What is an ACT?

ACT (American College Testing) is an entry level examination which is used by various colleges and universities to make decisions regarding admissions of students. ACT is an objective-type, multiple choice examination and it is administered by ACT Inc. Many colleges and educational institutes require your ACT or SAT scores for admissions. Your ACT scores are essential while making applications to various colleges and universities. The purpose of ACT is to evaluate the maturity and understanding of a student which is required for beginning college. When ACT is conducted, the scores of every test-taker are entered in a common database so that various colleges may review them along with your high-school GPA, class evaluations, letters of recommendation, admission interviews and personal essays.

Based on the brief description given above, the importance of scoring good marks on your ACT cannot be understated. The higher you score on your ACT, the more chances you have of getting into a good college or better yet, a college of your liking. Good scores will open more avenues for you and also, you won’t have to compromise on an average college or university.

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Scores in ACT

The duration of ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes, students get an additional time of 40 minutes if they are taking a written ACT. There are four mandatory sections and one optional section:-

1. English
2. Reading
3. Math
4. Science
5. Writing (Optional Section)

Every section is scored on 1-36 average scale. The composite scores on each section are taken together and the total score is calculated on that basis. Average score runs on 21, that is, students have achieved an average of 21 score in every section. Although, every college has their own ACT/SAT average score but it is recommended that students score well so that they don’t have to worry about the average score of every college and university.

10 Proven ACT Tips and Tricks

Vnaya brings you 10 proven ACT tips and tricks that you may put to use in 2022 for scoring well in your ACT. By bringing this guide forward, we aim to help students strategize their study schedule so that they may make optimum use of their time. So, these are the top 10 ACT tips and tricks to crush it!

1. Divide and Conquer the Day:- This means that students must make a productive study schedule and stick to it. Divide your day into high-power windows of 1-2 hours of studying each. Keep subjects that you face difficulty with in the high-power window, that is, when you are most fresh and alert. Keep the subjects for revision at the end of the day. By adopting this study schedule, you won’t feel burn out.
   
   
2. Practice every day:- This may be the most obvious tip that you may have gotten till date, but the importance of being persistent and consistent cannot be undermined. When you practice every day, most importantly: Math, you keep in constant touch with the subject and make progress every day. These little steps add a big momentum to your performance in the end.
   
   
3. Strategize your practice:- Now, it has become vital that in order to score well in your ACT, you strategize your practice hours. When you practice, make sure you practice your subjects according to the model of your ACT. When you practice model ACT tests, you will gain familiarity with the layout of your test. This, in turn helps with last-minute exam anxiety.
   
   
4. Manage your test:- Before you go to take your ACT, make a solid management plan for your test. This means, you must calculate beforehand as to how much time you will spend on each question. Since the ACT is a time-bound test, it is essential that you learn how to manage your time otherwise you may end up missing some questions.
   
   
5. English Section Practice Tip:- When you start preparing for English section of ACT, this tip may come in handy. You must be familiar with skimming, do the exact same when you practice reading for passages. Learn to actively skim your passages, this trick helps you in saving time. Underlining the theme, circling phrases that confuse you, determining the moral of the essay, etc. are some of the constituents of skimming.
   
   
6. Math Section Practice Tip:- ACT allows the use of calculators, we can use this provision to our advantage. How? Bring a legal, graphing calculator, that is, make sure your calculator is legal according to the policy of ACT by reviewing the official calculator policy PDF.
   
   
7. Reading Section Practice Tip:- The reading test examines the ability of the student to firmly grasp the ideas and motto contained in the passage and actively apply it. Now, simple recall of the passage does not cut it. The examiners are looking for those students who can read the passage and articulate their answers in a thoughtful manner. Choose a subject area in which you are the strongest. If your science is strong, choose the scientific passage and if your history is strong, chose the social studies passage.
   
   
8. Science Section Practice Tip:- Having prior knowledge is helpful when it comes to attempting the science section of the ACT. You have to polish your ability to sift through the diorama of problems given in the test and solve it in time. So, study for science in an efficient manner. While attempting science read the questions first and don’t get jumbled in the details, only look for the relevant information.
   
   
9. Writing Section Practice Tip:- If you have elected to attempt the writing section of ACT as well, you will get an additional 40 minutes. Divide your test booklet into 4 parts to form a uniform cycle of ideas and keep your noting organized. Develop an outline for your essay by doing this, and get to writing.
   
   
10. Perseverance and Discipline:- Now, get to work and crush your ACT. When you make a schedule, stick to it. Don’t get demotivated if you can’t stick to your schedule for one day. Start working from the next day. Perseverance and discipline will take you far where motivation starts to run bleak.

With these tips and tricks, you can be sure that you will ace your ACT. We have specially curated them after tons of research and analysis. They are so easy that any student can adopt them in his/her study regimen. For further guidance, contact us!

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