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With college applications just around the corner, getting a good score on the ACT is most important now more than ever. Getting a high score on the ACT not only will make you a competitive applicant when applying to top-ranked universities such as the Ivy League but also allows you to qualify for scholarships.
But, what is the ACT?
The ACT is a standardized test administered by ACT Inc that is widely recognized for admissions in the United States.
It costs $46, whereas the ACT with the optional writing component costs $62.50. For international students, there will be an additional cost of $55.50.
So, if you think you are ready to take this up, financially, and if the additional cost doesn’t bother you, keep reading this article to discover which colleges require the optional writing component.
The ACT has a total score of 36 points. It consists of English, Maths, Science, and Reading sections.
The ACT writing component is not a part of this. It has its own total score (12 points) and only consists of English and Reading. This is known as an ELA score (English Language arts). The duration of the ACT writing component is 40 minutes and you are recommended to write over a page. Tight, right?
Here are the Top 5 ACT Study Session Tips for More Efficient Prep:
Set a target goal for yourself.
When trying to achieve your target score, you must answer these questions first:
Do you think you can reach your target score if you take the test now or later?
If you have a target score in mind, take a few practice tests and try to assess yourself to see if your score reaches your ideal score.
Are you well prepared?
If you are confident that you will acquire your target score, go ahead and take it as soon as possible! If you are not, then take time to prepare.
practice multiple tests and go into that examination hall with confidence and I’m sure you will do amazing.
Does my college require the scores of all attempts?
If you are required to send in all your score reports, you must be cautious of when to take the tests and then decide accordingly.
Will I have sufficient time to prepare to retake the ACT if I take the test later?
If you think that your performance in the first attempt may not be up to the mark, then you must give yourself enough time to be well prepared for the second attempt.
For Coaching: ACT Online Test Preparation Coaching Classes
What is a good ACT score to you?
We could compare your ACT score to the rest of the test-takers, but a ‘good’ ACT score depends on your requirements. This matters more, because every students’ needs vary, and comparing your score to the others may not be an efficient way of categorizing your score into the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ section.
If you are looking to get into extremely competitive colleges, your ACT score needs to be a lot higher as they are highly selective when it comes to applicants. Now, if you are aiming to go to an ivy league, being in the top 1 percentile may just give you that extra push.
However, not every student is trying to apply to highly competitive universities. Second and third-tier universities do not have a high requirement for the ACT score. So for those with a lower score, there are plenty of options left!
Creating an ACT study plan based on your priorities.
It takes around 3 months to prepare for the ACT. Based on your other commitments such as school and extracurricular activities. you will need to prioritize taking the ACT and preparing for it accordingly.
If you are looking for a huge improvement in the ACT, such as a 6-9 point increase. you will need to spend more than 150 hours preparing for it.
Whereas, if you are looking for a smaller improvement, such as a 2-4 point increase, you will only need to spend over 40 hours preparing.
Follow a strict study plan and allot how much time you will need to study per week.
Once you have set a realistic goal for yourself, now it is time to figure out how you can allot your time per week.
For instance, If there is only one month left before test day, you must spend around 2-4 hours prepping for the test each day.
Remind yourself every day of why you need to achieve your target score.
Keeping yourself motivated is one of life’s many challenges, regardless of the task at hand.
There are many ways to overcome feeling demotivated.
- Reward yourself
- Study with a friend
- Spend time practicing areas you are well versed with: this gives you a bit of a confidence boost, allowing you to attempt other areas of the test.
Practice, practice practice!
Take full-length practice tests regularly. The best and most efficient way to increase your ACT score is by taking up practice tests. Once you have familiarized yourself with the structure and content of the test.it is time for you to take your pencil and start shading in some answers.
When you do this, you start to understand the type of questions that could come your way and the way the ACT is structured. It also allows you to identify your weaknesses so that you could focus on them more and turn them into strengths.
Furthermore, practicing the ACT Study allows you to become more time-efficient and tells you which areas you need to spend more time focusing on. It can be a little difficult to finish it within the time constraint. Hence, practicing allows you to be better, even if it is only by a minute each time you take it.
However, don’t spend too much time stressing about the ACT! The ACT is not the only deciding factor when it comes to university admissions. Your college application must display consistency in extracurricular activities. good grades and top-notch GPA, a novelty in your college essays, and much more! Good luck, you got this.
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