Timing and Help after Diagnostic

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
1

<p>Ok, so even on the SAT I run really tight on time and barely make it for CR sections and every now and then Math.</p>

<p>I took an ACT diagnostic today and I was way over the time limit for the sections. The timing was so tough! </p>

<p>Here is how I did:
33 English - went over the time limit by about 5 minutes!
30 Math (I failed miserably, I know...made about 3-4 careless errors) - went over by about 3 minutes
32 Reading - went over by a solid 9 minutes. I took me about 10-11 minutes per passage, so I was pretty much out of time after the 3rd of four passages.
30 Science - about 3-4 minutes over the time limit </p>

<p>COMPOSITE (you take all and divide by 4 right?): 31 </p>

<p>So, now I finally understand what the ACT is all about and I like it! </p>

<p>ENGLISH 33 -I really liked it because it flowed and was interesting. Also the 4 answer choices instead of the 5 on the SAT was easier to deal with. BUT, once again, timing was the issue. I spent quite a while on some questions and zoomed by on others. Also, upon review of my test, I realize all my errors were SILLY errors. I guess this is a good thing? (meaning I don;t need to review much?). SAT has so many rules to know, which I know by heart, but what kind of review am I supposed to do for the ACT? I made 5 errors, all of which were stupid mistakes. </p>

<p>MATH 30 - Wow, real math for once (unlike SAT) and I guess my score proved it. I made 1 bubbling error (cost me a 31), and a couple silly errors. But, I made a couple mistakes that I was legit. stumped on/messed up due to not knowing something. So, what do I do to get over the time constraint and get to maybe 35 in Math? How do you work so quickly without making errors? I took a couple extra minutes and STILL messed up!</p>

<p>READING 32 - Yea! This section rocks because it is much easier than the SAT, at least to me. BUT, 4 wrong is a 32! That's harsh! BUT, timing is a HUGE issue for this section! How do you approach the reading and answering? Unlike the SAT, it seems you actually need to kind read in detail to pick out the info. for the answers unlike on the SAT where it's more abstract q's. I feel like this section is like the Math of the SAT....harsh curve. How can I get to say no errors, BUT stay on time?! What are the strategies?</p>

<p>SCIENCE 30 - WOW! One topic thing messed up my score! It was a unique section which I liked. I got perfect on everything except 1 passage where I made 4 errors! So, what can I do to stay on time and what are the strategies for this section? I feel like a 34+ would be really easy for me to get because I made all my errors on one topic meaning there is something I don't know about this section/how to interpret a certain type of data.</p>

<p>All advice for all sections will help me a lot! I will try to write another diagnostic maybe next weekend and see if I improve/stay on time! I also got a 2090 on my May SAT and was disappointed. What do you think I should focus on for now....SAT that I will take in Oct. or ACT that I would take in Sept.? How much higher do you think I could get my ACT to by just getting more familiar + some practice? I have yet to take SAT IIs too....</p>

2

<p>31 composite isn’t bad. It’s pretty good by normal standards, but then again, we are on CC.</p>

<p>I don’t know what to say, except to read faster?</p>

3

<p>When everyone starts the ACT do they go well over the time limit like I did? </p>

<p>And how possible is it for me to get to a 35 composite from where I’m at right now?
I know I can raise Math (stop my silly errors) and Science. English I made silly errors too, but I really want a 35 ACT, or at least 34. How long do you think it would take me? Keep in mind, I’m a noob and was well over the time limit for each section (perhaps just getting used to the format would reduce time by itself? I was a total noob…never even saw an ACT before I wrote yesterday).</p>

4

<p>On my very first practice test, I scored a 34. On the english portion, I did not go over the time limit and got a 32. On the math portion, I did not go over the time limit and i got a 36. On the reading portion, I went over by about a good 15 minutes and ended up with a 33. And the science i ended up a 34 i believe and finished with about 7 minutes over the time limit. I’ve been practicing with the PR 1296 questions and timing didn’t really get better by that much. But i only did like 200 questions of the 1300 questions. So, long way to go. My test is this SAturday. So all the prep im doing is cramming. This test can be studied for at the last minute kind of thing. But improvement on SAT’s is more of a long term thing. If your test is this saturday, then you better start doing practice questions because it’s more of a race against time with this test more so than the SAT’s. A 31 is good by all means but if you’re applying to ivies, 34+ is necessary. Btw, i pretty much got the same score you did on the SAT’s. I got a 2100.</p>

