How to Study for the ACT
To study for the ACT, start preparing several months in advance and set aside a little time every day to go over your materials. Try to focus on one of the test's 4 main topics—math, English, writing, and science—at a time. Once you've studied each topic thoroughly, spend some time targeting any topics that are particularly hard for you. Use materials like ACT study guides and practice test workbooks to help you prepare for the big day!
Be aware of the differences between the ACT and SAT. You might assume they are interchangeable because college-bound students usually take one or the other (or both), and because they are both largely multiple-choice, but they are indeed different in focus. The ACT is an achievement test, meant to measure what you learned in school, is longer (with 5 sections), and is completely multiple choice except for the optional writing test. You are not penalized for wrong answers. The SAT is an aptitude test, meant to determine your reasoning and verbal abilities. It has three sections, including a required writing component. It formerly penalized wrong answers, but no longer does so. Realize that preparation is essential. More so than an IQ test or perhaps even the SAT, the ACT, because it focuses on what you've learned, is conducive to intensive preparation. The more targeted learning and studying you do beforehand, the more likely you are to score well. Some experts suggest that you should prepare consistently for 6 months before taking the ACT. Know the format of the English section. This is one of the four sections of the ACT, along with Reading, Math, and Science, all of which are multiple choice. You also have the option to add the Writing section, which requires an essay. The description of this section of the test as well as the others (along with sample questions) draw from the official ACT website. You are given 45 minutes to complete the 75 questions in the English section, which focuses on standard writing usage and rhetorical skills. It includes 5 essays or passages, with a set of questions that refer to that passage. The question breakdown is as follows: punctuation (10-15% of questions), grammar (15-20%), sentence structure (20-25%), rhetorical strategy (15-20%), organization (10-15%), style (15-20%). Sample questions, based on the excerpt of the following passage: "I grew up with buckets, shovels, and nets (1)__waiting by the back door__; hip-waders hanging in the closet; tide table charts covering the refrigerator door; and a microscope (2)__was sitting__ on the kitchen table...."; Q1) A. NO CHANGE; B. waiting, by the back door,; C. waiting by the back door,; D. waiting by the back door; Q2) F. NO CHANGE; G. would sit; H. sitting; J. sat Know the format of the Reading section. You have 35 minutes to complete its 40 questions, where the focus is on reading comprehension. It includes four reading subsections, each with either one or two passages to read, followed by questions based on the readings. Each of the following topics are covered in one (and only one) of the reading subsections: Social Studies, Natural Sciences, Literary Narrative / Prose Fiction, and Humanities. The focus is on understanding what is directly stated (main ideas, main details, event sequences) and what is implied (cause-and-effect, context, narrative voice) in the readings. Sample Question 1 (reading passage excluded for space reasons): The fourth paragraph (lines 31-37) establishes all of the following EXCEPT: F. that Abshu had foster brothers.; G. that the Masons maintained a clean house.; H. how Mother Mason felt about the location of their house.; J. what Abshu remembered most about his years with the Masons. Sample Question 2: It can reasonably be inferred that which of the following characters from the passage lives according to Abshu's definition of a life fully lived? A. Mother Mason; B. Father Mason; C. Abshu as a child; D. Abshu as an adult Know the format of the Mathematics section. Here, you have 60 minutes to answer 60 questions that emphasize math skills typically taught before 12th grade. The questions breakdown is as follows: pre-algebra (20-25% of questions), elementary algebra (15-20%), intermediate algebra (15-20%), coordinate geometry (15-20%), plane geometry (20-25%), trigonometry (5-10%). You need to have basic mathematical formulas memorized and basic computational skills to complete the section. Sample Question 1: A car averages 27 miles per gallon. If gas costs $4.04 per gallon, which of the following is closest to how much the gas would cost for this car to travel 2,727 typical miles A. $ 44.44; B. $109.08; C. $118.80; D. $408.04; E. $444.40 Sample Question 2: What is the value of x when 2x + 3 = 3x – 4 ? A. –7; B. negative one fifth; C.  1; D. one fifth; E.  7 Know the format of the Science section. During the 35 minutes available, you will answer 40 questions focused on interpretation and problem solving utilizing the natural sciences. The test presents multiple sets of scientific information in one of the following forms: data representation (charts, graphs, etc.) [30-40% of questions]; research summaries (45-55%); conflicting viewpoints (15-20%). Multiple choice questions follow each set. From the information provided, you need to be able to make generalizations, draw conclusions, and make predictions. Sample Question 1 (reading passage excluded for space reasons): According to the information provided, which of the following descriptions of Europa would be accepted by both scientists? F. Europa has a larger diameter than does Jupiter.; G. Europa has a surface made of rocky material.; H. Europa has a surface temperature of 20°C.; J. Europa is completely covered by a layer of ice. Sample Question 2: With which of the following statements about the conditions on Europa or the evolution of Europa's surface would both Scientist 1 and Scientist 2 most likely agree? The surface of Europa: A. is being shaped by the movement of ice.; B. is covered with millions of meteorite craters.; C. is the same temperature as the surface of the Arctic Ocean on Earth.; D. has remained unchanged for millions of years. Know the format of the optional Writing section. If you choose to take this part of the test, you will have 30 minutes to write an essay on a given topic in order to demonstrate your composition skills. The writing prompt is meant to be an issue relevant to high school students, and will ask you to write about your perspective on the issue. Sample Writing Prompt: Educators debate extending high school to five years because of increasing demands on students from employers and colleges to participate in extracurricular activities and community service in addition to having high grades. Some educators support extending high school to five years because they think students need more time to achieve all that is expected of them. Other educators do not support extending high school to five years because they think students would lose interest in school and attendance would drop in the fifth year. In your opinion, should high school be extended to five years? In your essay, take a position on this question. You may write about either one of the two points of view given, or you may present a different point of view on this question. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position. Acquire study guides and practice tests. There are numerous ACT preparation guides and practice test workbooks and websites available, most of which must be purchased of course; you can also find free resources as well, though. The official ACT website offers official prep tests and a printed prep guide for purchase. If you're looking for free help, if also offers practice questions and a free “Question of the Day”. Find your studying groove. Set aside a specific time each day for ACT prep, starting well ahead of time (perhaps up to six months ahead of test day). Try to replicate the test conditions while you prepare. Find a quiet place (try playing classical music if total silence bothers you) and use a desk/table and chair. You won't be sitting on a couch when you take the test. Focus on one subject at a time. Perhaps do one topic per day. You will be answering questions one subject at a time, after all. Target your weak spots. You want to be ready for all parts of the exam, but it you struggle with math more than the other sections, for example, dedicate more time to it. Focus a little extra study time and a few more practice tests on it. Don't give up on a section in which you struggle. Even being able to give more educated guesses will help -- remember, you are not penalized for guessing on the ACT. Some experts contend that the ACT has a more challenging math component, while the SAT has a more challenging vocabulary component. So, if you are comparatively strong or weak in one of those areas, and have the option of taking either test, you may want to consider switching from one to the other -- or taking both. Take practice tests regularly. For most people, the best way to prepare is to take practice tests -- lots of them. Take practice tests specific to the ACT so you can study and get comfortable with the format at the same time. Try timing yourself when you take a practice test section (perhaps do one section a day). If you don't finish within the test time limit, keep going until you do finish to give yourself a better idea of how much time you need to shave off your test-taking for the real deal. As the test day approaches, try taking your practice tests at the same time of day as you will take the real test. Prepare your mind and body for test time. Employ testing-day strategies while taking practice tests. Practice these maneuvers until they are like a reflex, so you won't have to stop and think about doing them on test day. Keep close track of time. Be rigid. Use a timer. There is no wiggle room on test day. Skip over difficult questions. If you don't understand or know the answer to a question almost immediately, leave it for the end of the test time. But make sure you leave time to at least guess on blank questions at the end. Remember, there is no penalty for wrong answers, and you'll probably luck out and get a few right by guessing. Practice your neatness. This may sound silly, but