5 Practical Steps To Improve Your ACT Science Score

There are two particular skills that you need to cultivate so that you can improve your ACT science score. Mainly, they are your 1) Reasoning skills, and 2) Analytical skills. You should be proficient when it comes to identifying data that are presented in graphs, tables and maps and in interpreting questions logically. If you are keen enough, you will find that most of the problems in the ACT Science test actually provide more information than what is necessary so that you can respond to the test items properly.

Contrary to what many students believe, your knowledge of Science branches such as Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science and Physics will not be tested directly in the Science section of the ACT. Not that you have to be well-versed with every Scientific concept that has been tackled in your high school classes as well. What you have to prioritize in order to improve your Science score are your abilities to reason accurately and solve certain problems using Scientific methods.

Your skills in Scientific reading comprehension will be challenged in the test. You need to be meticulous in analyzing and drawing conclusions from graphs, charts, tables and experimental processes. But you don’t have to fret because the passages in the Science test contain all the information that you need. Here are some tips to help you boost your score in the ACT Science test:

Helpful Tips To Boost Your ACT Science Score

Familiarize yourself with the types of questions and passages found in the test. There are 3 types of passages that are featured in the ACT Science test: 1) Conflicting Viewpoints (7 questions); 2) Research Summaries (6 questions), and 3) Data Representation (5 questions). These passages may be presented in a different order, but usually, test -takers are bound to encounter 3 five question sections, along with 3 six question sections and a single section that is comprised of 7 questions in the test.

Keep your calm when taking the test. Don’t worry so much if you haven’t brushed up on each and every Science concept taught in your school. You actually don’t need to memorize them in the ACT Science test. Remember to primarily hone your abilities in interpreting and analyzing Scientific problems, and you’ll do fine.

Learn proper time management. Note that you have to deal with 7 passages and 40 questions in the Science section in 35 minutes. Time element is thus your biggest hurdle. It also means that you have to be quick in answering the questions if you want to finish the section on time. Be systematic and refrain from lingering on a certain passage. Be quick in your reading by extracting the main points and analyzing figures. Take note of the difficult questions and leave them for the time being as you answer the easier ones. Get back to these tricky items when you have remaining time.

Cultivate your test-taking skills by taking practice tests. A reliable way of improving your ACT Science test score is to take real Science tests and solve real Science problems. Just like the actual ACT test scenario, time yourself when taking ACT Science practice tests. At the end of this task, analyze your erroneous answers and decipher why you got them wrong.

Ask for the help of a tutor, mentor or your fellow test-takers. You can self-study for the Science section of the ACT test, but getting help from someone who has more authority on the subject or your peers can make a big difference for you to improve your ACT Science score.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off

7 Trouble-Free Tips About How To Study For The ACT

Taking the ACT is a life-altering endeavor. Good ACT scores mean admission to the college of your choice, receiving free money for your college schooling and many other perks. That sounds daunting and exciting at the same time. There is actually no “failing” in the ACT, but you have to keep up to a certain standard, and that’s the required score of your target colleges. Now, you might be wondering about how to study for the ACT. Here are some tips.

Start your ACT test prep early. Time is of the essence when studying for the ACT. Don’t get too complacent thinking that it is easy to pass the test because you’ve taken up your subjects in school. Remember that studying for months is necessary for major tests like the ACT. Depending on your baseline score, you may consider a 1 month, 2 months or 3 months ACT study program.
Determine your baseline score. Get hold of an official ACT practice test from a reputable book or online resource. Take the test without studying, including the optional Essay section. The score that you will obtain from this initial test is your baseline score. From here, you can measure how many points you have to work to improve on, or whether you are at par already. You then set a corresponding test prep time-frame according to your target score.
Decide on your goal. Is it a score of 29 that you’re aiming for in the ACT? Maybe it’s a 33. Or else you might want to increase your Science test score by 6 points. You thus have to set a goal pertaining to these, and when you do, make sure that your goal is “SMAART”, meaning that it is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Action-Oriented, Results- Oriented and Time-Phased. For instance, you can decide to study for 3 days in a week for 3 months so that you can attain an ACT score of 33 when you take the test in June.
Know about the basics of the ACT. Don’t be taken aback by what you’ll see in the ACT. You wouldn’t want to be clueless about it. Otherwise, you might suffer from test anxiety. Be in-the-know about the topics covered by the ACT, and they are English, Math, Reading and Science Reasoning. There is also an optional Writing test. The items you’ll come across are multiple-choice questions. At the same time, be aware of what a good ACT score is and how to register for the test.
Be aware of what test prep options you might consider. Evaluate the study programs that are available to you. Do you want to test prep in a tutoring center? Maybe you are opting to join a class. Do you think that studying with books is more workable? If you have trouble concentrating, you might choose to study with ACT apps or an online study guide.
Create and stick to your study schedule. You have to optimize your test prep for the ACT, and that means rendering as much time as you can for it. If you want to study for a lesser time everyday, you ought to start with your prepping earlier. Be sure to squeeze in your study time in between your Snap Chatting or reality TV hours. In a nutshell, learn how to manage your time when preparing for the ACT.
Improve your test-taking skills by taking practice tests. Take as many of them as possible because taking practice tests is one of the most effective studying techniques. This fact is backed by research. Whether studying with an ACT book or an online ACT test prep program, incorporate practice tests in your schedule.

