act test dates 2024-2025

curious about act 2024-2025 test dates? here’s the act schedule for 2024-2025 so you can find the next act test date that fits your planner! unfortunately, none of the 2024-2025 tests will be available as act at-home tests. it’s not clear whether act still plans to roll out this option, which was announced in 2020.

* act national test dates exclude new york and international locations.

act registration and fees

you’ll register for the act on act’s website. the act costs $69 without writing and $94 with writing. late registration (after the official act sign up dates) is $38. standby testing is $69 (but can be refunded under certain circumstances). to change the date or center, it’s $44. score reports to more than four colleges cost $19 for the fifth and sixth, then $19 each. to get your test information released (a copy of your questions and answers), you’ll need to pay $32 if the order is placed before the test begins, and $40 after.

faqs about act test dates and locations

now that you’ve read our guide, you may still have some questions. here are our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions!

the post act test dates 2024-2025: how to pick the best date for you appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

once you’ve checked out the chart, learn more about how to take your raw act score and convert it into an official composite act score on the 1 to 36 point scale.

the chart below presents the raw scores on act tests 1-4 (english, mathematics, reading, and science), with their equivalent scaled scores in the right-most columns.

raw act scores and scaled act scores

source

important vocabulary

act raw score: the number of questions you answered correctly in the section. for example: if you answer 55 questions correctly on the act english test, then your raw score for act english is 55.

act scaled score: the score that you get on each section of the act test after your raw score is scaled. your scaled score ranges from 1-36, with 36 being the highest possible score on a section. for example, if you answer 55 questions correctly on the act english test, then your scaled score for act english is 24.

act composite score: the average of your four scaled scores (english, math, reading, and science). the highest possible composite score is 36.

how to use this act raw score conversion chart

what do you need to do to figure out your act score based on your raw score? follow this process:

• take an 2022世界杯入门名单 (when you get your official act results, this conversion is provided for you)
• add up the number of questions you answered correctly in each section; this is your raw score
• take your raw english score and look at the act score chart to find your scaled score
• repeat for math
• repeat for reading
• repeat for science
• average your four scaled scores by adding them together and dividing by four. this is your act composite score!

here’s an example

let’s say you took a practice test and you got the following scores:

not bad! in this case your act composite score is 32. (related: what is a good act score?)

when to use this act raw score conversion chart

when prepping for the act exam, it’s important to take at least one (or hopefully a few) full-length 2022世界杯入门名单s, which you can find on magoosh. we recommend finding a quiet spot, like the library or your room with the door closed, on a weekend when you don’t have a lot going on. you can time yourself (no cheating!) and try to recreate realistic test conditions as much as possible. not only will this help you get used to a long, grueling standardized test, but it will also help you perfect your timing and pacing strategies.

the trouble is, after you sit down for a 4+ hour exam, plus an extra 20-30 minutes of grading your own test, you’re left with a raw score. this is where the chart comes in. use the act raw score conversion chart to turn your raw score into a scaled score so that you can get a better idea of how well you might do on test day.

questions? let us know by leaving a comment below.

happy studying!

the post act raw score conversion chart appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

you know that a good sat or act score can open doors to scholarships, college admissions, and other honors. but if you’re like many students, you might be wondering if taking a long and expensive class or paying for a private tutor are the only ways you can get a high score. thankfully, with the technology that’s available today, quality test prep doesn’t have to be only for those who can afford it. read on to get our list of the best apps for free act and sat exam prep!

what are the best apps for free sat and act prep?

best for memorization: magoosh act and sat flashcards

act flashcards: apple store / google play
sat flashcards: apple store / google play

yeah, these are ours, so we are a little biased, but really, we think they’re great :).

act flashcards from magoosh were designed by experts on the test and updated for the latest content on the act. they cover the essential english, math, and science knowledge students need to know and are a confidence-boosting supplement to practice questions. our sat vocabulary and prep flashcards are similarly designed to cover sat vocabulary words, writing, and math concepts that you need to succeed on the exam.

the apps are built with a smart algorithm that adapts to you; once terms are mastered they are removed from the pool so you can focus on the concepts you still need to learn. your progress is synced across devices so you can switch between phone, ipad, and web for convenient studying wherever you are.

best for overall act and sat prep: khan academy

apple store / google play

khan academy’s slogan is free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere, and this makes it one of the best companies out there for no-cost learning. the khan academy’s official partnership with the college board for the redesigned sat means that it has significantly expanded its resources for sat prep. however, the best use of the khan academy app for act and sat prep is the general math video lessons covering all of the topics on these tests. so whether you need to brush up on ratios, complex numbers, or coordinate geometry, a quick video lesson on the khan academy app may be all you need to set you on the right path.

