ACT Preparation

Background ACT measures academic achievement People at ACT admit you can increase your score by preparing for the test – and even publish their own coaching book ACT is predictable – which is good! Test-taking strategies are designed to take advantage of the ACT’s predictability

College Entrance It’s important to prepare for the test if you have a 4.0 or a 2.0 GPA. “Many factors go into the acceptance of a student by a college. Test scores are only one of these factors. Grades in high school, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations are also important and may in some cases outweigh test scores”

College Entrance Of all the elements in your application “package,” your ACT score is the easiest to change. Good grades are not a guarantee that you will do well on the ACT. ACT only measures what’s on the test; doesn’t matter if you ‘hate’ a subject

ACT requirements (2011) WKU: 2.5 GPA and 20 ACT UK: average (of freshman class) UL: average (of freshman class) KWC: 20 – average of freshman class Brescia: 21 – average of freshman class OCC – College level classes (for credit, 2011) –Basic Algebra: 22 –Basic College English: 20 –College Entry level in Reading: 21 OCTC – 17 ACT or equivalent Compass scores

College Expense Worksheet Tuition, Fees Room and Board (food) Books, equip. Clothing, etc. Transportation (car, gas) Entertainment Total – 1 year Total – all years

Scholarships

Test Format Multiple choice Three and a half hours, one break Four tests –English, Math, Reading, Science Must follow directions exactly or will be excused from testing room –cell phones, filling in answers after time has been called are most common infractions

English Test 45 minutes – 75 questions Five passages Tests grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills

Math Test 60 minutes – 60 questions Level of difficulty is mixed Approx. one-third: pre-algebra and elementary algebra Less than one-third: intermediate algebra and coordinate geometry (graphing) Less than one-fourth: regular geometry Four questions: trigonometry

Reading Test 35 minutes – 40 questions (10 per passage) Four passages of about 750 words each Different types of passages: –Prose fiction –Social science –Humanities –Natural science Passages always in this order

Science Reasoning Test 35 minutes – 40 questions No specific scientific knowledge is necessary You will be asked to understand six set of scientific information presented in graphs, charts, tables, and research summaries, and will have to make sense of one disagreement between two or three scientists.

ACT Scoring Scale of 1-36 Four scores are averaged to form composite score. Three- to seven weeks for scores to be ‘in’ $33 (no writing) to $48 (ACT plus writing) to take test – so take it for free in March and make it count!

Practice questions

Test-Taking Strategies Discussed in Cracking the ACT, 2008 Edition by The Prentice Review ACT Triage Two Passes Process of Elimination Guessing Four-Step System (specific to Reading test)

Test Takers Struggle in Timed-Testing Situations Use the same problem-solving process used in emergency rooms: TRIAGE (“Now, Later, Never”) Who needs immediate medical attention? Who can wait in line a little longer? Who cannot be helped despite intervention?

Testing TRIAGE Step 1: What do I answer now, later, or never? Questions to Answer Now: points you can earn easily Questions to Try Later: try though you may get stumped Questions That “Cannot be Cured”: avoid and sacrifice the point

Testing TRIAGE Step 2: Two Passes Strategy to use for the ER patients who could wait. Pass #1 –“Nail every single question you can answer.” –Put a big circle around questions that stump you, and move on. (Marking in test booklet is allowed!) Pass #2 –Perhaps a reread will reveal something you missed the first time. –Decide again whether to answer now, later, or never and keep testing. –Don’t worry about questions you just can’t do.

Testing TRIAGE Step 3: Process of Elimination (“POE”) No penalty for guessing Refer to Cracking the ACT for excellent illustrations of guessing and narrowing specific types of questions.

There’s guessing, and then there’s guessing.

Guess at Random “NEVERMORE!” Eliminate wrong answers. Eliminate the option that is logically absurd. Eliminate the option that is opposite of the correct answer. Narrowing to a fifty-fifty guess is a better gamble than a 1 in 4 random guess.

Guessing What is the French word for “eggplant?” A.  B. aubergine C. Aubergine D. 

Consistency is Key Sometimes you have to guess; therefore, when guessing remember: To use the same letter for all “just can’t do” guesses on test day. That contrary to popular opinion, (C) does not yield more correct answers.

Summary of ACT Triage

Testing TRIAGE Point #1 Use ACT triage to “invest your time more profitably.” Unlike most test takers, you are likely to spend the majority of your time working on “doable” questions. –Immediate Result: No dread when hearing “Okay, pencils down.” –Eventual Result: Earning more points on the test.

Testing TRIAGE Point #2: Eliminate Answer Choices by Using POE After Pass #2, eliminate wrong answers to at least a shot. –Immediate Result: You can say you tried and even prove how! –Eventual Result: Hopefully earning a few more points!

Testing TRIAGE Point #3: When all else fails, test like Cookie Monster! Use a Letter of the Day for hopeless cases in your emergency room. Gobble up the remaining empty circles, kick back, and digest! Immediate Result: Time left to check answers and relax Eventual Result: Possibly more correct answers

Re-examine Practice Questions using TRIAGE -Answer questions you know, circle those you don’t. -Narrow choices to 50/50 -Guess with letter of the day