calm down.</p>
<p>No offense to you Galib.</p>
<p>Galib, you are going to do anything to get into Duke, aren't you?</p>
<p>Take time and see if it is really worth it. Do you want to walk around with your egotistic personality bragging about how you go to Duke? I am guessing you plan to go to Med school. If you don't get into Duke, you will definitely not get into an IVY league and you probably won't get into John Hopkins. You need to realize that a university is a university. You are not going to walk around with a mark on your forehead saying "Student of Duke University." I am not saying that you shouldn't apply, but if you don't get in, don't be frustrated just because one college did not select you. You are a really bright and have a good future ahead of you.</p>
<p>And to your question, it is a 29 if you are in state (NC). You will probably need a 31 or 32.</p>
<p>Thanks for your comments. I'm only a sophomore right now and I have a 4.15 gpa so idk what's wrong. I'm going to do practice tests and try to find my weakness. And you really can't say I'm only going to get a 28, one of my friends went from a 17-31 within 6 tests lol so this is motvatiom to prove you wrong :). Anyways, thanks for your comments.</p>
<p>I'm in a sorta similar situation, I just got my results and I got a 27, was hoping for a 30+ :(</p>
<p>But this was my first time, I'm a sophomore, and I put minimal practice into it, so I'll get 30+ eventually, hoping for 32+.</p>
<p>^me too ... sophomore and got a 29 in Oct. ..planning to take it in April and hopefully get a 32.... and then maybe a 34+ in junior year.</p>
<p>nice, good luck to both of you :D.</p>
<p>im korean too lol</p>
<p>I got 27 composite (pretty bad) Cold Turkey as well...</p>
<p>E - 25
M -36
R -21
S-26</p>
<p>someone help T-T</p>
<p>get your reading up....that will help alot
just read some prose to get a feel for it</p>