note: since college board’s study app, daily practice app, is no longer supported, college board recommends students use the khan academy app for comprehensive, free exam preparation.

best for sat writing/act english prep: the grading game

apple store

the grading game initially might seem like an oddball selection for act and sat prep, but the format of the game—which invites players to hunt down a wide range of errors within sample essays—is a great match for the format of the new sat writing and act english sections, which asks students to do the same thing. you can practice at a range of difficulty levels, and the ticking clock helps train your brain to find grammar, sentence structure, and style errors quickly and effectively.

best for act and sat math prep: math brain booster

apple store

the no-calculator section on the sat makes mental math an even more essential skill for the high-scoring student to master, but this app helps students with both act and sat prep. math brain booster improves your attention span, reaction time, and mental sharpness by challenging you to solve different arithmetical tasks within a time limit. it’s fun, streamlined, and very effective as a free exam preparation app.

want more free resources to boost your sat and act prep? check these links out for sat prep games to switch up your studying, a free sat practice test and a free 2022世界杯入门名单 to help you get ready for test day!
 

the post 4 best free apps for sat and act prep appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

when you’ve taken both the sat and the act, how do you know which scores you should send to schools or scholarship programs? 400 to 1600, 1 to 36…it really can feel like comparing apples to oranges. after all, how many “sat points” are one “act point”? but don’t let the different score scales throw you off! an act to sat conversion (and an sat to act conversion) is possible. in this post, we’ll take a look at how to compare your scores to find act/sat equivalents.

to answer the act to sat conversion question, we’ve created this act to sat and sat to act conversion tool!

enter your sat or act score here to find out the score conversion to the other test:

 loading…

 

(still deciding which test to take? remember that college admissions committees treat the sat as equivalent to the act and vice-versa. check out our ultimate guide to choosing the act or sat for everything you need to know about comparing the two tests, including act vs sat scores. or try an 2022世界杯入门名单 or an sat practice test and then come back to this post to see how your test scores compare!)

act to sat total score conversion

curious about how boosting your score on one test would change the act to sat score conversions? take a look at how all act scores stack up to sat scores with this act/sat conversion chart! hint: you can also type in your score into the search box to pull up the relevant line of converted act or sat scores.

as of 2019, the college board has noted: “the 2018 tables are now the only official concordance tables between the act and the sat and should be used as the single source of reference when comparing scores on the two tests.” in other words, discard the old (2016) tables—this is what you should be looking at!

check out how students have improved their scores using magoosh sat and magoosh act and schedule your next sat test date or act test date by clicking on these links to get your complete guides to choosing the right ones for you!

previous act to sat scores converter table

wondering how your act scores stack up to “old” (pre-2016) sat scores on the 600-2400 scale? take a look at the table for the old sat to act conversion! (note that this chart uses the sat to act score conversion based on the current act concordance tables from 2018.)

old sat to act score comparison

sat concordance tables

wondering what your post-2016 scores “translate” to on the old scale? we have you covered! here are the concordance tables for the old sat to new sat scores (composite).

new sat scores to old sat scores (composite)

what next?

now that you know what your scores mean in relationship to one another (including old sat scores to act scores), you can plan for the future! first, determine what test you did better on with the above act to sat comparisons. if you’re happy with your scores, it’s a great time to send either your act scores or sat scores to colleges. you can also use those links to find how to check sat scores and act scores and take a deeper look at the act compared to the sat.

on the other hand, if you’re still looking to get your scores even higher, take a look at our tips for further standardized test prep: retaking the act or retaking the sat. as you proceed, remember you can bookmark this page for sat/act concordance information to check how your future sat scores compared to act scores stack up!

need more help?

with magoosh act, you can choose between a live cohorted class with an instructor (which includes all our lessons and practice questions) or access to the self-study option by itself.

the post act to sat conversion chart and calculator – convert your score appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

so you have one month until your act test date, and you are ready to commit to some serious studying. you’re aiming for scores that demonstrate your highest potential—average act scores just won’t cut it.

sound like you? then check out the one month act study plan below! if you follow this plan, by the time you walk into the testing center, you will have completed six full act tests and hundreds of additional practice questions—that’s some pretty good prep under your belt!

