All About ACT
American College Testing, or ACT as it is more generally known, is a standardized examination administered by the non-profit ACT to determine the readiness of students seeking admission to universities. The ACT examination, which was introduced as an alternative to the SAT test, is widely accepted by universities in the United States and Canada. The ACT is a computer-based exam in which students have to answer multiple-choice questions in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. The ACT Writing Test is optional and has no impact on the candidates’ overall score.
Indian students who want to study in the United States or Canada can take the ACT Exam. Before taking the exam, students should verify with their selected college/university to see what the exam qualification criteria are. To avoid any last-minute bother, candidates should verify the registration deadlines and apply early.
The full ACT is made up of four multiple-choice sections: English, mathematics, reading, and science, with an optional writing section. Because some colleges and universities require or accept ACT writing scores, you should think about taking the writing section.
Test Strategies for the ACT
Each multiple-choice section has questions with four or five possible answers from which you must select the proper, or best, answer. The ACT assesses your knowledge, comprehension, and skills gained throughout your academic career. As a result, a “cram” course is unlikely to improve your grades. It is, however, a good idea to undertake some ACT test preparation so that you are familiar with the tests and know what to expect on test day.
Here are Three Strategies for Preparing for the ACT
- Familiarize yourself with the sections’ content
Take note of which content areas make for a large proportion of the sections. The topics in each content area are examples of possible subjects; they do not cover all possibilities. - Improve your knowledge and abilities in the content areas
Examine content areas that you have studied but that are no longer fresh in your mind. Refresh your knowledge in the content areas that make up the majority of the exam. - Learn about topics you’re not familiar with
If you are unfamiliar with several of the ACT’s content areas, consider completing coursework in those areas before taking the test
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A Quick Intro to ACT Practice Tests
No matter how you are approaching your ACT Preparation but you must practice the previous year’s ACT sample papers. There has not been much change in the ACT test format in the past few years so if you refer to tests released in 2008 then you will find them as good as tests released in 2018. Before appearing for the actual ACT test it is important to take some practice tests. It will not only help you understand certain concepts and help you review your content enabling you to learn difficult topics from scratch. Practicing the ACT exam sample papers is an excellent way to track your progress and help you find out your strengths and weaknesses.
Tips to use the official ACT Tests to improve your ACT score
1: Take one Test in One Go
On your ACT preparation, you need to sit and concentrate for four hours to build up your test-taking skills. If you take the ACT practice test in one sitting it will help you increase your endurance for the real test. Therefore, if you don’t have time to sit and practice for long then taking a practice test is the best technique.
2: Using Official Time Limits
It is difficult to maintain the time limit on the ACT while taking practice tests. Each section requires you to answer one or more questions in about a minute, which causes most students to end up with less time than they need, especially in the Math section. But it is suggested that avoid taking extra minutes while practicing as this will not going to help you on the actual test. As on the actual ACT, you need to answer as per the timelines given.
3: Review Your Answers
After completing the test, be sure to review every mistake you made as well as every question you got correct. Doing so will help you to learn from your mistakes and will let you know your strengths, and help you find where you stand and where you really need to work hard. Remember it is important to work on the quality of learning rather than giving importance to the quantity.
Hope this will help you practice on the ACT.