The Official ACT Prep Guide 2016-17 Review: Finally, an updated edition that reflects the new ACT.

Test Preparation
1

I’m a Harvard graduate, SAT perfect scorer and full-time tutor who has taught the ACT for nearly 20 years.

We’ve been waiting since 2011 for a newer edition of this book, and at long last, it’s here: the included 3 tests reflect the minor changes to the ACT Reading and Science portions, and most importantly, the major changes to the new ACT essay (Writing) section. All 3 exams also include answer explanations, and for the first time ever, the book is also offered as an instant digital download from the Kindle store at a discounted price. (Although the Kindle version–accessible not just for Kindle owners but on nearly any device with a screen–is admittedly very convenient and environmentally friendly, I would still recommend that you buy the physical book, because the actual ACT is still a paper-based test.)

The Official ACT Prep Guide 2016-2017 (formerly the Real ACT Prep Guide) continues to be the most essential preparation guide for the ACT, because it is the only source of official test questions—the practice ACTs in all other books are nothing more than subpar imitations of the real thing. Seeing that this updated version of the ACT has already been around since the September 2015 administration of the exam, the publication of this book is long overdue…but it’s better late than never.

Unfortunately, this most recent edition of the “Big Red Book” contains only 3 updated tests, and those tests include many recycled questions from the previous (3rd) edition, as well as from the April and June 2015 versions of the ACT, but again, that’s better than only 1 new test (google “Preparing for the ACT Test 2016”), which until now is all that was available. Combine the 3 tests in this book with the 5 tests in the Real ACT Prep Guide, 3rd Edition The Real ACT Prep Guide (Book + Bonus Online Content), (Reprint) (Official Act Prep Guide), and the free online test mentioned above, and you’ve got 9 official ACT tests total. Then, combine those 9 tests with the 3 older ACTs available for free download, and you’ve got a healthy dose of 12 official practice exams that should be sufficient for a full ACT preparation.

In addition, professional ACT tutors like me will often have a collection of additional real ACT exams at their disposal, compiled from past years’ exams that were publicly released, but neither sold at retail nor available for download.

It is true that any publicly released exams prior to the December 2015 version of the test, including the 5 ACT exams from the 3rd edition, are now (slightly) outdated, especially the old essay sections (Writing Test), which should be ignored, but given that the vast majority of the ACT exam has stayed the same, these older versions of the test are still quite helpful for practice, despite the significant question overlap. Think of the 3rd edition as a book full of practice questions rather than a book full of diagnostic tests–the score prediction element is lost due the to the question overlap, but there are still plenty of unique questions and additional opportunities for learning.

It’s not a perfect solution, and yes, it would be nice to be able to practice with 12 distinct ACTs instead of 4 new ones and 8 old ones with a significant number of overlapping questions, but for now it’s the best we have, and it’s the highest number of real ACTs that have ever been available for retail purchase and/or download. Let’s hope for another batch of updated tests to be released sometime before the end of 2016, but again, 4 ACTs in the new format is far better than only 1.

When it comes time to re-try the questions in this book that you answered incorrectly, I recommend that you either buy a 2nd copy of the physical book to keep blank, or that you print out fresh copies of the questions using the Kindle version (this option is not currently offered on Kindle, so you may have to find a way to convert to PDF first, or simply take screenshots of the pages you need, using the desktop version of the Kindle software). It’s what I call a “blind review”: going over all the questions you got wrong without first checking the correct answer/explanation, or seeing any of your previous work. In my opinion, blind review is one of the key facets of effective test prep. Thus, you should only mark your answers as correct or incorrect (this is easier when working with a partner). Most importantly, don’t indicate the correct answers on the test before you get a chance to review them.

In contrast, if you go over questions by checking the correct answers right away, then you can fool yourself into thinking that you understand them fully, when in fact you are still prone to those types of mistakes. The best way to know for sure is to try the questions again, from scratch, without the aid of the answer key or the answer explanations. Only then should you confirm the correct answer and read the explanation provided.