These tips about how to study for the ACT are easy and practical. Don’t make your academic career complicated by studying for the said test during the last minute because an early bird gets all the goodies!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off

10 Foolproof Tips About How To Ace Your English ACT Test

ACT English Test Prep and Practice Makes Perfect

The ACT test can be daunting, especially for newbies and first timers. It takes a lot of prep and practice to be able to muster confidence come the ACT test day. So what ACT prep methods are considered to be effective? You’ll want to pass the ACT test with flying colors to be able to gain admission to the college of your choice. Among the most challenging sections of this test is the ACT English Test. Just like with the other topics, you’re aiming to get hold of foolproof tips about how to ace your English ACT test. You will find them in the discussion below.

Ace The ACT English Test With These Valuable Tips

Avoid giving wordy answers. That is, keep it simple when conveying your thoughts and ideas in the ACT English test. Not that you’ll have to give short answers either. Sometimes you need to put in more words in your phrases and sentences so that they become grammatically correct. The key to providing efficient answers in your ACT English is to be concise and straight to the point.

Read the whole sentences in the questions. Don’t rush when answering the questions in the test. It’ll make you frazzled and haphazard as you respond to the items. It may be tempting to read only the underlined portion of the sentence, but steer clear of this tendency. Be particular that the wrong clause or clauses in your sentence can affect your answer.

Consider the context and the meaning of the test items. Just because you’re tackling the grammar portion of the test doesn’t mean that you should disregard the meaning of the sentence. In many of the questions in ACT English, the context must be taken into account. This ought to be applied, especially in transition word questions and questions that require you to find the proper placement of a sentence in the whole paragraph.

Take into account the consistency of the sentence. A major example of this the proper placement of the verb tense and the voice. When adding the tense of the sentence, look for cues in the surrounding sentences and accord their tenses. But there are exceptions, such as when a certain clause conveys a past event within a paragraph that is set in the present tense.

Steer clear of being redundant. Avoid stating a meaning or idea that has already been conveyed or implied. Likewise, refrain from using two adjectives that mean the same. As mentioned earlier in this text, keep your sentences simple and consider the whole sentence when answering the questions. Remember that reading only the underlined phrase in the items can make you go amiss on the other parts that also state the same idea.

Apply the rule of sentence parallelism in grammar. You can easily spot the parallelism of ideas in a sentence the more you familiarize yourself with them. A sentence that is parallel have clauses that match in structure. An example of a sentence that lacks parallelism is:

My hobbies are swimming, running and to sing.

“Swimming” and “running” are in gerund form while “to sing” is in infinitive form. The above sentence can become parallel if the infinitive form “to sing” is changed to its gerund form which is “singing”.

Be careful of run-on sentences. In everyday writing, common mistakes such as comma splices might also jump out as mistakes in the ACT English test. A sentence becomes a run-on if it is comprised of a comma splice wherein two independent clauses are combined with only a comma. If an independent clause can stand on its own as a sentence, then it has a complete thought. Adding a conjunction rectifies a comma splice. The same happens when one of the clauses is made to be dependent or when a comma is changed into a semi-colon.

Be aware of subject-verb agreement. If a subject is singular, it has to be connected with a verb that is singular. In the same way, plural subjects have to be followed by plural verbs. Generally, errors in subject-verb agreement are easily spotted if the subject and the verb are next to each other. The tricky part is when they are not, specifically if prepositional phrases are placed in between them. If you want to do away with this dilemma, take the prepositional phrase out and figure out if the subject and verb agree with each other now that they are side by side. Don’t confuse the object of the prepositional phrase as the subject.

