<p>i have a major dilemma!!! I just got my ACT scores back (it was a state test). my composite score is a 30 (a 1 pt increase from the april act). the subscores: English 34, Math 33, Reading 28, and science 25. As you can see, the reading and especially science are REALLY bringing me down. but my problem is, science is supposed to be my best subject. i am a high school researcher, for gods sake! i am so embarrassed when my science teachers and all teachers asked me how i did, and i have to tell them that science is my lowest. and i have practiced somewhat for the science part. I am asking anybody out there who has done well on the science section and can give me a few pointers. i REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY want to do well on the science part, cuz if i bump that score up, my composite score will be much better, and i will stop having nightmares at night. PLEASE HELP!!! I am taking the act in june.</p>
<p>Is it because you rush to finish? (Time issues?)</p>
<p>"i will stop having nightmares at night"</p>
<p>Wow. You're damn right you need help.</p>
<p>Treat the science like critical reading with a science flavor. I suggest buying a prep-book and going through the strategies for Reading and Science. </p>
<p>Princeton Review's Cracking the ACT has a good science section, though their reading section is merely "okay". </p>
<p>I would also recommend you getting as many ACT practice tests as possible. There is a free test online, you can order tests from ACT, and you can waltz out to Barnes and Noble / amazon.com and buy the official ACT Prep Book which has three practice tests.</p>
<p>Do you have a college that specifically requires the ACT? I'd suggest that you take the SAT, which doesn't have a science section. I don't know much about hte new one, but I took both the ACT and SAT, and liked the SAT better. I hated the science section on the ACT, mostly just because I could never finish it in time. Good luck, and don't have nightmares! A 30 really isn't bad at all.</p>
<p>The ACT science section is really just graph reading, etc and imo totally pointless. Frankly it doesn't seem to require much knowledge about science at all...take the SAT.</p>
<p>I took the ACT 3 times, twice outside of school and once as a required state test w/o writing. Througout these tests, I was able to raise my Science score by 7 points. It really helps to know HOW to take the Science test, if you don't. I personally do NOT read the paragraphs regarding the questions unless I have to (ie compare the arguments of the scientists); for me, time constraints were the worst part of the Science section. But I was able to dramatically raise my score by learning test-taking strategies.</p>
<p>Can anybody give us more strategies to conquer the science test?</p>
<p>M17: I am impressed by your significant improvement. Did you use a particular prep book that you would like to recommend? I have Kaplan, Arco, and the Offical ACT guide. Which one did you use?</p>
<p>The sad thing is, I didn't read the paragraphs either (unless I had to), but I still scored poorly. And I wasn't doing horribly with the time either. Of course I had to really speed up the thinking process...which is where my mistakes might come in.</p>
<p>fruita, don't feel alone. D did very well on all sections except the science which she bombed. She attributed almost all of it to not understanding the dewpoint/cloud graph section .(I didn't take the test but more than one student seemed to have the same problem.) D said that the time she spent on it caused her to rush on areas she did know. Still she made a 32, but like you, explaining that 26 to the adcom's for a bio/chem major might be a little sticky.:eek:</p>
<p>I will print this thread out for D so keep the ideas coming.Thanks.</p>
<p>so for those who don't read the science passage, you already have the knowledge? you just use your knowledge to take the test?</p>
<p>Oh man... take the SAT. Don't even bother studying for the science reasoning section unless it is absolutely imperative that you take the ACT over the SAT. I suck at the science section as well. It brought what would otherwise have been a 35 for me down to a 32 :-(. I just cannot wade through all the graphs and useless information in the time given. Thankfully, no college will see my ACT scores, but it still blows to have to tell people about how much I suck at science reasoning when they ask about my ACT scores.</p>
<p>BTW - I'm considering a few science-related majors as well. I don't think my ability to perform on the science reasoning section reflects my ability to think about science at all (at least, I surely hope so).</p>
<p>Lola-cho, of course your science score doesn't reflect it. In all honesty, you don't have to know anything about science to be successful on this section. You just need to know how to analyze graphs and charts very quickly.</p>
<p>Prior knowledge of science helps immensely...if you are lucky enough to know what just happens to be on the test that particular day. If you want to improve science reasoning, I would go get a prep book and try the stuff on science.</p>
<p>can anybody give me some tips on reading section?</p>