It’s tough to close the gap as you reach for the ultimate prize: a 36 on the ACT.
And, while a 36 may not be necessary to get into the college of your choice, it’s so very satisfying to accomplish.
Even if you aren’t aiming for this range, read on, as many of these tips are also excellent for grabbing an extra point or two from the 28+ range.
Tips for “beating” your ACT game:
- Set your goals. Pick a section to reliably obtain a 36 in (70+% of the time, if you slip up from time to time, don’t panic, you’ll get it down eventually). Then two sections.
- Don’t take the whole test to practice. Once you complete the previous step, complete the section you struggle with the most. Work on getting a perfect in each section first. Only return to the full test once you score 36 twice or so in your weakest section.
- Chill out a bit. If you’re already scoring 34’s on the practice, feel free to not use the timer and take a few practice sections you struggle with, by a few I mean less than three. Pay attention to your thought process, but don’t worry about it too much. Just go back and correct your errors.
- Do the problems in order. This may come as a surprise. Start by doing all the problems in order, and increase that pressure while practicing. On the last few practice exams, when you can confidently score 35 in all subjects within the time limit, then go ahead and switch up the order, doing the easiest problems first. The purpose is to relieve the stress, and to be able to revisit problems with a fresh look. This is even more important for the English sections, where assumptions or preconceived notions can ruin your score on that question.
- If your ability in math is strong, I would start there. Not because it’s your strongest subject, but because mistakes in the math section are very apparent, especially with the right feedback from a tutor.
- Think about the reading section with the author’s and the test maker’s intent in mind.
- The English(writing) section was the hardest for me, and if you are technically inclined, it may be for you as well. The idea here is to choose the “smoothest” answer(Or however you interpret it). Consider context, length and the appropriate word choice
- Approach the science section with an open mind, as if you’re about to learn something new. This is really what the science section is about. How fast can you learn something? The science section is not anything particularly complicated, but don’t be daunted by the topics chosen, it can be everything from statistical analysis to quantum mechanics.
Finally, you want to choose an attitude towards the test that suits you best. If you speed through the test, be sure to know your common mistakes well. If you are very methodical in your approach, be sure to reduce the number of steps you have to write or take down. Blend these two extremes as needed to get your perfect mix and your best score.
