Although there may be no secret tricks for earning a perfect score on standardized exams, there are many ways that juniors and seniors in high school can prepare for ACT tests to improve their chances of success. As the capstone of the College and Career Readiness System, the ACT exam is one of the popular college readiness evaluations designed to assess whether students are well-equipped for college coursework. In testing the knowledge obtained throughout high school, the ACT is important to determine academic strengths, plan for the right career path, qualify for money-saving scholarships, and receive a college acceptance letter. If you are feeling the pressures as test day approaches, read on to learn about the top three ways you can prepare for ACT questions.
Understand the ACT Exam Structure
Taking a schedule of academically rigorous courses throughout high school will provide you with the well-rounded knowledge needed to pass the ACT, but remember that taking tests is also a skill. You will need to understand the testing structure of the ACT and learn test taking strategies before exam day rolls around to succeed. First and foremost, it is important to know that there are no penalties on the ACT for making guesses. Therefore, if you have the ability to eliminate even one of the options in the multiple choice questions, you should guess and avoid leaving any spaces blank. Other general ACT taking tips are read the instructions carefully for each section, pace yourself wisely, recheck work when allowed, and mark answers properly.
Take Plenty of Free Practice Tests
When preparing for the ACT, repetition is very good. Often with no payment required, ACT practice tests are available across the Internet to show students exactly the type of questions that are likely to appear on the paper before them on test day. Since much of the formatting can be tricky on the ACT, it is imperative that you find out what you will be up against well before taking your seat. Practice tests will also enable you to pinpoint your weak spots, so you can spend more time preparing for certain sections and whittle down your testing time. If you have the funds necessary, you may also want to purchase an ACT practice book, which will offer plenty of practice tests as well as strategies for a masterful score.
Consider Enrolling in an ACT Prep Course
Whether you are interested in preparing face-to-face in a classroom, with a small study group, or online by yourself, there are a rising number of ACT prep courses available to offer the guidance needed to score high. Although they may run in value up to $1,500, some courses will provide personalized learning plans with strategies to increase your ACT score at no cost. In fact, there are many ACT prep courses that offer a money-back guarantee that students will score in a certain range for an extra bonus. Courses can be a great method for meeting the needs of your unique learning style while working with an instructor with experience in preparing students for passing the ACT.
Overall, the ACT exam is a common milestone in the final years of high school that has been structured to evaluate students’ college readiness with sections in English, mathematics, reading, science, and writing. When you prepare for ACT questions, you will have the highest possibility of earning a high score that will impress admissions committees and may even test out of basic introductory courses in your freshman year of college.