Taking the ACT assessment test is one of the most important – and stressful – things you’ll do when applying to college. While your ACT score is a big factor in getting admitted to some colleges, taking the test doesn’t have to be painful. Taking an ACT prep course or working with one of the many ACT prep guides on the market can reduce your stress level considerably.
Why prepare for the ACT test? After all, it’s just another standardized test form, right? Well, yes and no. While the ACT examination does resemble some of the standardized tests that you’ve taken in high school, it has some major differences too. A good ACT test prep course will introduce you to these differences and give you a good idea about what to expect.
For example, taking an ACT practice exam will show you what the test format will be like. Knowing what the ACT test looks like and how it’s set up immediately reduces your stress, since you’ll know what to expect ahead of time. You’ll also get a good idea of what kinds of questions you’ll be asked and how long you’ll have each specific parts of the test. Just knowing what you’ll be facing on the exam is a great help.
So where can you find an ACT prep course? Head to your local bookstore to start. You’ll find a number of books on ACT test prep, from a number of different companies. The two main names in ACT prep are Kaplan and the Princeton Review. Both offer books, websites, and computer programs to help you prepare for the tests. You'll also find a number of other companies offering study guides, so take the time to look through them to pick the one that's right for you.
What exactly will these study guides help you with? Well, in addition to getting to know the format of the test, each prep course will help you with the four basic sections of the ACT assessment:
The English prep materials will introduce you to analogies, vocabulary lists, and other standard ACT English section questions. The writers of both the Kaplan and the Princeton Review books have looked over old versions of the ACT (the test changes often) and have a list of the more popular vocabulary words. Learning the definition of all of these words will give you a big advantage.
The reading section will include various sample passages and paragraphs for you to read. The study guides will cover popular questions and teach you how to quickly skim the passages looking for the answers to the questions asked.
In math, you’ll get an idea of the formulas and types of math skills you’ll need. You're allowed to use a basic calculator on the ACT, so the prep courses will focus more on which formulas and question types you’ll need to know rather than on doing the actual math.
Finally, the science section of an ACT prep course will focus on how to read the charts and graphs you’ll be given. These can be confusing, but once you read over several of them and read the hints the prep courses offer, the information presented will become much clearer.
An ACT study guide, as you can see, is one of the most valuable tools in helping you achieve the ACT score you want. While you might be tempted to pass up Kaplan, the Princeton Review, or one of the other courses, you really shouldn’t miss the hints and tips these ACT courses can give you. Using an ACT study guide will help you develop test taking strategies and will make you feel more comfortable on exam day.