Here are my top recommendations for ACT Practice and Strategy:

  1. This Book.
  2. The Free Online Practice Test from ACT (google “Preparing for the ACT 2016”)
  3. The Real ACT Prep Guide, 3rd Edition
  4. The 3 other Official ACTs available for free online (google “ACT Action Plan - McElroy Tutoring”)
  5. The Ultimate Guide the Math ACT: Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT
  6. For the Love of ACT Science: An innovative approach to mastering the science section of the ACT standardized exam
  7. Mighty Oak Guide to Mastering the ACT Essay: For the new (2016-) 36-point ACT essay
  8. The Complete Guide to ACT Reading: The Complete Guide to ACT Reading
  9. The Complete Guide to ACT English: The Complete Guide to ACT English, 2nd Edition
  10. ACT Quantum Free Math Videos - explanations to every question in the 3rd edition of the Real ACT prep guide, plus the 4 additional tests available online
  11. Barron’s ACT, 2nd Edition

For those of you who will be taking the ACT with accommodations, you should also know that extended time is more flexible than on the SAT.

On the SAT, extended time is allocated on a per-section basis, but on the ACT with extended time, you are given 6 hours to allocate your time among the sections however you choose, so long as you complete each section in the order provided. You can not go back after you’ve finished a section, but you can, for example, take much longer on the sections that are difficult for you.

This feature is a definite plus for those who are approved for extended time, but some have suggested that the scoring curve may have become tougher on the ACT in recent years as a result. Thus, it’s nice to have some newer tests with updated score conversions that more closely reflect the current demographics of the test.

The ACT is administered six times a year, on varying days: September, October, December, February, April and June.

Three times a year, the ACT offers what’s called the Test Information Release (TIR), which–unlike the other test dates–allows you to order an actual (paper) copy of the questions, along with your answers. Sign up for the Test Information Release in advance if you can–it costs extra, and takes about six weeks from the time you receive your scores online, but it’s still worth it. (You can also order a copy of your essay afterward, which requres an additional form and fee.)

Currently the TIR is offered in December, April and June. Thus, these are the best three months to take the test, because otherwise there will no way to review your incorrectly answered questions.

Good luck with your studies! Please leave any questions or comments and I will be sure to respond.

2

“BONUS ONLINE CONTENT” UPDATE: I received the physical copy in the mail, registered on the Wiley website (quick and painless), entered my 11-digit scratch-off code from the inside back cover (see picture above), and tried out the Bonus Online Component. It turns out that there are 407 additional questions attached (all the questions, presumably, that were left over from the Real ACT Prep Guide, 3rd. edition).

Here is what it contains:

  1. 8 Bonus Articles: “10 Things You Need to Know About College,” “15 Habits of Top College Students,” "Big Decisions to Make Before Starting Your College Application, “Majors, Careers and Curriculum,” “Planning Your College Application,” “Planning Your College Visit,” and “What College Is Best For You?”

  2. College & Career Planning Tips from ACT: “Why Go to College?”, “Map of College Majors” and “Career Planning Tips.” However, all three of these are simply links to different pages on the ACT website.

  3. 407 Additional ACT Practice Questions from the Real ACT Prep Guide, 3rd. Edition: 105 English questions, 100 Math questions, 100 Reading questions and 102 Science questions.

  4. Tips on Taking the ACT from For Dummies: ACT Quick English Review for Dummies, ACT Quick Math Review For Dummies, ACT Quick Reading Review: Ten Test-Taking Tips For Dummies, ACT Quick Science Review: Ten Test-Taking Tips For Dummies, ACT Quick Writing Review: Ten Test-Taking Tips For Dummies, and ACT Quick Writing Review: Penning Powerful Prose For Dummies.

Numbers 3 and 4 are welcome additions to the online content. Number 3 obviates the need for the 3rd edition of the Real ACT Prep Guide, and number 4 strengthens the strategy component of the book, which in most official guides, this one no exception, leaves much to be desired.

However, the “For Dummies” advice is also minimal and sometimes severely lacking. For example, nowhere in the “Quick Writing Review” does it even mention how to deal with the 3 perspectives students are now required to analyze on the new essay portion.

In my opinion, this information regarding the Wiley question bank obviates the need to buy the 3rd edition of the Real ACT Prep Guide as a supplement (which is exactly what the publishers of this new edition probably wanted).

The ACT has 215 questions per test. 215 questions x (5 tests in the old book) = 1,075 questions in the Real ACT Prep Guide, 3rd. Edition. Let’s compare that to 215 questions per test x (3 tests in the new book) = 645 questions + 407 additional questions accessible through the Wiley Bonus Online Content = 1,052 questions combined in the 2016-2017 edition.

