Approximately 1.4 million high school students take the ACT each year. This test allows them to gain access to certain scholarships, gain confidence when applying to colleges, and create an overall awareness of where they are in comparison to the national standards. How can you pass the ACT with flying colors? Don’t worry, I’ve got you! This is a guide to all the tips and tricks of standardized testing. 

The ACT consists of four parts: there is a math section, a reading section, an english section and a science section with an optional writing section. The scores on the ACT are only based on the questions that you get correct and since the writing section is optional it does not affect your composite score. 

The first step in preparing for the ACT is to register!

Register for the ACT here

Test Day

Be on time: The ACT is a national test, and there are not usually any exceptions to admitting people into the testing room when they arrive late. Lay your things out the night before, map out where your testing site is from your home, anything to prevent tardiness. Keep in mind that you will NOT be admitted into the testing room if you are late.  

How does it work: 

The testing staff at your location will help you find your seat when you arrive, if you have any questions you can ask them and they will help you as best they can. Then you will be asked to put your personal belongings away except for your pencils, erasers, and calculator so that you can begin the test. Read all directions carefully and pay attention to all details on the test. 

What to bring:

• Printed copy of your admission ticket. This helps the people at the test site connect your document with your answers to the registration you have on file.

  

• Photo identification.  This can be your driver’s license or your school ID but it must be current and given to you by the school or the government. 
• A pencil. Bring a sharpened No.2 pencil with an eraser or a big pink eraser. You will not be able to use any pens, markers, mechanical pencils, or any other writing materials so just leave those at home for today. 
• Calculator. A calculator is not required but it can be very helpful sometimes. Click here to find out whether or not your calculator can be used on the ACT. 
• Snacks and water. You will be allowed to have snacks and drinks outside the testing room during break times. Stick to healthier options to allow your brain to function the best that it can. But don’t be shy to pack a small treat for yourself either. You are doing a hard thing. You deserve it! 
• Dress in layers and bring a hoodie or a jacket so you are prepared for whatever climate your testing room throws at you.

Do NOT bring your cellphone, smartwatch, or any electronic device as the test proctors will have you turn it in any way so leave it in your car or at home for now. If you attempt to access your electronics during the test or break times you will be asked to leave, your test may not be scored or your device may be confiscated.

Strategies:

Get familiar with the content: When you continue to review and learn the material in the ACT you will be much more prepared as opposed to cramming the night before. Some areas of the ACT will be completely new information to you, to avoid this barrier on test day it is a good idea to take classes that will help you, use online resources and review testing materials daily.

Read all the instructions: Before answering any question read all of the contents of the problem. Make sure to take notes about important ideas in the passages. I would suggest reading each passage twice before answering especially if you are a quick reader. Sometimes working backward and breaking down the problem into chunks can help, or remove unnecessary information. Pay attention to graphs, tables and figures as they can all have important information to answer the questions. 

Use your tools: When answering questions that require you to refer back to the passage and draw conclusions of your own make sure you bring your ideas back to the text, especially for the reading portions. Always think about whether your answer is possible and reasonable before moving on to the next. 

Double Check: Double-checking your test and practice questions before you submit them can be helpful to make sure you did not skip any questions and that you have all the answers that you wanted selected. 

Use a different perspective: Oftentimes we can get caught up in how we feel about something and get stuck in our own opinion. Some materials will present you with conflicting viewpoints and it can be helpful to take notes and break the section down into portions to draw your conclusions and see whose side supports your answers more. 

Plan: This is mostly only a concern during the writing portion but lightly organizing or creating a rough outline on a piece of scratch paper to sort your ideas and how the different perspectives relate to the essay task can help you be much more organized so you score higher. Spend time restructuring and outlining your response, and making sure you have all the required. components. 

Breathe: Test anxiety is real. If at any time you feel overwhelmed or stressed out, take a few moments to re-center yourself and just take a moment to relax. Finding an object around the room, counting down from ten and closing your eyes to find your safe space are all ways that have been proven to calm an anxious mind. Remember, you can do hard things, you have studied countless hours for this. 

Taking the ACT can open up tons of opportunities for scholarships and colleges that you may not have considered in the first place. Although preparing and taking the ACT can be challenging and you may feel like you want to give up, there are so many benefits you get from taking the ACT and so many opportunities that other students do not have access to. Remember to breathe and believe in yourself, you are smart and amazing. You got this!

Resources

Here are some free resources to help you prepare for the ACT! 

Get ACT Math test prep here.

Get ACT English test prep here.

Get ACT Science test prep here.

Get ACT reading test prep here.

Get free test prep from Kaplan Testing here.

Find more official ACT prep resources here.