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ACT Tips to Improve Your Score

ACT Tips to Improve Your Score

The ACT is, in other terms, also referred to as the SAT. This is that major exam that gets high school graduates through college. Depending on the results, it can make or break their application. The ACT has a science section and higher-level math, which makes it a preferred test among those who prefer a university degree in math and science programs.

With all that said, it's probable to conclude that both the SAT and ACT exams are going to be difficult. You can't just take it for granted, as in fact, a higher score should always be the goal. If you're headed along this line, here are some failproof ways that can help raise scores:

1. Create A Study Plan

When you want to improve your ACT score, this means that you have to do so much better than the first time. Doing better is equated to studying better which also means you have to be more diligent.

You can kickstart your goal by creating a study plan. When you review your first results, check the subjects that you had the lowest score on. Those are the topics that you should focus on when you study. Allocate longer hours for those.

With a study plan, you're more efficient with your time. You're focusing your energy more on the topics that need the most work in, rather than those that you're already doing well in.

ACT test

2. Start Preparing The Moment Your First ACT Is Over

After you've passed the papers for your first ACT, that's when you have to start preparing for the second one. Especially when you have the goal of improving your score. Before you even talk with anyone else, make a mental note of the topics that you know you missed to answer. And those that you also spent the longest time in answering. Jot these all down in a notebook. So that when you start studying, you're able to remember to cover all those topics.

3. Collect High-Quality Materials

How do you know that a material is considered as high quality? Ask for tips and pieces of advice from all those who had taken the ACT's before you did. More often than not, they have a lot of materials to share with you. Especially those that they know have helped them the most. As you prepare for this standardized exam, it's not about having the most number of materials. Else, you're only going to get more confused.

What matters most is the quality of each. This means that the materials are tried and tested in helping achieve a high ACT score by past takers.

4. Start Reading More

As you study for the more technical subjects, you should also set aside a time for you to read. By reading, this doesn't necessarily mean reading about more technical subjects. Read a book, a magazine, or a newspaper. The goal is for you to practice reading fast. Especially when you're not a reader, this is one skill for you to master before you take the ACTs.

No matter how hard you studied, you'll still have a low score if you can't finish all the items. Remember that this exam is time-bound. Hence, you have to ensure that you can answer each item correctly and quickly. Don't dwell too long in one question, simply because you're a slow reader.

5. Take Practice Tests

Especially for those who are taking the ACT for the first time, sometimes it may leave you even more anxious when you don't know what to expect. Don't let your exam day be the very first day that you're going to come across the format of the ACT. As you study and prepare, give yourself the time also to take practice tests.

Here's why you should do so:

  • You're able to gain a sense of familiarity with the ACT
  • You'll be able to practice timing yourself too, such that in time, you'll be able to answer more questions swiftly.
  • You'll have an idea of what the questions are all about.

Especially for the third bullet, it works to your advantage as well when you know some of the questions. Who knows, one or some of these questions might be repeated in your ACT batch. That's another effective way of increasing your score as well, by having a few questions already guaranteed correct. Practice makes perfect, after all.

Conclusion

Being anxious about taking the ACT is normal. If you feel you need to retake the test, worry not as many others have done the same as well. When there's still room for you to improve your test scores, don't take this chance for granted. Remember that it's that major standardized test that's necessary for your college application. Whatever you do, keep in mind that nothing still goes better than being well prepared.