you need to be able to fill in the multiple-choice bubbles neatly and completely to ensure that your answers are properly recorded by the scoring machine. Use a pencil for your practice exams and train yourself to fill in bubble sheets quickly but neatly. Find some extra bubble sheets and practice just your technique on those if necessary. If you finish practice sections early, make use of the extra time to go over answers and tidy up your bubble-sheet filling. You won't be able to move ahead to the next section on test day, or do anything else but wait for the time to expire, so get in the habit of maximizing every second you have on each section. Maximize your math preparation. The math section focuses on the use of reasoning skills to solve practical problems, requiring knowledge of basic formulas and computational skills. Complex formulas and extensive computation are not included. You may use an approved calculator, but check the official calculator policy before test day. You are not provided with the formulas you will need to use to answer the questions, so memorize essential trigonometry, algebra, and geometry formulas. (Calculus is not included on the exam, and trig coverage is limited.) Consider using flashcards to help you memorize the formulas. Prepare for introductory algebra elements such as variables, polynomials, quadratic equations, and factoring. Study also more advanced algebra concepts such as quadratic formulas, fractional coefficients, and equations involving radicals. Know essential coordinate geometry equations for slope, distance, midpoint, parallel and perpendicular lines, conics, and so on. Also prepare for plane geometry topics such as angles, perimeter, plane figures, area, surface area, and volume, etc. Energize your English skills. This section tests on mechanics such as punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure, along with rhetorical skills (strategy, organization, and style). You are not tested on vocabulary, spelling, or rote recall of grammar rules. The 75 questions in this section are grouped into five provided essays or reading passages. Some questions will refer directly to underlined portions of the passage; others refer to the entire passage. Often you will be given options on changing an underlined phrase to improve the mechanics or style, usually with a “no change” option as well. Make sure you are particularly adept at the placement of commas, colons, semi-colons, and dashes. Noun-pronoun agreement is another area upon which to focus, especially because these rules are often ignored in everyday usage. For instance, we might commonly say “The team needs to get their equipment loaded on the bus,” while it should be “its equipment” because team is a singular noun. Be ready for reading. The reading section specifically examines your reading comprehension skills by way of four reading passage sections (each with one longer or two shorter passages), each followed by multiple-choice questions that test your ability to understand the passage(s). Often the test presents the subject matter of the passages in the same order: prose fiction, social science, humanities, and natural science. Therefore, skim through the sections before beginning the test and work from your strongest to weakest subjects. Do the same as you prepare. You may also want to practice reading the questions first before the passage(s), to give you a better idea of what to prioritize when reading. Recalling specific facts from the passage(s) is typically not essential. Rather, you need to be able to quickly understand big-picture concepts. Chart a course through the science section. This section assumes coursework in Earth/physical sciences and biology, and emphasizes interpretation, evaluation, and problem-solving skills. Calculators are not permitted, nor are they needed. This section essentially tests you on your science reading comprehension. It presents scientific information in one of three forms (see below) and asks several multiple choice questions pertaining to each presentation. Data representation sets contain charts, graphs, and/or tables. Make sure you are adept at interpreting such data -- you may want to practice making charts, etc. as part of your studying. Research summary sets provide descriptions of related experiments and ask you to develop hypotheses and/or draw conclusions. Thus again, reading comprehension is critical. Conflicting viewpoint sets ask you to analyze and evaluate inconsistencies in related hypotheses. As per an example on the official website, short passages by two scientists who disagree on the existence of liquid water on Jupiter's moon Europa are followed by questions that require you to understand each argument and draw conclusions regarding areas of agreement and disagreement. Be ready to write. If you choose to take the optional writing test, you will be asked to write a single essay that demonstrates skills emphasized in high school English classes and introductory college composition courses. Two points of view will be presented on a topic, and you will then write on the issue, taking one side or the other or