8 Tips to Improve Your ACT Score The Princeton Review
If you’re planning to take the ACT, you are not alone: Roughly 2 million students
take the ACT each year.
In addition to in-depth problem-solving videos you can find here on our YouTube channel,
you’ll also need a test-taking strategy that will guide all of your prep and practice.
And you’ve come to the right place, my friends!
First things first: Take a practice test before you start prepping for the ACT.
We offer these for free, both in person and online.
Regardless of how you take the practice test, it is essential that you take it in an actual
timed context, as if it were the Real Deal ACT.
That means sitting down, setting a timer, whether a [beep] on your phone or a [ring]
on your old-fashioned alarm clock.
If you take a practice test with us, we’ll provide you with a proctor (either online
or in person), so you can focus on taking the test.
I’ll talk about how many minutes to allow per section in… a minute.
Ideally try to take the entire test in one sitting.
Time management and endurance are going to be key to your ACT success.
Next, you’ll want to make a mental roadmap of the ACT.
The ACT has four different tests—English, Math, Reading, Science—as well as the optional
Writing section (which, by the way, you should plan to take).
These tests will always come in the same order, with two 15-minute breaks during the exam.
You’re going to want to prepare yourself mentally for the jumps between the different
styles, subjects, and pacing that you’ll find from one section to the next.
You’ll have an hour to tackle 60 questions on the ACT math section, but that comes right
on the heels of 75 questions in 45 minutes on the English section.
The jump—and your own time-management strategy change—will feel a little strange at first,
but if you get your brain ready to make those leaps, you will be ready for them on test
day.
Speaking of pacing, you’ll want to come up with a pacing strategy, and then stick
to it.
If you decide you won’t spend more than 90 seconds on a particular question, then
don’t spend more than 90 sections on a particular question.
Spend enough time to figure out whether a question is doable within your allotted time,
doable if you end up having extra time, or not doable at all—and then solve, or guess,
according to that.
That leads me right into the next tip: Take the easy test first.
Within a given section, start by answering all of the questions that you know how to
tackle.
Those are the ones that are likely to take you less than the maximum time you’ve allotted
per question.
Rack up all of those points, my friends.
Remember that you don’t get extra points for harder questions, so take that easy test
first.
Then, do the questions that you can probably finish within that time allotment.
Then—and only then—work on the questions that are extra-challenging, if you have the
time.
If you don’t have time, guess.
Yes.
Guess.
But, before you start guessing willy-nilly, use Process of Elimination.
Even if you can eliminate only one answer choice, you’ll boost your odds of getting
a question right!
In many cases, you’ll find that it’s easier to eliminate all the wrong answers than it
is to find the right answer.
But, please, for the love of disco fries, do not leave any questions blank!
If you’ve eliminated anything, pick one of the remaining answers.
In fact, there’s no penalty for wrong answers, so even if you have no idea or don’t have
time, just put down something.
There’s a chance for free points, so take it!
Speaking of Process of Elimination, crossing off answer choices in your test booklet is
a great way to stay focused on the possible right answers.
And you should use that test booklet throughout.
It is a tool!
Use it to cross off answers that you’re eliminating.
And also use it to mark up the passages.
The English, Reading, and Science sections all have passages—and folks, do not be bashful
about underlining the key information as you answer the questions.
Finally, make plans!
Make all sorts of plans, my friends.
When you take your practice test, make a study plan geared toward your individual skills
and challenges.
If you take one of our free practice tests, you’ll get a detailed score report free
of charge, and you can also attend one of our free in-person or online ScoresBack sessions
to break down your study plan.
Next, make a plan for getting to the test center early, with all of the materials you’ll
need, so that you’re not needlessly stressed on the day of the test.
(We’ve got a video about how to prep the day before the ACT—check it out!)
And last, make a plan for HOW you’re going to take the test itself.
Don’t spend more time on any one question than you’d decided to allocate.
And stick to your plan—don’t change it in the moment, when you’re under pressure.
If you feel anxious, remember: you’ve prepped, you’re ready, you’ve got this.
Thanks so much for watching.
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strategies are!