5

<p>^I will be writing in September, so I have a while to go, but I want to prep for SAT I and also SAT IIs over the summer as well. So, I can only devote a maximum of 3 weeks for the ACT.</p>

<p>So, I have time still, but I don’t know how to get over the tough timing problem. The English, I think with some practice I’ll get over the timing maybe, and same with Math. Reading was the killer though! It was so tough…not the actual questions, but the timing.</p>

<p>I feel like I’m much better suited for the ACT and could score really, really high, but the timing is an enormous problem. </p>

<p>And yea, I wanna apply to Ivies and that’s why I was at least a 34 but will shoot for a 35.</p>

<p>Anyone else have trouble with the timing? Is it easy to overcome? (I got a 31.25, so I more point anywhere and I woulda had a 32 diagnostic)</p>

6

<p>Here are my tips for you, Viggy</p>

<p>English - simply be able to answer the questions as you skim the passage. Don’t actually read the passage to know what it’s about, but skim it so you know the general idea. Over time, the grammar mistakes present (if any) should just click to your mind. My general rules I’ve come to discover over time: the shortest answers are usually correct, when OMIT is present it’s like half the time correct, and you usually never ADD punctuation unless it increases the flow of the sentence.</p>

<p>Math - if you really know your math, you should be able to breeze through it. It’s pretty much Algebra 2 with a little trig. Do the problems fast, but try not to make careless mistakes like I do, lol.</p>

<p>Reading - read fast but accurately. don’t soak in every word. i spend 3 minutes on reading and 5 minutes answering the questions (approximation). you don’t want to read too slowly and comprehensively, and don’t read the questions first, you’d just run out of time. </p>

<p>Science - well, that’s really testing how you can take in new information and interpret it fast. my only advice here is to take practice tests. on the passages that are based on something you have no experience with, skim the passage for general info. on passages that i’m familiar with, i just go straight to the questions since the questions usually refer you to a graph or something. on passages that I have no knowledge of, i read the passage (quickly). OH! on the conflicting scientists one (the passage with 2 or 3 scientists with opposing viewpoints): look through each question to see which scientist is questioned most, so you read that passage first then the others. After reading about the scientist who is questioned the most, answer the questions about that scientists’ viewpoint, and then the others.</p>

<p>that’s my tips for you :X</p>

7

<p>Ok. So it it really hard to go from a 31 (with extra time) ----> 34, 35? </p>

<p>I feel like I can do it, but I really don’t know how hard it is.</p>

8

<p>If you have GPA over 4 and community hours over 100, and there isn’t much difference between 31 and 34.</p>

9

<p>^actually there’s a huge difference for Ivies and top schools. Like, 34 = wayyy higher chance of acceptance than a 31 with even better ECs.</p>

<p>but I don’t wanna get into that debate…anyone know how I can prep for the Science section? What is a sure fire, 3 week regiment that can ensure 31—>34?</p>

10

<p>i had the same problem on science and it is all about strategy. Once i got my strategy down for it it was much easier. I have a different strategy for science than reading now since i ran out of time so fast so try and figure out what works best for you</p>

11

<p>If you want to do well on science, just practice locating trends. These are often given to you in the tables for, say, the chemistry experiment. The graphics are your lifeline</p>

12

<p>Viggy, do you really think Ivies accept 34`s? My friend, who had 36, got rejected…</p>

13

<p>Get your hands on as many practice ACT questions as you can and just continue working with the time limits. I had a lot of trouble with the timing at first but I practiced and was able to work up to a 30 composite. If you scored a 31 your first try, you should be able to get up to a higher score. It just gets harder to increase your score the higher your score is, unfortunately.</p>