Thus, purchasing the 3rd edition is no longer necessary, unless you don’t like the formatting of the Wiley site (it’s a bit basic) or don’t have access to an affordable printer.

Here are my current ACT practice test recommendations:

  1. The free online test from ACT (google “Preparing for the ACT Test 2016”)
  2. This book (3 full tests and 407 additional questions)
  3. The December 2015 ACT (no overlap)
  4. The three older tests currently available for download online

That’s 8 full ACT tests with zero question overlap. You can also try the April and June 2015 ACTs for additional unique questions, but be forewarned that the questions on these tests do overlap somewhat with the tests in this book.

3

Thanks so much for the in-depth summary. I have the 3rd edition but I haven’t used it with students in years because it was so painfully out of date. I’m still afraid that their hybrid tests of old and newer material are still going to be at a lower level of difficulty than the real tests. In addition, I have always counseled students to never take advice from the Real ACT or the College Board because an entity whose goal it is to ultimately defeat you isn’t going to give you the plans to beat them.

4

Happy to help! Agreed.

The old ACT tests definitely still have value, but I will admit that the current test is a bit tougher than the old one (although the curve is also more forgiving). I recommend that my students use only official ACT questions for practice, but that they feel free to use outside sources for learning and strategy.

5

Are the free sample questions on the ACT website good enough? Or is that not the free practice test? And are the questions updated? Sorry for asking so many questions.

6

What are the differences between the new and old ACTs? I know the essay is different, but what else? Are they the multiple choice questions?

7

@CaramelChocolate The free sample questions are not enough! You need to practice with full tests, of which there are many.

Here are my current ACT practice test recommendations:

  1. The free online test from ACT (google “Preparing for the ACT Test 2016”)
  2. This book (3 full tests and 407 additional questions)
  3. The December 2015 ACT (no overlap)
  4. The three older tests currently available for download online

That’s 8 full ACT tests with zero question overlap. You can also try the April and June 2015 ACTs for additional unique questions, but be forewarned that the questions on these tests do overlap somewhat with the tests in this book.

8

@GMKoon

A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE NEW ACT:

English - exactly the same (45 minutes, 75 questions). Mostly grammar, paragraph structure and punctuation.

Math - exactly the same (60 minutes, 60 questions). A broad survey of high-school math, with questions ordered from easy to hard.

Reading - almost exactly the same (35 minutes, 40 questions), but the new ACT now includes Dual Passages (google “Preparing for the ACT Test 2016”, open the PDF, and scroll to pages 36-38 for an example of what the dual passage looks like). Curiously, the third test in this book does not include a Dual Reading passage, but the first two tests do.

Science - almost exactly the same (35 minutes, 40 questions, mostly data interpretation and graphs/charts), but you are now given 6 passages instead of the traditional 7.

Writing (Essay) section - much different! Instead of 30 minutes to write, you are now given 40 minutes, and instead of being given only a prompt and an assignment, you will now be provided with a prompt, an assignment, and three different perspectives on the essay. You are then asked to evaluate all three perspectives on the issue, to provide your own perspective, and to explain the relationship between your own opinion and the three opinions provided, using examples, analysis and logic. (In the words of the ACT, students are asked “to develop an argument that puts their own perspective in dialogue with others.”)

The new essay will be scored out of 36 points instead of 12. It will also be given a grade of 2-12 in the following areas: Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, & Language Use and Conventions.

I’ve been hearing plenty of stories about ACT students getting very low essay (Writing) scores relative to their other scores. Ignore the essay at your own peril! (There are three brand-new essay topics in this book.)

Also, please note that the ACT essay is optional, but that many colleges either require or recommend it, so be forewarned if you are planning on skipping that portion of the test.

9

Based on what you just wrote above, it sounds like the changes made to the ACT would result in an easier test (excluding the essay). Would you say that is the case? If you think this new test is harder, what would be the reason (topics tested, etc)? Or is the material tested still the same?

The time crunch in the science section especially used to be a big problem, so now with just 6 passages, it seems like it would be easier.

10

I am seeing with students that 6 passages is making it easier for high level students to finish the test, but for my average students it’s still a struggle. I would NOT say though that the test is easier… just that there’s one less set of information to process in the 35-minute science. I agree with ivy here that the new essay scores are lower compared with the old 30-minute essay, but that affected this year’s graduating seniors more than it’s going to affect classes going forward. Also, I tell my students take the essay EVERY single time because it’s better to have it & not need it than to need it and not have it.

