Princeton Review - ACT Elite 36. Elite Prep for Advanced Students

The pursuit of a perfect or near-perfect ACT score is an impressive goal. Achieving that goal requires a thorough command of the material and strategies specific to the ACT. To begin your quest, know everything you can about the test. This chapter presents an overview of the ACT, advice about when to take it, and how to report your scores.

So you think you can dance, ahem, score a 34 or better? Were all for it. The Princeton Review supports all students who want to do their best. Weve written this book specifically for students who are in a position to score at the very highest levels. We believe that to achieve a perfect or near-perfect score, you have to know as much as possible about the test itself and more importantly, know yourself.

You may be familiar with many of the basic facts about the ACT already, but even if you think you are, we encourage you to read through the following to be sure you know every single thing you can about the test youre going to conquer.

All of the content review and strategies we teach in the following lessons are based on the specific structure and format of the ACT. Before you can beat this test, you have to know how its built.

The ACT consists of four multiple-choice, timed tests: English, Math, Reading, and Science, always given in that order. The ACT Plus Writing also includes an essay, with the Writing Test given after the Science Test. (ACT calls them tests, but we may also use the term sections in this book to avoid confusion.)

The 5 tests are always given in the same order.

Youll earn one ACT score (1 to 36) on each test (English, Math, Reading, Science) and a composite ACT score, which is an average of these four tests. Usually, when people ask about your score, theyre referring to your composite ACT score. The composite score falls between 1 and 36. The national average is about 21.

If, for example, you scored 31 on the English, 30 on the Math, 29 on the Reading and 30 on the Science, your composite ACT score would be 30.

Students receive subscores in English, Math, and Reading that range between 1 and 18. These scores provide you with more detail about your performance, but they are not actually used by colleges or universities.

The ACT includes an optional essay, known as the writing test. If you take the writing test, you will receive a writing test subscore and a combined English/ writing score. Visit www.ACT.org for detailed information about how your ACT writing test will be scored.

Whether you look at your score online or wait to get it in the mail, the biggest number on the page is always the composite. While admissions offices will certainly see the individual scores of all five tests (and their subscores), schools will use the composite to evaluate your application, and thats why in the end its the only one that matters.

The composite is an average. When youre shooting for a 34 or higher, you need the best performance from both your strengths and weaknesses. You cant neglect your strengths and focus all your time on your weaknesses. In , well discuss in more detail how to think about the scores on the four multiple-choice tests and how to set your goals for your score.

The higher your strongest scores, the less pressure on your weaker scores. While you cant afford for your weaknesses to drag the composite too far down, its easier to earn a perfect score on your best subjects than it is to earn a perfect score on your weakest subjects.

Thus, when you divide your time among the four subjects, focus as much time and effort on your strengthsif not moreas you spend on your weaknesses.