10 Must-Have ACT Tips from the Experts
Over the years, the test prep experts at Ivy Link have compiled an extensive database of standardized testing strategies, trends, and methods for overcoming a wide variety of roadblocks. Here are 10 must-have tips culled from that data to help your student improve their testing chances. Interested in a custom-tailored test prep plan and expert one-on-one guidance for your child? Contact us to get started.
Identify Your Learning Style.
As you are prepping for the ACT it is important to know what your learning style is to devise a study plan that fits you best. Some questions to consider:Are you a visual learner, preferring to refer to pictures, charts, and graphs?
Do you retain information better when you're listening rather than reading?
Do you need to paraphrase the contents of something you're reading to better understand it?
Once you've zeroed in on your preferred style, you can organize your study materials accordingly.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
A seemingly obvious point, but it’s consistently underestimated by students and parents alike. Taking numerous full-length practice tests is vital to test prep. When taking ACT practice tests you will become more familiar with each section’s instructions, gain awareness of your strengthens and weaknesses, and time management skills. Students working with Ivy Link take a minimum of 10 full-length tests. You can learn more about Ivy Link’s ACT prep services here.Hone Your Time Management Skills.
Because time pressure can contribute to a lower score, it is pertinent that students manage their test-taking time accordingly. That means, practice! The more comfortable you are with the test’s time restrictions, the better chance you'll have at scoring well on it. The best way to manage your time on the ACT is to get a sense of approximately how long you can spend on each question. For example, you’re only allotted 35 minutes to complete the Science section. That pace breaks down to approximately 5 minutes per passage to answer those corresponding 5-8 questions. That leaves no time to waste.Go For The Easy One’s First.
A good strategy is to answer the easy questions and skip the questions you find difficult. After answering the easy questions, go back and answer the more difficult questions if you have time.When You Have To Guess, Guess Consistently.
You definitely do not want to leave any questions unanswered. Once you have attempted to eliminate all the wrong answers it is better to guess than to leave an answer blank. But when you need to guess make sure you are doing it consistently. According to ACT test analysis and our Ivy Link experts, if you have no idea how to answer a question or you do not have time, always pick the same spot on your answer sheet. Experts suggest the first column, which answers A or F— it generates the most correct guesses.Know How To Bubble...
With the English and Math sections, work a page at a time and a passage at a time on Reading and Science. Circle your answers right on the booklet-it’s yours and you can write in it! Then, transfer a page’s worth of answers to the answer sheet at one time. It’s better to stay focused on working questions rather than disrupt your concentration to find where you left off on the scantron. It can also help you save some time! Warning: for some students, this may result in accidentally skipping a question and throwing off the whole section. This strategy requires a lot of practice and constant vigilance.Reading Tip: Always Read The Passage First.
It is a common myth that you should read the questions first. It is almost impossible to remember to look for the answer to 10 different questions while reading an unfamiliar passage containing 750 words and trying to synthesize the big ideas. A much better use of your time is to read the passage and grasp the main idea and purpose before even glancing at the questions.Math Tip: Approach Every Math Question The Same.
Read the question
Look at the information provided in the question and the answer choices
Solve:
Backsolve
Pick Numbers
Use Traditional Math
Strategically Guess
Science Tip: Play Hide-And-Go-Seek.
The answer is always in the passage; it’s that explicit. Everything’s there, waiting for you to find it.Writing Tip: Be A Show-Off
One of the markers of a successful ACT essay is its use of language. This is a great opportunity to show off some of your ACT/SAT vocabulary words that you might have been studying for the English section of the test. Opt for higher-level vocabulary words when given the chance—as a general rule of thumb, you should aim to use about 1-2 higher-level vocab words per paragraph.
In addition to one-on-one ACT test preparation support, Ivy Link offers a number of academic services to help support any student preparing to apply to college admissions. A full list of our offerings can be found on our website.
