ACT Prep
The ACT is an alternative to the SAT, and some students prefer one over the other. It all depends on you are. Preparing for both of the tests is extremely similar, but there are a couple of differences. I scored a 36 on my first ACT, and that's why I've compiled a list of ACT-specific tips and resources for you.
Format of the ACT
Test Prep Books
Now, you can prepare for both tests using textbooks of the other test, but sometimes it's better to focus on material that specifically prepares you for that specific test. Here are some books I've used and I'm sure will help you too. (These are not my books, and all credit goes to the authors)
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Disclaimer: These books are purely based on my opinion. They may not work for everyone, but I wish to help you guys in any way possible and providing the resources I used is something that might be helpful!
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The Official ACT Prep Guide 2020-2021 by ACT - This is the official test guide from the makers of the ACT. It contains information specific to the ACT, and provides an overview of the entire test. It also includes 5 different official practice tests, which you can use for preparing as well.
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The Master Key to ACT Science: A crystal-clear roadmap to achieving your top ACT science score by Hugh Hung Q. Vo - This book is an excellent resource for those who feel they need more preparation in the science section. It goes over various question types, and then provides numerous practice questions for you to work on. It also contains a section on the basic science you may need to know before attempting the ACT science.
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Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT by Richard F. Corn - This book contains all the math you need to know for the ACT math section. It contains sections about topics ranging from factorization to conic sections, and also many practice problems for you to master your skills.
General Test Prep Tips
I've compiled a list of tips to help you prepare for the test. These are generally towards both the ACT and SAT,​ since they can surely help you achieve a better score in either of the tests. Although these might not work for everyone, please feel free to take a look and use these tips while preparing for your test!
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Don't attempt the test without studying: It's quite common for students to procrastinate studying, or not study at all for the ACT before actually attempting the test. This may work in some cases, but shouldn't be done majority of the time. Sometimes, colleges may require for you to submit your entire testing history, and an initial low score may affect your chances of being admitted. Studying for the ACT, even it's only for 2 weeks, is bound to improve your score, so why not study before attempting the test?
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Don't procrastinate: It may be common for you to wait until the last minute to start studying for school tests. This shouldn't happen with the ACT. The national test tests your ability to use the skills you've learned over the years. Finetuning your basic Math and English skills before the test is necessary, to ensure that you are successful on the test. Try to study for at least 2 weeks if you're shooting for an average score, and at least one month if you really want that 36.
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Effective studying is key: You should study whole heartedly. Don't just try to skim through textbooks for the sake of studying. If you're trying to study for 3 hours a day, but end up not gaining any new knowledge or tips, then you haven't really studied. Even if you study in bouts of 15 minutes, it's still more effective than staring at a textbook for an hour. Try to set times appropriate for you, since everyone is different. When I was studying for the ACT, I found that I couldn't stay focused for more than 20 minutes, so I scheduled 3 different 20 minute sessions throughout the day to effectively study. As I said before, effective studying is key. It's not the amount of time you study, rather the quality of your studying.
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Don't compare yourself to others: This goes without saying, but comparing yourself to others can really hurt your self-esteem. I feel like everyone taking the ACT is shooting for a high score, but a large majority want that 36. You may have friends that are scoring 30's, while you're in the low 20's, and this can really affect how you approach the test. You may think that you're not as good as others. This is completely wrong, since everyone is different and has their own path to success. You don't need to get a 36 to be successful in life. Try to score something that YOU would be happy with, not your peers. Focus on you and only you, and you'll get there.
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Focus on your weak areas: Try taking a practice test before you start prepping for the ACT. A practice test can show you where you stand, and where you need to prepare more. You may find that you excel in the English/Reading section, and that you only need to focus on the Math section. This is something that surely helped me, since I was able to pinpoint my weaknesses, and start from there. It's completely unnecessary to prepare for both the Math and Reading/English sections, when you only need to focus on one specific section.
Section Specific Test Prep Tips
I've compiled a list of tips that tackles each section. The ACT is a long test, and tackling each section individually while prepping can greatly increase your chances of scoring high. Each section is different, and tests you on different skills. Although there isn't anything you need to "study," knowing the format of questions overall will help you prepare for test day.
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The English Section: ​
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Read aloud: To be completely honest, I got through the entire English section (minus 2-3 questions) by just reading the answer choices aloud and seeing which one sounded best. Now of course this might come easier for those whose first language is English, so I highly encourage this technique!
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Do drills: If your first language isn't English, then I encourage you to do repetitive grammar drills. Lots of questions on the ACT are testing you on similar skills, so doing lots of practice questions is bound to improve your score. Focus on the areas that you aren't doing so well in, and try to go from there.
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The Math Section:
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Practice, Practice, Practice: In my opinion, the only way to prep for the math section is to do practice problems. The math on the ACT isn't very high level, they just require you to manipulate certain basic math concepts and put them to use. A simple way to get familiar with the math on the ACT is to practice. There really isn't anything else to it.
