The ACT standardized test is something that high school students have had to take for many years. It is a multi-part test that focuses on different areas of concentration, such as math, science, ELA, and reading. Many colleges also have a minimum score requirement in order to be accepted. Because of how important the test can be, it might be very stressful for students to find ways to prepare. But plenty of useful strategies can be used to help, including taking practice tests, studying old ACTs, practicing pacing yourself, and identifying which topics all in all need the most focus.
“The most effective one was doing those ACT practice tests,” Alex Prudhomme, a Senior with 3 years test taking experience and a composite ACT score of 32 said. “Doing all that practice because it really does help. It is a bit exhausting of course because you’re just like, oh I don’t wanna do this. But it does help.”
Practice tests can be found in any of the ACT book resources or online. There are also old released tests that students can use to get a feel of how the questions may be set up. While using practice tests, it’s important to give yourself realistic time slots. Pacing is always important to keep in mind when test taking and this proves to be no different.
“The biggest thing is you just get comfortable taking it,” Christian Portell, a Senior with 3 years test taking experience and a composite ACT score of 34 said. “You understand how the questions are set up, you understand the amount of time you need to take on each question. You just kinda get a feel for it. Like I don’t even really pay attention to the time anymore because I know as long as I just keep the pace in my head, then I’m gonna be okay.”
Some ways that are useful for students to practice time management may be to bring an analog watch to test and set timers while practicing different sections. Lastly, being aware of what might be one’s weaker subjects can be a big advantage when it comes to studying. If students know what to focus on and research, then its easier to study specific tips and tricks. For example, in the ELA portion you could study specific grammar rules or practice skimming over passages. Or in science, it’s important to read the questions thoroughly and look over the given information multiple times.
“I basically just looked at the questions and what category I did the worst in and then I studied that,” Portell said. “I was just focused on the biggest area I could have possibly improved on instead of just being like, oh, I need to get better at everything. It’s a lot easier to focus on one area and then, you can take a lot of time to figure it out.”
