How to Ace ACT: 6 Strategies to Score More

Wondering ‘how to ace ACT?’ Your ACT (American College Testing) score is a powerful key that can unlock doors to your dream colleges and life-changing scholarship opportunities. Learning how to ace your ACT effectively can make all the difference.

And here’s why every point matters: with over 1.40 million students taking the ACT each year, the difference between a good score and a great score could mean thousands in scholarship dollars or acceptance to your top-choice school.

We’re going to be straight with you, scoring a 32 or higher puts you in an elite group of test-takers, positioning you competitively for most top-tier colleges.

Here’s something most prep companies won’t tell you: the ACT is fundamentally a predictable test. After helping hundreds of students ace ACT exam attempts, we can tell you with confidence that success on the ACT isn’t about being a genius; it’s about being strategic.

Before we dive into these strategies, let us share something important: personalized guidance can make all the difference in your ACT journey. Consider booking a free trial lesson with Wiingy’s expert tutors who have helped countless students ace ACT exam.

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How to ace ACT

These strategies are designed to help you build confidence and lay a strong foundation step-by-step. Let’s dive into each section and make the test feel manageable.

1. English (75 questions, 45 minutes): Building a foundation

• Grammar First, Speed Later: For now, focus on mastering the grammar rules tested in the English section. Don’t worry about timing yourself for each question just yet.
• Passage Familiarity: Get comfortable with the types of passages you’ll encounter. Read them carefully and try to understand the main ideas and how the different parts connect.

Skill Building:

• Usage/Mechanics: Start by reviewing the basics of punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure. Use flashcards, online quizzes, and grammar workbooks to strengthen your foundation.
• Rhetorical Skills: Begin to analyze how passages are organized and how the author uses language to achieve a specific effect. Pay attention to things like word choice, transitions, and sentence structure.

The 25 ACT English Problem Types is a very informative video on understanding the whole format of this section. 

2. Math (60 questions, 60 minutes): Time management is key

↦ Concept Mastery: Focus on understanding the core math concepts tested on the ACT. Don’t worry about speed just yet; accuracy is more important at this stage.

↦ Formula Foundation: Start memorizing key formulas and practice applying them to different types of problems.

Content Areas:

• Build from the Basics: Begin with Pre-Algebra and Elementary Algebra, making sure you have a solid understanding of the fundamentals.
• Gradual Progression: As you become more comfortable, move on to Intermediate Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, and Trigonometry.

Here’s a Reddit discussion that you shouldn’t miss. It’s a goldmine of resources that will help you get through the puzzling lanes of ACT math section. 

3. Reading (40 questions, 35 minutes): Speed reader

↦ Active Reading Practice: Develop strong active reading habits, like underlining key ideas, summarizing paragraphs, and asking yourself questions as you read.

↦ Passage Exploration: Read a variety of passage types to get a feel for the different writing styles and topics you’ll encounter on the ACT.

Question Types:

• Understand the Basics: Familiarize yourself with the different question types and how to approach them.
• Focus on Comprehension: In the early stages, prioritize understanding the passages and answering the questions thoughtfully.

Watch The BEST ACT® Reading Strategies and Tricks that Helped Me Improve 15 Points to understand how to approach the ACT® Reading passage types, as well as the most common 

Need help with preparing for ACT 2024? Register for a free demo with our online ACT Tutors today.

4. Science (40 questions, 35 minutes): Data visualization expert

↦ Visual Literacy: Practice interpreting different types of graphs, charts, and tables. Start with simple visuals and gradually move towards more complex ones.

↦ Passage Types:

• Data Representation: Focus on understanding how data is presented and how to draw conclusions from it.
• Research Summaries: Pay attention to the key elements of scientific experiments, such as the hypothesis, variables, and results.
• Conflicting Viewpoints: Practice identifying the different perspectives presented and the evidence used to support them.

What are your best tips to score a 30+ on the science section? Is a Reddit discussion you won’t want to miss as students have poured in their valuable insights here. 

5. Writing (Optional, 1 essay, 40 minutes):

↦ Planning and Organization: Practice brainstorming ideas and creating outlines for your essays. Focus on developing a crystal clear and logical structure.

↦ Perspective Analysis: Learn to identify and analyze different perspectives on a given issue.

↦ Practice, Practice, Practice: Write essays on a variety of topics to improve your writing skills and get comfortable expressing your ideas in a clear and concise way.

6. Cross-section connections:  The key to ace your ACT exams

The ACT isn’t just about isolated skills. It often requires you to connect concepts across different sections. Recognizing these connections during your prep can give you a significant advantage.

• Math and Science:
  
  • Data Analysis: The skills you develop in analyzing graphs and charts in the Math section directly translate to the Science section’s data representation passages.
  • Problem-Solving: The logical reasoning and problem-solving skills you hone in Math are essential for tackling the Research Summaries and Conflicting Viewpoints passages in Science.
• English and Reading:
  
  • Grammar and Comprehension: A strong grasp of grammar (from the English section) improves your reading comprehension, making it easier to understand complex passages.
  • Rhetorical Skills: Analyzing the author’s purpose and writing techniques in the English passages helps you identify similar strategies in the Reading passages.
• Reading and Science:
  
  • Interpreting Information: Both sections require you to extract key information from complex texts and visuals. The active reading strategies you develop for Reading will benefit you in Science as well.
  • Drawing Conclusions: The ability to draw inferences and understand implied meanings is crucial for both Reading and Science passages.
• Writing and Everything:
  
  • Clear Communication: The clear and concise writing skills you develop for the essay are valuable for understanding and responding to questions in all sections.
  • Critical Thinking: The ability to analyze perspectives and construct arguments in the Writing section strengthens your critical thinking skills, which are essential for tackling challenging questions throughout the ACT.  

How to Develop Cross-Section Connections During Prep:

• Integrated Practice: Don’t just study each section in isolation. Look for opportunities to connect concepts and skills across different sections.
• Analyze Mistakes: When you make a mistake, consider if it stems from a weakness in a foundational skill that’s relevant to other sections.
• Vary Your Study Materials: Use a variety of study resources (practice tests, textbooks, online materials) to expose yourself to different question types and formats that highlight cross-section connections.

By recognizing and practicing these cross-section connections, you’ll develop a more holistic understanding of the ACT, leading to improved performance and a higher overall score. Remember: The ACT is predictable. Once you understand its patterns, you can ace your ACT systematically. These strategies work because they’re built around the test’s actual structure, not generic test-taking advice.

Start your journey to ace your ACT today

Remember, achieving your target ACT score and learning to ace ACT exam attempts is a journey that combines the right resources, strategies, and guidance. While self-study tools and apps are valuable, having an expert tutor can make the difference between a good score and a great one.

Ready to transform your ACT preparation?

✓ Get personalized study plans

✓ Learn from experienced ACT tutors

✓ Master proven test-taking strategies

✓ Receive regular progress assessments

Book your free trial lesson with Wiingy today and take the first step toward your dream ACT score.

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