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ACT ® PREPARATION AND TIPS

ACT ® PREPARATION AND TIPS . Seth Keene Stacey Schultz. What is the “required” score for admission to your 1 st choice school? Are you applying for scholarships with ACT score requirements? In addition to a composite score goal, set a goal for each test and sub-score.

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ACT ® PREPARATION AND TIPS

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  1. ACT® PREPARATION AND TIPS Seth Keene Stacey Schultz

  2. What is the “required” score for admission to your 1st choice school? • Are you applying for scholarships with ACT score requirements? • In addition to a composite score goal, set a goal for each test and sub-score. • Set the bar high, but make it reachable! GOAL SETTING

  3. 1st: April/June of Junior Year • 2nd: September/October of Senior Year • 3rd: December/February of Senior Year TEST DATES

  4. #1 4+ Years of Math, Science, English • #2 ACT Preparation Course • #3 Practice Workbook/On-line Resources • Ideal Preparation Plan: • 10% Understanding Test • 80% Reviewing Skills • 10% Test-taking Strategies TEST PREPARATION

  5. Online/Self-Paced Courses: • ACT Online Prep ($19.95 for 1 year) • SD MyLife and My Student Edge (FREE) • Practice Tests • DSTEP, ASVAB, PSAT, SD Test-Outs • Preparing for the ACT (Archived editions online) • Practice Books • The Real ACT Prep Guide ($30.95) • Classroom Review Courses • Sylvan Learning Center • Keene Academy PREPARATION RESOURCES

  6. Friday Night: • Eat a good meal rich in carbohydrates (such as pasta) at a reasonable hour. Be in bed by 11pm. • Set two alarms or ask family and friends to ensure you wake up. • Saturday Morning: • Wake up one hour before you need to leave and take a shower. • Wear comfortable and casual clothing, but avoid being too comfortable. Dress in layers as the temperature inside the test room may vary. • Eat a healthy, substantial breakfast. As a rule, protein is better than sugar. Avoid heavy foods (such as omelets) that could cause indigestion. • Know which building and parking lot to use. Plan to arrive by 7:45am so you don’t feel rushed. TEST DAY TIPS

  7. Pencils • Calculator • Identification and Registration • Snack and Drink • Wrist Watch • Tissues (for winter test dates) WHAT TO BRING

  8. Pace Yourself (Announcements only made when 5 minutes/1 minute remain) • Read directions before test date • Read questions carefully (annotate) • Answer easy questions first • Answer EVERY question (no penalty for guessing) • Be precise in marking answer and don’t make notes on answer sheet • Don’t panic! Work the entire time. GENERAL TEST-TAKING TIPS

  9. 75 QUESTIONS/45 MINUTES (9 minutes per passage) • Usage/Mechanics: 40 Questions Punctuation Grammar and Usage Sentence Structure • Rhetorical Skills: 35 Questions Strategy Organization Style ENGLISH TEST PREP

  10. Read the entire passage first (roughly 1.5 minutes). Focus on grammar and revision skills, not comprehension. • Answer diction and grammar questions first; they are usually the easiest to answer quickly. • Listen for errors as you read the answer choices. You can often hear an error as you say a sentence in your head. • Read ALL answers carefully; answers often look similar, sometimes differing only by a comma. • “NO CHANGE” is the correct choice about 25% of the time. ENGLISH TIPS

  11. 60 QUESTIONS/60 MINUTES (1 question per minute) • Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra 24 Questions • Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry 18 Questions • Plane Geometry/Trigonometry 18 Questions MATH TEST PREP

  12. Draw a picture if one is not provided. Figures given are not drawn to scale, so mark them with given measures or symbols. • Know the following translations: of means multiply and per means divide. • Know the area and perimeter formulas for triangles, rectangles, and circles, and how to find the volume and surface area of a box. • If a problem is given in terms of fractions, decimals, or percents, consider using an alternate form to find the answer. MATH TIPS

  13. If the question and/or answer set are given in terms of variables only, substitute simple numbers to help determine the answer. • Most answers are listed from least to greatest, so you can use a technique called backsolving to find the correct answer. • Do not overuse your calculator! The test is written so that every problem can be solved without a calculator. Set up the problem in your test booklet first and take a moment to consider what a reasonable answer would be before using the calculator. MATH TIPS

  14. 40 QUESTIONS/35 MINUTES (9 minutes per passage) • Prose Fiction: 10 Questions • Social Studies: 10 Questions • Humanities: 10 Questions • Natural Sciences: 10 Questions READING TEST PREP

  15. Read the passage actively (3 minutes); underline or circle any key points. Read with awareness of the author’s goal, tone, and theme. • If a question refers to a specific line of the passage, read one line above and below the indicated line to better understand the context. • Save difficult questions (such as inferring) for last and answer easier questions (such as vocabulary) first. Note: It is best to finish one passage completely before going on to the next. READING TIPS

  16. 40 QUESTIONS/35 MINUTES (5 minutes per passage) • Data Representation: 15 questions • Research Summaries: 18 questions • Conflicting Viewpoints: 7 questions SCIENCE TEST PREP

  17. If a passage seems difficult, skip it; data representation passages are often the easiest. • When reading passages, aim at a general understanding on the first reading and do not dwell on a specific aspect of data. If the passage contains conflicting viewpoints, consider similarities and differences between the scientists’ arguments. • When reading tables and charts, focus on labels, trends in data, and maximum or minimum values. Look for connections between multiple data representations. SCIENCE TIPS

  18. 1 PROMPT/30 MINUTES • The test consists of one writing prompt that will define an issue and describe two points of view on that issue. • Students may adopt either of the perspectives described in the prompt, or may present a third point of view on the issue. • Scores will not be affected by the point of view taken on the issue. WRITING TEST PREP

  19. Do some planning (in your Writing Test booklet) before writing the essay. • At the beginning of your essay, explain your point of view in a clear and logical way. • Discuss the issue in a broader context or evaluate the implications or complications of the issue. • Address what others might say to refute your point of view and present a counter-argument. • Use specific examples. • Vary the structure of your sentences. • Use transitional words and phrases. • End with a strong conclusion that summarizes or reinforces your position. • If time remains, check your work for spelling and grammatical errors. WRITING TIPS

  20. Questions? • Reminders of upcoming test dates and registration deadlines • Information requests • Seth.Keene@k12.sd.us • Stacey.Schultz@k12.sd.us • www.raiderscorner.com • GO ACE THE ACT®! CONCLUSION

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