However, if you want to take an ACT for practice, you should only take it on the test dates where the exam is disclosed, which means that the test answers and your answers are given back to you. By getting the test and the results for each question back, you can learn from your mistakes by going through the questions you got wrong and then working on the strategies and basic skills you could have used to solve those questions.
One common option for juniors is to take the ACT first in February and then again in April, or first in April and then again in June, while the memory of the test is still relatively fresh. Fall test dates are best for seniors looking for a last chance to raise their score. Yes, you should always use your test booklet not your answer sheet to draw or write on.
Many of my strategies expect you to label diagrams, draw and extend lines, circle important words and sentences, etc. Want more ACT tips from Dr. Gary Gruber? You can calculate how to pace yourself for each particular ACT section.
Start with the time allowed—for example, 35 minutes. Divide by the number of questions. For example, That gives you an average of just under 1 minute per question in this example. However, the first set of questions in a section is generally easier, so spend closer to 40 seconds on the first set of questions and perhaps more than a minute on the last set.
When reading passages or scientific data are involved, you should give yourself only about 30 seconds per question and spend the extra time reading the passages.
Keep in mind that more difficult reading questions may take more time. Want more tips about how to pace yourself on the ACT? Gary Gruber. To build your word recognition quickly, you should learn prefixes and roots. You should also learn some basic vocabulary strategies. On Friday night before the ACT, I would just refresh my knowledge of the structure of the test , some strategies, and some basic skills verbal, grammar, or math.
You want to do this to keep the thinking going so that it is continual right up to the exam. You have to work on the section until the time is called. If you get caught skipping sections or going back to earlier sections, then you risk being asked to leave the exam. Gary Gruber is committed to helping college-bound students get their best ACT scores.
Gruber created his own nationally recognized test-prep method to help students improve their test scores, plus develop lifelong critical-thinking skills, beyond the ACT. Edward B. Fiske is determined to help students throughout the going-to-college process, from finding colleges that are the right fit to preparing for the SAT and completing stellar college applications.
In this article, I'll explain my research into official ACT grading scales, and I'll tell you how many questions you can get wrong and still get that To understand how many questions you can get wrong and still get a perfect score, you need to understand how the ACT is scored.
The essay is not factored into your overall composite score, so I am not going to discuss it further in this article. For each section, you are given a raw score, which is simply the number of questions you answered correctly, and then that raw score is converted into a scaled score.
Here it is:. Once you have the scaled scores for each section, you simply add the 4 section scores together and divide by 4 aka averaging and then you have your composite score. If your score ends up with a decimal, it is rounded. The answer is a little complex and I will explain it further , but you can typically get between 0 and 2 questions wrong in total across all four sections.
The reason the answer is more complex is that the scoring for each section of the test is different, and the scoring for each section varies by test date as you can see in the chart above and as I will explain further below. If you want to get a 36, you need to get a 36 on at least 2 of the sections.
Here are the breakdowns:. NOTE: you cannot get a 33 on any individual section if you want to get a composite score of As I said, the scoring of each section varies by test date. So, to give you a better idea of the typical number of questions you can get wrong for a 36 in each section, I have analyzed 5 different ACT score charts:.
You can see that to get a 36 in English, Reading, Math or Science, you typically need to get 0 wrong. Occasionally, a test will allow 1 or 2 mistakes, but that is a rarity, so you should plan for 0 wrong to get a 36 in any of the sections. Since you can get up to two 35s on individual sections if you get 36s on the other sections, as I showed above , I have also analyzed the same tests for the number of questions you can get wrong for a 35 in each section:.
Since the scoring varies so much between test dates for each section, to be safe, you should aim to get at most 1 wrong in any section to get a While you may, in fact, end up being able to get more wrong, you cannot be sure have harsh or easy your test grading will be and should plan for harsher grading.
Since you can get up to one 34 on an individual section if you get 36s on the other sections, as I showed above , I have also analyzed the same tests for the number of questions you can get wrong for a 34 in each section:.
If you are aiming to get a 34 on 1 section and 36 on the rest to get a 36 composite score, you should aim for at most 2 wrong on that section.
As I said before, while the scoring varies, and you could technically have gotten up to wrong on certain sections on certain test dates to get a 34 on that section, you need to plan for the worst case scenario, so plan that you will get a 34 if you get 2 wrong. Any way you calculate it, you can miss or skip a maximum of 2 questions to get a 36 composite score. That's not a lot, so if you're hoping for a perfect score, you will need a lot of practice.
If your strength is Math, try just skipping the last 10 questions. This way you can hopefully maximize your score in Math to balance out your lower score in Reading. You need to be using the skipping strategy during your ACT preparation! Do not just try to implement this strategy the day of the test. This skipping strategy requires practice since you will need to learn a new test pace. If you had been attempting to complete all questions, you were likely going at a much faster pace.
You will need to slow it down and give yourself more time per question. Also, you will need to figure out exactly what number of skipped questions will give you your target score. For example, while you can skip about one full passage in English 14 out of 15 questions and get a 26, you may answer 10 questions incorrectly in the 4 passages you do complete, bringing your score below If this happens, try to skip only half a passage 7 questions on your next English practice test.
Try to skip the maximum allowed during your first practice test then change the amount based on whether your score goes up or down. Plan to spend the entire time allocated except for the last minute on those questions. That way, you get more time per question and do not rush to answer more questions and make more mistakes. If you do have extra time, I would recommend reviewing the answers you were unsure of and NOT attempting any new questions.
However, if you felt confident about your answers and have extra time, you should attempt a few more. You should choose two corresponding letters, for example, A and F, to bubble in. As I said, there is no penalty for guessing on the ACT.
Could you theoretically skip more questions? While it would be possible to skip more, bubble in, and get a composite score of 26, I would not risk it. Stick to the outlined plan.
Need help preparing for the ACT? Taking the ACT very soon? Read our guide to cramming for the test. Not sure where you want to go to college? Check out our guide to finding your target school.
Also, figure out your target ACT score. Thinking about getting a job while in high school? Check out our guide to the 8 best jobs for teens and learn how to find yours!
0コメント