SEARCY, AR. (LP) — So you need to take the ACT, but you don’t anything about it. What now? How do you go about preparing for the test? If you haven’t registered for the test yet, you can take care of test registration at the ACT website or even at your school. Registering for the test will include creating an account on the ACT website if you haven’t done so already. When you select a location, try to pick a location that’s not too far away, since you’ll have to drive there the morning of the test! Michael Anderson a student at Searcy High School, “I liked to picked places closer because it takes less time driving to a closer place.” When you pick a date, make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare.
If you’re totally unfamiliar with the test to give yourself adequate breathing room for studying. That said, don’t panic if you have to work on a compressed timeline because of application deadlines! In that case, you’ll need to spend more time preparing every week for a shorter number of weeks. The next step after registration is to get familiar with the overarching structure and format of the ACT. The different sections of the ACT each test different knowledge and skill areas. Hence, how to prepare for ACT English will be different from how to prepare for ACT Math, and so on. Additionally, the ACT has its own particular question styles and formats that you’ll want to become familiar with before test day. Otherwise, you could be thrown by some questions even if you know the content! After you have an overall idea of what and how the ACT tests, you’ll want to establish a baseline of your own skills. The most important component of this is identifying your weaknesses, so you can target them in your prep. Student Emily Wenton from Searcy High said, “I didn’t do so well on my ACT so it was nice seeing what I missed.” When you take your initial practice test, be sure to find a quiet testing environment. Additionally, bring number 2 pencils and an approved calculator! You want to create conditions as close to the real test as possible. Examine your incorrect answers to identify patterns.
Did you miss all the questions on the scientific method on the Science test, or completely miss all the “big picture” questions on the Reading test? You’ll know that you need to work on those things. After you’ve gotten a sense of your initial skill baseline, set a target score for how much you want to improve. Your target score should be something you can realistically accomplish in the time frame you have. The next step is to create a consistent study schedule. It’s best to spend a consistent number of hours every week preparing until you take the test to avoid needing to cram close to the test date. To give yourself the best chance to succeed on test day, be sure to engage in all your best test-taking practices! So get lots of sleep the night before, have a balanced, protein-packed breakfast, and pack your bag with pencils and an approved. calculator!
