Taking the ACT is a life-changing endeavor. Good ACT scores mean admission to the college of your choice, free money for college, and many other benefits. That sounds daunting and exciting at the same time. There is actually no “fail” on the ACT, but you do have to meet a certain standard, and that is the required score from your target colleges. Now, you may be wondering how to study for the ACT. Here are some tips.

  1. Start your ACT test preparation early. Time is of the essence when studying for the ACT. Do not be too complacent thinking that it is easy to pass the exam because you have taken your subjects in school. Remember that studying for months is necessary for important tests like the ACT. Depending on your benchmark score, you may consider a 1-month, 2-month, or 3-month ACT study program.
  2. Determine your starting score. Get an official ACT practice test from a reputable book or online resource. Take the test without studying, including the optional Essay section. The score you get from this initial test is your benchmark score. From here, you can gauge how many points you have to work on to improve, or if you’re already on par. Then, you set a preparation time frame for the corresponding test according to your target score.
  3. Decide your goal. Is a score of 29 what you’re looking for on the ACT? Maybe it’s a 33. Or maybe you want to increase your Science test score by 6 points. Therefore, you need to set a goal related to these, and when you do, make sure your goal is “SMAART” meaning Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Action-Oriented, Results-Oriented, and Phased. temporary. For example, you may decide to study for 3 days a week for 3 months so that you can get an ACT score of 33 when you take the test in June.
  4. Learn the basics of the ACT. Don’t be fooled by what you’ll see on the ACT. You don’t want to be clueless about it. Otherwise, you could suffer from test anxiety. Stay informed about the topics covered by the ACT, which are English, math, reading, and scientific reasoning. There is also an optional writing test. The items you will come across are multiple choice questions. At the same time, consider what a good ACT score is and how to register for the test.
  5. Be aware of test preparation options you might consider. Evaluate the study programs that are available to you. Do you want to try the preparation in a tutoring center? Perhaps you are choosing to join a class. Do you think that studying with books is more feasible? If you’re having trouble concentrating, you can choose to study with the ACT apps or an online study guide.
  6. Create and stick to your study schedule. You have to optimize your preparation for the ACT test, and that means spending as much time as you can. If you want to study less time every day, you should start your preparation earlier. Be sure to take advantage of your study time between your Snap Chat hours or reality shows. In a nutshell, learn to manage your time when preparing for the ACT.
  7. Improve your test taking skills by taking practice tests. Take as many as possible because taking practice tests is one of the most effective study techniques. This fact is supported by research. Whether you study with an ACT book or an online ACT test prep program, build practice tests into your schedule.

These tips on how to study for the ACT are easy and practical. Don’t complicate your academic career by studying for said exam at the last minute because the early bird gets all the benefits!