ACT® PREPARATION AND TIPS

Seth Keene Stacey Schultz

GOAL SETTING

What is the “required” score for admission to your 1st choice school?

Are you applying for scholarships with ACT score requirements?

In addition to a composite score goal, set a goal for each test and sub-score.

Set the bar high, but make it reachable!

TEST DATES

◦1st: April/June of Junior Year

◦2nd: September/October of Senior Year

◦3rd: December/February of Senior Year

TEST PREPARATION

#1 4+ Years of Math, Science, English#2 ACT Preparation Course#3 Practice Workbook/On-line Resources

Ideal Preparation Plan:◦10% Understanding Test◦80% Reviewing Skills◦10% Test-taking Strategies

PREPARATION RESOURCES

Online/Self-Paced Courses:◦ACT Online Prep ($19.95 for 1 year)◦SD MyLife and My Student Edge (FREE)

Practice Tests◦DSTEP, ASVAB, PSAT, SD Test-Outs◦Preparing for the ACT (Archived editions online)

Practice Books◦The Real ACT Prep Guide ($30.95)

Classroom Review Courses◦Sylvan Learning Center◦Keene Academy

TEST DAY TIPS

Friday Night:◦ Eat a good meal rich in carbohydrates (such as pasta) at a

reasonable hour. Be in bed by 11pm.◦ Set two alarms or ask family and friends to ensure you wake

up.

Saturday Morning:◦ Wake up one hour before you need to leave and take a shower. ◦ Wear comfortable and casual clothing, but avoid being too

comfortable. Dress in layers as the temperature inside the test room may vary.

◦ Eat a healthy, substantial breakfast. As a rule, protein is better than sugar. Avoid heavy foods (such as omelets) that could cause indigestion.

◦ Know which building and parking lot to use. Plan to arrive by 7:45am so you don’t feel rushed.

WHAT TO BRING

Pencils Calculator Identification and Registration Snack and Drink

Wrist Watch Tissues (for winter test dates)

GENERAL TEST-TAKING TIPS

Pace Yourself (Announcements only made when 5 minutes/1 minute remain)

Read directions before test dateRead questions carefully (annotate)Answer easy questions firstAnswer EVERY question (no penalty for

guessing)Be precise in marking answer and don’t

make notes on answer sheetDon’t panic! Work the entire time.

ENGLISH TEST PREP

75 QUESTIONS/45 MINUTES(9 minutes per passage)

Usage/Mechanics: 40 QuestionsPunctuationGrammar and UsageSentence Structure

Rhetorical Skills: 35 QuestionsStrategyOrganizationStyle

ENGLISH TIPS

Read the entire passage first (roughly 1.5 minutes). Focus on grammar and revision skills, not comprehension.

Answer diction and grammar questions first; they are usually the easiest to answer quickly.

Listen for errors as you read the answer choices. You can often hear an error as you say a sentence in your head.

Read ALL answers carefully; answers often look similar, sometimes differing only by a comma.

“NO CHANGE” is the correct choice about 25% of the time.

MATH TEST PREP

60 QUESTIONS/60 MINUTES(1 question per minute)

Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra24 Questions

Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry18 Questions

Plane Geometry/Trigonometry18 Questions

MATH TIPS

Draw a picture if one is not provided. Figures given are not drawn to scale, so mark them with given measures or symbols.

Know the following translations: of means multiply and per means divide.

Know the area and perimeter formulas for triangles, rectangles, and circles, and how to find the volume and surface area of a box.

If a problem is given in terms of fractions, decimals, or percents, consider using an alternate form to find the answer.

MATH TIPS

If the question and/or answer set are given in terms of variables only, substitute simple numbers to help determine the answer.

Most answers are listed from least to greatest, so you can use a technique called backsolving to find the correct answer.

Do not overuse your calculator! The test is written so that every problem can be solved without a calculator. Set up the problem in your test booklet first and take a moment to consider what a reasonable answer would be before using the calculator.

READING TEST PREP

40 QUESTIONS/35 MINUTES(9 minutes per passage)

Prose Fiction: 10 Questions

Social Studies: 10 Questions

Humanities: 10 Questions

Natural Sciences: 10 Questions

READING TIPS

Read the passage actively (3 minutes); underline or circle any key points. Read with awareness of the author’s goal, tone, and theme.

If a question refers to a specific line of the passage, read one line above and below the indicated line to better understand the context.

Save difficult questions (such as inferring) for last and answer easier questions (such as vocabulary) first. Note: It is best to finish one passage completely before going on to the next.

SCIENCE TEST PREP

40 QUESTIONS/35 MINUTES(5 minutes per passage)

Data Representation: 15 questions

Research Summaries: 18 questions

Conflicting Viewpoints: 7 questions

SCIENCE TIPS

If a passage seems difficult, skip it; data representation passages are often the easiest.

When reading passages, aim at a general understanding on the first reading and do not dwell on a specific aspect of data. If the passage contains conflicting viewpoints, consider similarities and differences between the scientists’ arguments.

When reading tables and charts, focus on labels, trends in data, and maximum or minimum values. Look for connections between multiple data representations.

WRITING TEST PREP

1 PROMPT/30 MINUTES

The test consists of one writing prompt that will define an issue and describe two points of view on that issue.

Students may adopt either of the perspectives described in the prompt, or may present a third point of view on the issue.

Scores will not be affected by the point of view taken on the issue.

WRITING TIPS

Do some planning (in your Writing Test booklet) before writing the essay.

At the beginning of your essay, explain your point of view in a clear and logical way.

Discuss the issue in a broader context or evaluate the implications or complications of the issue.

Address what others might say to refute your point of view and present a counter-argument.

Use specific examples. Vary the structure of your sentences. Use transitional words and phrases. End with a strong conclusion that summarizes or

reinforces your position. If time remains, check your work for spelling and

grammatical errors.

CONCLUSION

Questions?

Reminders of upcoming test dates and registration deadlines

Information requests◦Seth.Keene@k12.sd.us◦Stacey.Schultz@k12.sd.us◦www.raiderscorner.com

GO ACE THE ACT®!