11

No, the new test is a bit harder, for a couple of reasons:

  1. The ACT used to fly under the radar, and was traditionally taken by students who either lived in ACT country (read: Midwest, etc.) and were expected to take the ACT, or students who were avoiding the SAT, traditionally the harder test. Thus, it was easier to score a higher percentile on the ACT because the pool of test-takers was less competitive than that of the SAT.

This is no longer the case. Now, more students take the ACT than the SAT, and many high-achievers are now choosing to take the ACT instead of the SAT. Thus, the ACT has become a more competitive test than the SAT, whose percentiles and scores have recently been inflated.

  1. The questions are more difficult. Why? Because with more students taking the test, the ACT needs more ways to differentiate between the 99th percentile and the 95th percentile, for example.

The good news here is that although the tests are more difficult now (this is true of tests 1 and 2 in the book, but not test 3), the scoring scale is more forgiving–you can get more wrong and still get the same score out of 36.

Take a look at pages 100, 603 and 612 of the book to get an idea of what I am talking about. On the old ACT, for example, it was difficult to get a perfect score on Math unless you got every question correct. Now, to account for the increased difficulty level, you can get two wrong and in some cases still get a perfect score.

12

Thank you so much. :)) . Of course, I’m taking the ACT this Saturday and so dont know if I have time to do all these.

13

Happy to help and good luck! Don’t worry about the 3rd test in the book…I would say that the first 2 tests are by far the most important, in terms of reflecting the updated difficulty level of the new ACT. The 3rd test is basically just a recycled test from the last version of the book.

14

This is great information! My son went through 5 books to prep, but he said today’s test was extraordinarily hard. Other kids said the same thing.
Tom Clement’s Killer ACT writing really helped him.

15

[Dissenting Opinion]

Let’s dispel this fiction once and for all. Test prep companies might try to tell you that the ACT has radically changed, and has increased significantly in difficulty. Except for writing, this is simply not the case. Looking from the 2016-2017 practice tests they are no different than the December 2015 form 72e, except for science, which has eliminated a passage and simply tacked on an extra question to the end of each passage except for the Conflicting View points section. There might be a gradual addition of outside knowledge questions in the science section and more questions that require complex thinking, but nothing that is much different from what I’ve seen in the tens of practice tests before the change that I’ve taken. The math section yes, has had a greater scope of difficulty and content added to the last 20 questions. But reading has hardly changed, and so has science. The percentiles were already very low for reading, and if you missed a single question, you would drop to 97th on some tests. This might not be the case as much for the other sections but still, nothing on it will shock you if you were used to the tests before the change. April 2016 Form 73E had 6 science passages and a dual reading passage also. The changes to the reading and science sections have been grossly inflated. The math section has been increasing in difficulty over time naturally, so I would assume at any rate that the next act Math Section will be the hardest yet. Also, the scoring scales have always coordinated with the difficulty level of each test, which is probably why not every single test in that book had an easier scoring scale.

Bottom Line: The Math section continues to get harder as it always has been. The Science section adds a question to each passage while dropping the last one. The reading section is now almost guaranteed to have a dual passage, unlike before, when it was unlikely. And the English section has remained unchanged.

16

If you read our previous discussion, we were talking about the practice tests in the new “Real ACT” Red Book, NOT the test itself. I represent to all of my students and parents that changes on the ACT are a gradual process. The fact remains; I have tests going back to 1999, and I would never give one of those to a student now as a practice because it is much easier than the tests today.

17

Yeah, I was just trying to dispel the fiction that if you take a 2011-2014 act, and then take 2016-2017 act, it would seem “Much harder” simply after one test and not as a gradual change among many.

18

Hi. I got a 31C on the June ACT and I’m very happy with it so I’m take every precaution possible. If I got my final scores back should I send to colleges now? Are my scores completely finalized and ready to be sent? Thanks for any help.

19

@actprep34 I have just been using SAT Math II books to study for ACT Math as it covers all the content and is just overall harder than ACT Math. As for the other subjects, I’m doomed ;-/

20

@jj523456 yes, if you are sure you will not be retaking the test, it is fine to send now. It is a good way to show a college you are interested by sending this early.