ACT TEST PREPARATIONCatch the Fever

Junior Seminar

THE BEST PREPARATION IS A SOLID HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Review your PLAN® results to identify academic weaknesses

Use ACT Online Prep™—ACT’s test preparation program

Take ACT’s free practice test

See your counselor for other test preparation materials

Visit the ACT website at www.actstudent.org

TODAY’S GOALS

Become familiar with the ACT® test content and format

Learn appropriate test taking strategies

ACT OVERVIEW

English75 Questions in 45 Minutes

Math60 Questions in 60 Minutes

Reading40 Questions in 35 Minutes

Science40 Questions in 35 Minutes

Know the directions before test day so you do not spend time reading them.

ENGLISH TEST

Subject/Verb agreement - Trust your inner ear.

Subject/Verb agreement - Cross out Prepositional Phrases.

Pronoun Clarity & Agreement – When a pronoun (he, she, it, they, them, his, him, her) is underlined be totally sure to what it is referring. If it is unclear in ANY way it is incorrect.

ENGLISH TEST

Transition Words – When a transition word (such as although, since, but therefore, moreover, however, consequently) is underlined make sure it works with the flow of the paragraph.

Commas – When a comma is underlined ask yourself, “Should there be a pause here?”

Independent Clauses – Phrases that can stand alone are separated with a semicolon, comma with “and,” or a period.

ENGLISH TEST

Prepositions – When a preposition is underlined check to see if it is the correct preposition to use.

I/Me & It’s/Its – If I or me is underlined, check it by putting the I/me first or by dropping the other person. (This tip works for who/whom & he/him)

If “its” or “it’s” is underlined remember that “it’s” means it is and that “its” is possessive.

ENGLISH TEST SUMMARY

Keep it simple - ACT likes crisp & clear always choose the answer that is the most clear, concise, direct, and NONREDUNDANT.

Do not be afraid to use the NO CHANGE option.

ENGLISH PRACTICE

MATH TEST

6 Topics are covered on the testPre-Algebra

14 Questions / 24% of the TestElementary Algebra

9 Questions / 15% of the TestIntermediate Algebra

9 Questions / 15 % of the Test

MATH TEST

Coordinate Geometry9 Questions / 15% of the Test

Plane Geometry14 Questions / 24% of the Test

Trigonometry4 Questions / 7% of the Test

MATH TEST

Perform question triage: Focus on questions you can answer quickly and return to others later.

All questions on the ACT can be answered in 1 minute or less and without a calculator.

You need to know basic formulas.Area of a triangle, Area of a rectangle /

square, Area of a circle, Perimeter of a figure, Circumference of a circle, Special Right Triangles (45-45-90 and 30-60-90)

MATH PRACTICE

READING TEST

4 reading passages / 10 questions eachSocial studiesNatural ScienceProseHumanities

Become familiar with the different types of passages and complete the ones you are best at first.

READING TEST

Skim the passage quickly and answer all 10 questions on that passage before moving to the next passage.

Underline as you read. Underline main ideas, people, and words that reference sequence.

READING TEST

Make notes in the margins. Two or three key words can provide a main idea of the paragraph.

Quickly find the tone of the passage and the author’s purpose.

Look for line references in the questions.

SCIENCE TEST

Seven subtests3 Data Representation Passages

(Graphs or Diagrams) / 7 Questions each

3 Research Summaries / 6 Questions each

1 Conflicting Viewpoints Passages / 7 Questions

5 Minutes per Passage

SCIENCE / DATA REPRESENTATION

Look at the questions first. Some of the charts and graphs are not used. The question should tell you which graph or chart to use to answer a question.

Take note of the axes of a graph and what they represent. Look for critical points (maximums, minimums, outliers…)

Look for trends in the data.

SCIENCE / RESEARCH SUMMARIES

Read and summarize the experiments (hypothesis).

Apparatus (What is being experimented on or what device is being used?)

Variables (Control, Independent, Dependent)

Look at the results.

SCIENCE / CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS

7 out of 40 questions will be from this passage.

Work quickly! You have 5 to 6 minutes on this passage.

Read preamble and skim arguments, focusing on the opening sentence of each argument.

Highlight disagreement

SCIENCE OVERVIEW

Find the types of science passages you like best and complete those first.

Focus on the passages that incorporate your strengths in science. (Biology, Physics, Chemistry…)

Focus, this is always the last test.

BEST ADVICE FOR ACT

Leave no questions unanswered!

There is no penalty for guessing.

FREE RESOURCES

www.actstudent.orgwww.march2success.com