staking out a third position. Your point of view is irrelevant; your skill in writing an effective, persuasive essay is very relevant. Generally speaking, you will want to employ the five paragraph essay format -- an introduction, three paragraphs of supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Make your introduction brief, as there is no time to waste. Present a clear, concise thesis statement that lays out your position. Provide supporting evidence for your position in the three main body paragraphs. Utilize specifics from the question prompt to indicate your reading comprehension skills. It is often advised to raise and rebut a contradictory viewpoint to yours in at least one of the paragraphs. Make your conclusion even more brief than the introduction; use it to summarize and restate your interpretation. Prepare by regularly drafting practice essays, and consider asking teachers or other effective writers to critique your work. Look into How to Write an Essay Outline and How to Answer a Writing Prompt as well. Pick up some tricks of the trade from test takers and tutors. Ask people who have recently taken the test for insights on what was covered and not covered, for example. Don't expect your test to be exactly the same, but it can help prepare you for patterns you may find. For example, in each section: Math: Brush up on SOH CAH TOA. This method of remembering sine ( = opposite over hypotenuse), cosine ( = adjacent over hypotenuse), and tangent ( = opposite over adjacent) in trigonometry seems to frequently be a useful way to earn a few points on the math section. English: Study comma placement rules. ACT test-makers seem to have a thing for commas, as comma questions appear with regularity on the test. Usually the correct comma placement is no comma, it seems, so that might be your default answer when you're not sure. Reading: Write in your test booklet. There's no rule against this. Underline, star, or otherwise note significant parts of each passage. The focus is on comprehension and interpretation, so practice "gutting" short readings by quickly identifying their main focus, interpretive elements, and so on. Science: Play a matching game. On the ACT, the Science section is very similar to the Reading one, just with all science topics in the readings. One way to avoid falling for a "trick" answer to a question is to read the question and try to answer it in your own words without looking at the answer options. Then, see which option best matches your answer. Writing: Write what they're looking for. You can't write a perfect essay in 30 minutes, so don't try. Focus on presenting a clear argument with clear evidence in a clear, concise manner. Clear enough? Test scorers look for 1) Positioning (strength of your stance on the topic); 2) Examples (use of relevant supporting evidence); 3) Organization (effective paragraph and overall structure); 4) Language Command (sentence structure, grammar, word choice). Practice writing as little as possible while achieving these goals. Don't try to cram. If it hasn't been made clear already, you cannot successfully prepare for the ACT the night (or even week) before. If you have been preparing long and hard, resist the urge to do a final cram the night before. You're more likely to fry your brain and hurt your results on test day. Trust your preparation over the long term. Keep yourself occupied. Yes, the test is important for your future, but try not to obsess over it. Stimulate your mind and body to keep both sharp for test day and to take a breather from test preparation. Exercise is good for the body and mind, and thus a beneficial distraction. It will help keep you energized as your approach test day. It is not a waste of brainpower to think about or work on non-ACT ideas or projects. Indeed, they will help keep your mind stimulated and ready for action on test day. Eat and sleep. Good nutrition and sufficient sleep during preparation and leading up to test day will benefit you far more than sacrificing one or both in the name of a little more study time. Be ready to roll on test day. Know where you need to be, when you need to be there, and what you need to bring (ID, pencils, approved calculator, etc.) well beforehand. For more detailed information on preparation just before test day and strategies for test day itself, see How to Ace the ACT. 
Be aware of the differences between the ACT and SAT. Realize that preparation is essential. Know the format of the English section. Know the format of the Reading section. Know the format of the Mathematics section. Know the format of the Science section. Know the format of the optional Writing section. Acquire study guides and practice tests. Find your studying groove. Target your weak spots. Take practice tests regularly. Employ testing-day strategies while taking practice tests. Maximize your math preparation. Energize your English skills. Be ready for reading. Chart a course through the science section. Be ready to write. Pick up some tricks of the trade from test takers and tutors. Don't try to cram. Keep yourself occupied. Eat and sleep. Be ready to roll on test day. 