One: Speed is Critical
If you’re considering taking the ACT, one important factor to consider is speed. Students must answer more questions on the ACT than the SAT in a similar amount of time. So start by asking yourself: do I work quickly? Consider your testing experience in school. If you generally finish tests and turn them in within, say, the first one-third of students, then you should be able to handle the pace of the ACT. If you’re not a student who works quickly, you can improve your pace with timed practice; however, a slower pace can be an impediment to achieving a high score on the ACT.
Two: Science is Not so Science-y
Just because science is not your strongest subject does not mean you shouldn’t take the ACT. Question: what are they really testing on the science section? If you said “Um. Hello! Science!” you are actually wrong. Sure, there is a need for basic science knowledge, like the difference between mitosis and meiosis; however, what students really need to know is how to read tables, diagrams, and graphs. Often the questions tell you exactly where to look (i.e. “Based on Table 2…”)!
Three: ACT is the Equivalent of the SAT
Every admissions office will consider ACT and SAT scores the same way, meaning neither test is superior to the other. We’re encouraging most of our students to take the ACT since there simply isn’t enough material on the Redesigned SAT. Ultimately the decision to take one test over the other should be based on practice test results and students’ experience and comfort level with the format of the tests.
Four: Standardized Content = Opportunity to Improve
Guess what? The ACT test is always the same! Sure the numbers and passages change but the general content and format of the test stays the same. With sufficient practice students can and should improve their scores.
For instance, there are four passage types on the Reading test: Prose Fiction/Literary Narrative, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science. They always appear in the same order. In our book, “Tutor Ted’s Guide to the ACT,” we teach students the nine types of questions that appear on the Reading test and how to answer them, as well as which questions appear more frequently on one passage type versus another. Applying these tools on timed practice tests will help students gain the confidence they need to tackle the Reading test. This applies to all five sections of the test.
Five: The Essay is a Necessary Evil
While the essay does not count towards your overall score, many schools actually want to see it. The format of the essay changed in fall 2015, and students have found it to be more challenging. Now students have to analyze and evaluate three perspectives, share their own perspective, and explain how their perspective relates to the three perspectives provided, all in 40 minutes! In our ACT Guide, we provide instructions on how to create a Blueprint and write a killer essay in the time allotted.