The ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in:
- English (grammar)
- Math
- Reading (passages and comprehension)
- Science (charts and graphs)
The ACT Plus Writing includes the four subject area tests plus a 30-minute Writing Test.
The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, including a short break (or just over four hours if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing). Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 30 minutes if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing).
The ACT is administered on six test dates throughout the school year, typically September to June.
If you’re curious how the SAT and ACT scores compare to each other, here is a handy chart that examines the relationship between the test scores.
http://www.act.org/solutions/college-career-readiness/compare-act-sat/#.UIB6OcU8CSo
Students who are registered to take the ACT should get more familiar with the test sections and format.
Advice for the English section (grammar): http://www.universitylanguage.com/guides/act-english/
4 Science Tips that will boost your score: http://testprep.about.com/od/actscience/tp/ACT_Science_Tricks.htm
Strategies for the Math section of the ACT: http://www.sparknotes.com/testprep/books/act/chapter9.rhtml
Test Prep by the creators of the test: http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/
Of course, students should prepare for the ACT or SAT, the one test they’ve chosen to apply to colleges. They can chose a classroom setting review course, such as Testmasters or Princeton Review, or private tutoring, one-on-one with a test prep expert. More information about private tutoring here.
SAT scores compared to each college’s averages
