Survival Guide: The ACT

Eddy Kang, Co-Editor-in-Chief

A, C, T. The very enunciation of these three letters invokes fear, anger, and frustration in countless highschool students. Why is this the case? Perhaps it’s the excruciating moments you spend debating “B or C,” re-contemplating and re-bubbling until a mound of eraser crumbs piles on your desk. Or maybe it’s the all-too familiar stomach drop you feel when staring blankly at the first page of the reading section, forgetting everything you tirelessly studied for the past few months. To brave these inevitable hardships, here are my tips to survive the ACT.

Disclaimer: Everyone has different study methods that work for them, and these tips do not guarantee success. However, one thing is certain—with the right study methods and mentality, you can succeed.

Before the ACT:

1. Read. For both the Reading and Science sections of the ACT, the speed at which you can skim AND comprehend passages is critical. Sprinkling in a few reading sessions throughout your week (20 or so minutes a day) will help you develop the ability to scan through paragraphs efficiently when test day comes. 

2. Take practice tests. Standardized tests like the ACT often recycle formats of questions while changing only the content. This means that you can somewhat exploit the system by becoming accustomed to the type of questions that reoccur. Printing practice tests and timing yourself allows you to get a handle on common questions types, while also simulating the actual test taking experience. You can easily find many practice tests by conducting a simple google search (Reddit is great!).

3. Take small bites. When you start taking practice tests, split it up into smaller parts instead of trying to take the whole section or whole test at once. For example, on the Math section, you could do 10 problems with a 10 minute timer running, then grade yourself and review your mistakes. After you get comfortable with that number, extend it to 20 problems in 20 minutes, 30 problems in 30 minutes, and so on, until you can finish the whole section in the given time. The same concept applies for the test as a whole; split it into sections first, then later attempt to take a whole test in one sitting. 

4. Know what you don’t know. When you’re grading your own practice tests, go over your missed questions and write down what type of questions you’re consistently getting incorrect. Maybe you always miss that pesky similar triangles question or forget when to use a colon vs. semicolon. Once you have a solid list of areas that need work, you can study those topics individually to plug the gaps in your knowledge. 

5. Answer definition questions first. On the Reading section, some of the questions will ask, “As it is used in line xx, the word/phrase xx most nearly means…” Personally, I don’t even read the passage. I just go straight to these questions and answer them first using the one or two lines surrounding the word. You can then circle back to the passage and actually begin reading.

6. Annotate. On the Reading and Science sections, when you scan a section or phrase that seems significant to the passage as a whole, make sure you make some kind of mark to reference when you’re answering the comprehension questions. This will save you the time of searching, so that you don’t have to dig through the entire passage a second time to find the location of a quote that slips your memory. 

7. Sleep. Mental preparation on the day before the test is crucial for clearing your mind and getting focused. You might be tempted to cram, but in my opinion, reviewing your notes and some questions you missed is enough. Breathe, meditate, eat a full meal, and most importantly, get a solid 8 hours of sleep (at least!).

During the ACT:

1. Bring a wristwatch (but not a smartwatch!). Testing areas may not have wall clocks or timers running while you’re taking your test, so checking your watch while answering each section will help you pace yourself. 

2. Check your work. If you happen to finish a section before the time limit ends on your practice tests, go back and check your work! No bonus points are given for those who finish early, so there’s no reason why you should put your pencil down or close your test booklet. 

3. Manage your time. If you linger on a single question or passage for too long, move on and come back later. There’s no point in getting stuck on one hard problem, causing you to miss the opportunity to answer easy ones. 

After the ACT:

1. Relax. The ACT is a big deal, and completing it in a real, timed, stressful situation is a huge accomplishment! Congratulations! Now, go eat your favorite food or take a break and watch a few episodes of your favorite Netflix show to decompress.

2. Score ≠ Your Worth. Realistically, you may not get a score that satisfies you on your first try. If this happens, take agency of the situation and transform your negative experience into a learning opportunity. Ask yourself, “What went wrong?”, “What can I do to be better prepared?” Maybe you encountered an unlucky situation that was out of your control. Either way, be proactive and keep studying. 

Happy test-taking!