The ACT is a standardized test for college admission that juniors around the country take every year. The test consists of four sections; math, science, reading and English. There is also an optional writing section that students can choose to complete. With students preparing to take the exam over the summer we put together a list of tips and tricks.
- Be Aware of Your Time
The ACT gives you a total of two hours and fifty-five minutes to complete the test. Because there are four sections on the test, you must plan your time wisely, making sure to complete all sections before the time runs out. If you’re unaware of an answer, skip it and move on to the next. This way, you have a better chance of getting the questions you know right.
- Be Prepared in Advance
The weeks to days following your exam are the perfect time to review your material. Start with the subject you think you need the most help with and work your way through all four sections. Time yourself during practice tests to see how many questions you can answer in the time given.
- Focus on Material
The ACT can be an intimidating test for most people. Some students have a hard time focusing on material, which is completely normal. Make sure to go to bed early the night before your exam, ensuring you can work to the best of your ability. Eat a good breakfast the morning of and get to school on time. Try to clear your mind of distractions before the exam so that during it you can focus more on the material than other things.
- Calm Yourself Down
It’s understandable if you’re nervous the moment before taking the ACT. After all, it is a very important test that could determine multiple things. Take a few deep breaths and try to relax. Preparing yourself prior could save you from stressing yourself out too much.
- Read all Material Carefully
Just like any other test you take, you will want to make sure you read all passages and questions carefully before moving on to the next question. The math and science sections will include graphs and tables, meaning you need to know how to read them correctly. Being able to understand these is the main point of the science section, which determines your ability to read graphs and tables.
- Take Practice Tests
An amazing, free resource available on the internet is the ACT practice tests. The official ACT website has multiple free tests per subject available for you to use. This will help you learn what subjects you might need extra help with before your exam, and it doesn’t hurt to see what the test might look like. These practice tests can also be taken when available through the school, which allows students to get an overview of their ACT results.
- Utilize What is Given to You
One resource given to juniors this year is the Desmos ACT calculator. Desmos is a popular math resource that many teachers at Sparkman use, and now it’s being used on the ACT. These calculators are extremely useful for the math section and can help you better understand the material given. It’s a good time to become familiar with the calculator as the ACT is just a few weeks away.
- Use Your Strengths
The writing portion on the ACT is one some students dread completing, but it can drop your score drastically if you just skip it. You’re given a list of prompts to choose from which allows for your creative freedom. This way, you can choose which topic you think will be the best option for you. Pick the topic that interests you the most and one you know you can argue. This way you’re ensuring you can make a good score on the writing portion.
- Use the Process of Elimination
One of the best ways to complete any section of the ACT is by using the process of elimination. Eliminate the answers you know aren’t right and look over the answer choices left. If the question says two plus two is blank, and the answer choices are two, ten and four, you would automatically know that ten is not the answer, so eliminate it from your choices. This helps you keep track of your work and thought process.
- Answer Every Question
Even if you skipped questions, make sure to answer them all before turning the test in. Even if you guess the answers, you still have a certain percent chance of getting those right just by sticking a letter in the blank. There’s no penalty for guessing on the ACT, so make sure to fill in every blank regardless if you know the answer or not.
