How to Study for the ACT
Ever wonder how to spend your time studying for huge college prep tests like the ACT and SAT in high school? From college essays to the college application process as a whole, your senior year can seem a bit daunting! We’ve made this list of tips to help you stay on top of your goals while studying for the ACT.
1. Get ready for studying
Get into the right mindset! Studying for any standardized test is hard. But, the advantage of taking them is that many others have taken the same test, and there are sure to be plenty of free resources online. Personally, I only had two prep books, self-studied, and yet scored in the 99th percentile. You can too! It’s all about preparing yourself to be focused and ready.
2. Do your research
The first thing you have to do is learn the exam format. The United States has two college-entrance exams: the SAT and the ACT. Although they are very similar to each other, the ACT includes a science section that the SAT does not have.
To decide which test to take, find an ACT and an SAT official exam online, print them out, and take them on two separate days, imitating real test day conditions. After taking them, score your work according to the answer key and see which test you got a higher score on. The test where you scored higher on is probably the one you should take!
If you’re taking the ACT, the next thing to do is register for the test through the ACT website. You should try to schedule about two months in advance so you will get the seat and the testing center you want. To minimize surprises and anxiety on test day, try to find out what your test day will look like.
Check with your testing site to see if the ACT exam will be given on paper or on the computer. In addition, see if you can get the accommodations you will need if you have disabilities or anything that may hinder you from taking the test thoroughly.
3. Source high quality testing materials
You will need a content-review resource and a strategy resource. To make sure you are studying from the best possible resources, try Googling, “Best ACT Prep books.” I recommend a Kaplan content-review book and the Black Book for strategy. However, you may find other materials to work better for you.
You may even learn better by watching videos and reading blogs. Just try to find what is the best for you and within your budget. Next, try to get the resources for free from Reddit posts or pdfs posted online.
After you figure out what resources you will use, you want to find as many official old exams. I stress the word official because you can’t get into the ACT mindset without studying the exams from the real test makers.
Prep books will usually have some of their own exams. However, go for the real deal and use official old exams. This way you will know how the test makers structure their questions.
4. How to Study for the ACT
To stay on track, you will want to make a schedule. Determine how many days you have until your exam and work backwards. On a piece of paper or a using a digital planner, map out how much you will have to study the materials each day. Make sure to schedule in practice tests throughout each week.
Practice tests will help you gauge how you are improving. So, you will want to get started taking them now and not save the tests for the end. Also, include rest days into your schedule, so you don’t get burnt out.
All the work you have done so far was to prepare and lay the foundation for a solid study routine. Go through your content review book or video playlist, practice some problems, and take notes. You may even want to refer to your high school books to clarify some topics you might have forgotten.
For the English section, you will have to memorize basic grammar rules. The Math section requires a knowledge of several formulas. Contrary to what you might have heard, the Reading section does not require you to memorize key vocab words.
However, being familiar with the passage format and its complexity will serve you well on test day. Your high school science education should be enough for you to tackle the Science section. Primarily, you will have to be able to read graphs and get an idea of the experiment the passage is talking about.
Each week, devote one day to taking a practice exam under real testing conditions. Get a timer, a desk and table, pencils, calculator, and a room. Print out the test and spend half the day going through it. I know it’s hard, but there is no other way to train your body and mind to endure that three and a half hour long test. But you can do it and will be on track to ace that exam come test day!
After every practice test, grade yourself and go over each problem to see why you missed them. Make a spreadsheet and document all your mistakes. Be brutally honest with yourself on why you think you made that certain mistake—whether it was because you didn’t know the material, the question was worded funny, or you bubbled in the wrong answer. This way, you will stop making that mistake on a similar problem on the real exam and find your weak spots.
In addition, you will gradually see a pattern in your mistakes. For example, you might keep on missing probability questions on the Math section or graphs on the Science section. Find other resources that will help you drill on these weak spots.
As you continue to take tests and master the content and strategies, you will find your ACT scores improving!
5. Potential test-taking strategies
Your score will start to improve after you have the test content down. Here is where strategies will help you score above average. You will want to experiment with different strategies and test them by taking one section over and over.
For example, print out about two Reading sections. Take the first one using one strategy and the other by using another strategy, and see which strategy helps you get a higher score.
Personally, I found that I did better on the Reading section by first reading the questions and the answer choices and then skimming the passage for the correct answer
6. Preparing for the test before and during test day
You have been preparing hard all this time and now let all that hard work pay off! As the exam date rolls around, do a test drive out to the testing center so you will know the traffic and parking spaces. Also make sure to locate where the restroom is, seriously. You don’t want to panic or ask around during the breaks when you have to go during test day.
Have your bag packed the night before with erasers, two No. 2 pencils, calculator, batteries, exam ticket, and your ID. Set two alarms and get to bed early. In the morning, get a good breakfast before you head out the door and be sure to dress in layers, as the testing site may have varying temperatures. Try to get there at least 30 minutes early!
And there you go. Follow the proctor’s instructions, don’t get rattled by other students’ nervous talk, and ace that exam! After it’s over, go and do something that you really enjoy.
Best of wishes on your test and the rest of your life!
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