Be particular about pronoun- antecedent agreement. The noun that the pronoun replaces in a sentence is known as the antecedent. To check for accuracy, you can mark the pronoun with an arrow that points back to its antecedent. See to it that they agree in gender and number. As examples, the pronoun “they” may refer to the antecedent “students”, and these are plural, while the pronoun “her”, which is singular may refer to the feminine antecedent “Jane” which is singular.

Make sure that ideas from current and previous paragraphs are included in transitional sentences. There are items in the ACT English test wherein you will be required to choose the most fitting opening or closing sentence in a paragraph. You’ll want your sentences to create a smooth transition by incorporating ideas in your sentences from the current, previous or following paragraphs. Your goal here is to connect two ideas, that’s why ideas from the surrounding paragraphs have to be considered.

Be One Step Ahead, ACT English Can Be Tricky

Because the ACT English test can be tricky, you have to watch out as well. While you carry on with the necessary prep, be one step ahead by being armed with tips about how to approach the questions. You can always do practice tests, but be keen about the structure, context and meaning of the items in the test. Well-equipped with smarts, skills and confidence, you can ace your English ACT test and pursue your desired higher learning in the college of your choice.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Studying For The GED Online At Home Facilitates Better Focus

Are you planning to take the GED test? You might be considering several options for your test prep, and one may be to study for the GED at home. After all, it can be uncomfortable to attend in-person classes after being out of school for so many years. In the same way, you might have obligations at work or your family that makes it tiresome to attend adult classes at night. Thus, you have made up your mind to study for the GED online in the convenience of your own home. So how do you go about with it?

There are numerous advantages of studying at home for the GED. It can quite be easy, especially if you utilize both online and offline resources. These test prep materials will walk you through the details, subject matters and topics of the GED.

You primarily have to assess your knowledge and skill level, that’s why you have to take a few GED practice tests in advance. This will render you ready for your test prep program. Likewise, taking practice tests will acclimatize you to the structure and the format of the actual GED test. Remember to register early on and be aware that you have to take the test personally in an accredited testing center.

Here are some tips to take into account when it comes to studying for the GED at home:

Obtain information about your state’s requirements for taking the GED test. This is the first step that you have to be particular about, considering that they differ from one jurisdiction to the other. Know what is required of you as a GED test taker prior to commencing on your study program. You wouldn’t want to waste time, effort or money for things that you don’t need if you happen to be clueless about this matter.

Choose a credible and good quality study guide. You’ll need to look for a book or online GED study guide that will basically become your test prep teacher. Do so in your local library. There, you’ll come across a wide selection of GED books that utilizes various approaches. Browse through the pages of those you find most amenable to and see what suits you well. The same goes when you’re searching for a reliable online GED study guide. Consider that which is managed by professionals and experts and contains valuable tools and content.

Try joining an online GED class. Online GED classes are a practical and useful resource for your GED test prep at home. It is available in different websites, and updated ones are available in online study guides. If you want more formal ones, you can inquire from the Department of Education website of the state where you reside.

Arrange a conducive study area. This has to be somewhere private where you can focus because you’ll be spending most of your time there. By all means, it ought to be secluded enough where your housemates cannot distract you.

Be aware of the topic content of the test. It is necessary that you study smart for your GED test. Note that it is different from studying hard. Studying smart means you concentrate your preparation on the right topics- those that are covered in the actual test. In the GED test, you need to focus on four subject areas that are Science, Math, Social Studies and Reasoning Through Language Arts. Take practice tests on each of these subjects so that you can assess your level, including the weak areas that you need to work on.

Do some practice testing. Take down notes after studying the salient contents of your book or online study guide. Following that, and when you think that you are ready, take practice tests. These study resources are usually available in books as well as online GED study guides. Practice tests are especially handy in terms of evaluating your skills and knowledge level. They will also condition you to the format and structure of the real GED test, consequently diminishing your anxiety on the big day of your exam.

When you feel that you are ready, register to take the test. The GED test is taken personally in an accredited testing center. You cannot take it online, so you therefore have to be present in your registered venue to accomplish it. Contact a testing center nearest to you beforehand, and make an appointment to take your GED test. If you have trouble with that, you can search in the adult education website of your state.