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Plug in the Answer Choices: If you're completely unfamiliar with a particular question, or keep getting stuck at one step, try plugging in the answers into the question. If it's a question where they ask you to solve for x, try plugging in the values given in the answer choices, and see which one matches. It's a pretty simple technique, but can help you in really tough questions sometimes.
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The Reading Section:
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Understand/Actively Read the Passage: In the reading section, a lot of people find that they run out of time quickly, and aren't able to answer all the questions. So, students tend to skim through the information in each passage, and attempt to answer the questions with a general understanding of the topic. While this might work for some people, it's more effective to thoroughly go through and understand the passage. Actively reading and understanding what the author is saying can help you answer questions quickly and accurately. The time spent actively reading the passage will be made up since you'll find the questions easier to understand and will likely select the correct answer.
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Find the Match: On the ACT, there's always going to be ONE correct answer. There has to be proof somewhere in the passage that weakens or eliminates all the incorrect answer choices, and supports the single correct answer choice. You just have to look for the matching content in the passage. If you can't find the correct answer to the question, try finding information in the passage that may make the other answer choices inaccurate, so you can eliminate them.
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The Science Section:
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Look in the proper place: ​On the ACT Science section, questions are more focused on your ability to comprehend and analyze information from graphs and tables, rather than test you on actual science. Most of the questions will tell you where to look to find the answer - either in the passage, tables, figures, or graphs. You won't have to use any other information except what they ask you to look at for each question.
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Move on: If you can't find the answer after 30-45 seconds of staring at the information given, then move on to the next question. There's only 35 minutes to do 40 questions in the science section, so you should spend your times focusing on completing other questions. After all, you are in a time crunch, and all questions are marked equally. It doesn't matter if you get 5 hard questions versus 5 easy questions wrong. Your score will remain the same. Your time is better spent doing other questions so you can achieve your top score.
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SAT vs. ACT
This is something all students will eventually have to decide on - should I take the SAT or the ACT? For those of you who don't know, there are two different standardized tests used in college admission - the SAT and the ACT. Each test is made by different companies, but both aim to assess your readiness for college-level coursework. Here are a series of steps you should take when determining which test you want to prepare for.
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Disclaimer: There isn't any need to prepare for a single test. Preparing for one test will, undoubtedly, prepare you for the other. If you've decided to take both, then don't worry. Focus your prep on the areas you need to improve, and you'll be able to achieve a high score regardless of the test. Nevertheless, here are some guidelines for you to follow when deciding your path of standardized testing.
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Location:
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​This is certainly a major concern when it comes to test taking, since not every region of the world has access to numerous test centers.
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First, go on the respective websites and search for your nearest test center. Do they offer the SAT or the ACT, or both? When do they offer the tests?
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If you're closer to an ACT test center, why not take it, rather than commuting to an SAT test center, which could be several miles away?
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You have to be sure that the location of the test center is convenient, before you even begin to decide on one test.
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Skill Sets:
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​The ACT has a science section, which the SAT lacks.
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While the ACT Science isn't testing you on concrete material, you still have to be familiar with at least basic scientific terms and knowledge to achieve a high score. On the other hand, the SAT, while it doesn't have a "science" section on it's test, does offer subject tests. Some colleges or programs require SAT + SAT subject tests for you to apply, while others don't.
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The SAT does have a variety of subjects - from English literature to Biology to World History. If science isn't your forte, you might want to consider taking the SAT, along with subject tests (if necessary) that aren't science-related.
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NOTE: The ACT doesn't have subject tests, and most schools won't require you to take the ACT + SAT Subject Tests - it's just one or the other. It may be more convenient to take the ACT, since you won't have to take any subject tests with it.
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ACT Math vs. SAT Math:
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​The ACT Math is a bit different than the SAT Math.
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It tests you on a slighter higher level of math concepts than the SAT. You'll be required to know basics of matrices and logarithms for the ACT, while this material doesn't show up often on the SAT.
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If you're terrific at math and want to show colleges that, then go for the ACT. If you're the opposite, you may want to stick to the SAT for now.
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Another important thing to note is the fact that the ACT allows you to have a calculator for all the math questions on the test. On the other hand, the SAT has two separate math sections: one with a calculator, and one without. If you feel the need for a calculator throughout the math section of testing, you may want to go for the ACT.
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Cost and Requirements:
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​This is another major factor to consider when deciding which test you'll be taking. If it seems that one test seems to be less expensive than the other, it may deem necessary that you take the less expensive test. Don't worry about it! Almost all colleges in the US accept both the SAT and ACT, so you won't be at a disadvantage to take one instead of the other.
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If your high school is offering either test for free, then it makes sense that you would go with the test your high school is offering.
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Another important point to note is state requirements. There are a couple of states in the US that require their students to take either test as a graduation requirement. If your state requires you to take one test, then go ahead and take that test. It'll be like hitting two mangoes on a tree with one stone (we're not going to hit two birds here)! :)
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