Sorry guys, I need to vent a little. I am a junior and have taken the ACT 5 times and I am seeing little movement. My gpa is 3.95 and I have made all A's in my 3 college math classes which include college algebra and trig. I plan on taking calc 1 next fall. I know that we all have to have a plan B and C, but I do not want to give up on plan A. I have done all of the online act prep imaginable and will look for a tutor this spring. My problem is that I'm sitting at a 20 and I am not seeing any results. Sorry for the rant, I just needed to get it off my chest....
Frustrations...
- Thread starter PG#7
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Yeah I had a 1080 SAT and a 32 ACT, it’s all about which you feel better with
Texark147
Proud Mom of a '28 candidate.
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Try the SAT and use Khan academy prep. Do that every day and then take practice tests on weekends. Correct your missed problems and figure out why you are getting them wrong. Sign up for a few SAT tests. I think you will see improvement.
YES, key is going over your missed problems and understanding why they were wrong. The ACT tops out at Algebra II for the most part (maybe a few trig questions), so you won't see calculus on it. You can do this!
Dont need details, but any ideas what you might be doing /not doing? Ie, running out of time?
Scoring high on one and low on another part(s)?
Are you getting alternating scores each time? high math one test, low next, high next, etc? or are they all relatively flat?
Those types of answers may dictate what solution works best. As others have said, take the SAT at least once and see how that goes. All three of my kids did much better on SAT than their ACT.
Scoring high on one and low on another part(s)?
Are you getting alternating scores each time? high math one test, low next, high next, etc? or are they all relatively flat?
Those types of answers may dictate what solution works best. As others have said, take the SAT at least once and see how that goes. All three of my kids did much better on SAT than their ACT.
They are staying relatively flat. My issue tends to be time. I need to be quicker I know...
pa-outdoorsman
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My DS has the same issue. He's actually doing pretty well on the questions he answers. But when you have 10-15 questions remaining in the section as time expires, that doesn't really result in your best performance!
He's taken the test twice now and taking it again next month. Best advice I keep giving him is USE THOSE TIMED PRACTICE TESTS. ACT has them available on its own website, and you can also register for a free online training program at March 2 Success through the military. This is a really good program if you haven't already taken advantage of it.
Biggest thing is, you have to discipline yourself to do it. I tell my DS, do a timed practice module each day. Every section is only 40-50 minutes. So, it's not like you have do the whole practice test all at once. If you do one timed practice test a day between now and your next test, and just alternate among the four subject areas each day, by the time you get to the test center again, you are going to be able to go through those sections much more quickly, and you'll also be much more confident in the types of questions you can expect and what the answers are because each one of your practice tests will have been scored, and you should see quite a bit of improvement over time.
Texark147
Proud Mom of a '28 candidate.
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This was my son's issue as well. The SAT gives you more time per question. He did so much better on the SAT.
bookjustice
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SAT (better for math people) = in-depth, less questions, harder math
ACT (Better for fast readers) = way more reading, more shallow, easier math, more questions
You can also bring a hand watch with you to manage time, and that’s really important because for some sections you have around a minute per question, if I recall correctly.
I used the relatively same amount of studying for the test, but for me personally, the ACT style of questions were easier. The questions are not as in-depth as the SAT, there are more of them, and you have less time. I like this style because I’m not as strong in math, and I made up for a 26 math score with a 35/34 reading/writing score. 1270 SAT, 31 ACT
ACT (Better for fast readers) = way more reading, more shallow, easier math, more questions
You can also bring a hand watch with you to manage time, and that’s really important because for some sections you have around a minute per question, if I recall correctly.
I used the relatively same amount of studying for the test, but for me personally, the ACT style of questions were easier. The questions are not as in-depth as the SAT, there are more of them, and you have less time. I like this style because I’m not as strong in math, and I made up for a 26 math score with a 35/34 reading/writing score. 1270 SAT, 31 ACT
pa-outdoorsman
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Not if you don't like math! My son, even with running out of time and not being able to answer all the questions, did significantly better on the ACT than the did on the SAT, which he had taken two times previously.
So, we are now focused on the ACT. As others have said, results vary from person to person. Best to just take both and pick the one you like/perform on best.
If time is your biggest issue, then please try the SAT. The SAT gives you more time per question than the ACT.
Agreed. ACT seems much better for readers and SAT for math folks in general.
For timing concerns, read the math questions over and over and get familiar with how and what they are asking. The more you practice and study the questions themselves, the faster you can determine what the word problem is asking on the test itself. Also, learn to quickly eliminate 1-3 answers just based on logic. (If it is positive x positive number, you know it cant be negative, as a simplistic example.)
For timing concerns, read the math questions over and over and get familiar with how and what they are asking. The more you practice and study the questions themselves, the faster you can determine what the word problem is asking on the test itself. Also, learn to quickly eliminate 1-3 answers just based on logic. (If it is positive x positive number, you know it cant be negative, as a simplistic example.)
Texark147
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I agree, but I do think students should try each test to see which is best for them.
futurefalconmom_11
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I got my son the act pacing watch which really helped with time and for the reading it really helps if you read as many books as possible that way you are comfortable reading fast but still comprehend the information. Pay extra to get copy of tests with answers offered twice per year on certain test dates. Find out what you are missing. Good luck!
This is a great summary. DS#2 is a big math person but slower reader than DS#1 so we didn't even try the ACT for him. I knew it wouldn't be a good fit. He did very well on the SAT. DS#1 is a fast reader and a math person and was pretty equal on both the SAT and ACT. He liked the ACT better but his SAT scores ended up being just a tiny bit better.
One thing to think about with either test is that the academies really like to see good math scores because the curriculum is so math heavy no matter your major. My boys' goal was 30/700.
There are available test prep centers who can do a diagnostic test for SAT and ACT usually 2 weekends, 3 hours each. You don’t need to spend for it. When you find out which test is better for you, then start reviewing practice questions online.
DS took ACT, one sitting and scored 32 composite without Writing last year. He found out he needed the Writing part and he took it last month and increased his composite to 33.
Focus, do yoga to ease any test jitters.
Best of luck!
Georgia Hokie
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Practice tests with a timer running....like one every 2 weeks. The more you do the better you will get with pacing. As others said try SAT practice test also. Both free online (Princeton Review, Kaplan, old tests, etc).
If you family has the funds, hire reputable tutor. Research before hiring. They can give test techniques and strategies. They can help narrow down weak areas. You need to come up a lot. Self study generally can raise 3-4 points when done right. To make the kind of junk you need, a quality tutor is needed.
Boymomof3
DS#1 NROTC (2025), DS#2 USMMA (2028)
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This! A prospective coach asked my son to get his up 30-40 points (SAT). 6-8 weeks of grinding out tests & tutoring sessions & he raised it 90 points in one test. I feel like all of the help w/ what his test taking strategy should be was also a helpful.