Take the test and pass it with flying colors. Try to remain as calm and as focused as you can be on the day of your exam. Otherwise, if you are very anxious, you should practice stress reduction techniques prior to taking it. Eat a healthy breakfast and take your snacks with you because the GED test can be lengthy.

These are the major tips to remember when you study for the GED at home all the way to taking the exam. The best of luck to you as you take the significant step of obtaining your GED credential that can open new doors of opportunities to further your education or career.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

What Are The Reasons Of Getting A Low Score On The ACT?

Sometimes, intelligent students think that they have it for the ACT as well. But surprisingly, they get a low score on this standardized test. Have you experienced the same?

Smart students scoring low on the ACT happens quite a lot. It is in fact a common problem. However, there are ways to avoid it, such as by using the most effective test prep techniques. You can maintain your excellent performance in the classroom and the ACT if you apply the right strategies. The first thing that you ought to do is to understand the reasons why some high achievers in class obtain a low score on the ACT.

The tendency of many intelligent students is to get complacent, thinking that the ACT is merely the same as the usual tests that they take in school. Then again, this is not the case. Why?

Multiple subjects are included in the exam. When you take the ACT, you’ll take a comprehensive exam that covers Math, Science, Literature and Writing. Whereas in the classroom, if you’re going to tackle a Math test, all you have to do is study for Math. That’s why studying for the ACT is more rigorous, and you have to engage on an effectual review program before taking it. A test prep routine for the ACT tends to be more challenging and time-consuming.

There is a time limit to follow when taking every section in the test. Time pressure when dealing with the ACT can be overwhelming. It can cause test anxiety that results to poor performance and low ACT scores.

You’ll encounter test questions and answer options that can be misleading.Test-takers ought to be meticulous and wary because there are items in the ACT that could fool them. You may think that you’ve marked the right bubble, but it is actually erroneous. It’s not the same as the typically straightforward tests that you take in high school.

Expectations are high when tackling the ACT. This could be distressing to numerous students. As an important standardized test, your score in the ACT will dictate whether you’ll gain admission to a high quality college or otherwise. Because of this, you might push yourself too hard, and the frustration that you feel might lead to a low score.

Different Problem Scenarios About the ACT and How To Resolve Them

Scenario # 1

You might be using the wrong study methods. How was your ACT prep? Have you done it effectively and with a sufficient amount of time? Come the day of taking the test, you might have answered all the questions within the time limit. You had no worries about test anxiety, either. Things seemed to be looking up, but you were disappointed when your score report came. You got a low ACT score! Why did this happen?

The Resolution:

There are many cases of students having studied for an ample time before taking the ACT, but upon getting the results, they were aghast to get a low score. A Math whiz in the classroom may not always ace the ACT Math test. This section of the ACT usually covers more topics, requiring more skills and knowledge. Consider as well that the phrasing of some questions and answer selections in the test can be tricky. Try changing your studying approach for your retake. Take note that the common ways of studying for a test in the classroom may not suffice when prepping for the ACT.

For instance, take more ACT practice tests. Research has shown that a good study program should comprise 30% of practice testing. Practice tests can acclimatize you to the format and approach of the ACT, consequently boosting your confidence and eliminating test anxiety.

Scenario #2

You were overconfident, and studied insufficiently for the exam. Intelligent students are predilected to ace their tests in the classroom. They may think that the ACT is as easy as their typical high school tests, thus they prepared haphazardly for it. Nevertheless, they get a low score in the ACT.

The Resolution:

Be aware that the ACT is different from the customary tests that you deal with in high school. If you’re not used its approach, you might get confused. The creators of the ACT have designed their test to measure students’ skills and knowledge. They therefore sprinkled it with a good dose of tricky and misleading items. Succumbing to it can ultimately result to a low score.

Practice as much as you can to combat this phenomenon. Schedule your ACT take or retake so that you get enough time to study for it. Preferably a few months. Arrange a routine study schedule utilizing credible and effective online and offline test prep resources. It is particularly crucial to take ACT practice tests regularly. Three or four practice tests throughout your whole test prep period could suffice in conditioning you to tackle the format and structure of the test. Be sure to review your wrong answers and decipher why you missed them. Know your weak points and build on them so that you’ll be ready and able to take the ACT despite its intricacies.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off