(if you have more or less than one month to prepare, we have other act study schedules as well, ranging from three months all the way to one week before the big day!)

table of contents

• materials and resources
• how this study plan is organized
• the act one month study plan
  • week 1
  • week 2
  • week 3
  • week 4
• additional resources

materials and resources

• magoosh act premium account
• official act website
• preparing for the act guide (free online)
• the official act prep guide (go get it from a bookstore or library if you don’t have it already).
• the magoosh act blog (you’re here right now)!
• act flashcards from magoosh
• act lessons app
• magoosh free act ebook

how this study plan is organized

this schedule assumes that you have at least 3 days a week to devote to your study and about 2-3.5 hours on each of these days (2-4.0 hours if you’re preparing for the essay). it also assumes that you will be able to set aside 4 to 4.5 hours on a couple of weekends for a practice test, plus some review time. hopefully, this is a manageable amount of study time balanced with your schoolwork and activities.

note: if you are taking the test with extra time, you’ll need to build in more time based on whether you have received time-and-a-half or double time/multi-day testing.

if it seems like too much, you can adjust the plan to focus primarily on reviewing your weaknesses and taking practice sections, or you can divide each day between two days, so that you are doing about an hour to an hour and a half of prep a day. if you are unable to set aside a 4-5 hour chunk of time on the weekend, you can split this up into two sessions. it’s not ideal, but it is certainly better than nothing.

each week, there are 3 things to do, along with some optional practice suggestions:

magoosh lessons

watch our lesson videos for strategy and background information. if you’re completely comfortable with a topic already (for example, with triangle properties), you might want to skip through a lesson quickly. that’s all right, to an extent, but never pass over a lesson completely because there might be very helpful tips and tricks you didn’t know.

magoosh practice

click the “practice” tab at the top of the page from within your magoosh account, and you can customize a practice session that contains the topics mentioned for each week. for each and every question you get wrong, watch the explanation video. this is the most important part of your preparation—you need to isolate where you make mistakes and learn how to avoid them.

practice test

one day a week, you’ll need either approximately 1.5 to 2 hours (for a half test) or 3.5 hours (for a full-length practice test) using the official released act tests or magoosh tests. this is massively important for building up your stamina. the act is a marathon—you need to train to feel comfortable taking such a long test.

optional practice

throughout the schedule, we’ll link to act blog posts and additional videos that will provide you with additional test tips and strategy advice. they’re a great supplement to the lesson videos.
you will also see links to short quizzes at the bottom of some lesson groups; these will help you practice specific concepts and skills.

the act one month study plan

a quick note: to make this plan as easy as possible to navigate, we have hidden the content of each day, so that you can see it when you’re ready for it. just click on a given day to see the corresponding tasks and click the heading again to hide them when you’re done!

week 1

week 2

week 3

week 4

additional resources

these materials aren’t required to use this study guide, but are very helpful and highly recommended!

act study guide

if you’re looking for a little more help as you use this schedule, check out our act study guide. it includes additional resources to accompany this one month study schedule, including a printable study calendar and printable checkpoints to help you track your progress.

2022世界杯入门名单

need an extra practice test to help with pacing and endurance? magoosh’s full-length practice act features over 200 of our premium questions in printable, pdf form. take it like you would any other timed practice test, then watch the explanation videos for the questions you missed.

conclusion

well, there you have it: how to study for the act in one month! if you read through the entire guide in one sitting—or even if you just skimmed it—and you find yourself overwhelmed with all the information, don’t be! remember that magoosh’s one month act study plan is designed for you to dedicate a couple of hours during the four days a week you set aside for act prep.

just focus on taking the plan day by day and you’ll find that the lessons are easier to manage than you might have thought. studying for the act in one month may seem like a tall order, but if you follow this plan as closely as possible, you’ll be sure to get the act scores of your dreams!

questions? comments? leave them below and someone on our team will respond asap!

the post one month act study schedule appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

retaking the act? you’re not alone—lots of test-takers find that after their first official exam, they want different results. but the reality is most students sign up for an act retake and do exactly the same thing over again. it’s time to learn from the experience! let’s do some soul-searching about how to study for an act retake.

are you wondering how to retake the act? you need to focus on all aspects of the testing experience. this means evaluating your previous preparation–academically, strategically, mentally, and physically–and knowing which areas you need to improve to get a better score. by assessing all of the key areas, you’ll have a much better chance of giving the act the one-two (three-four) punch on your retake and avoid the frustration of the same old result.

how to prepare for an act retake

1. brush up on your weaknesses…

as soon as you can, write down everything you remember about the question types you struggled with on the act.  did you want to kick yourself when you couldn’t remember your trig identities? did you spend too much time reading (and rereading) a passage and then ran out of time to answer the questions?

as you continue to practice for your retake, keep a running list of your weak areas so you can practice them more. writing them down is crucial. it keeps you accountable and ensures you have a game plan for your studying.

if you haven’t done so already, i suggest going through these lists of what to study for the act english, math, reading, science, and writing sections. don’t fall prey to unfamiliar questions again. it’s okay if you are still weak in certain areas, but knowing your strengths and weaknesses is half the battle: this is how you know when to tackle problems and when to take a guess and move on.

2. …but capitalize on your strengths

each question counts exactly the same. so if you are really good at a certain type of question, make sure you practice these too so you can nab as many points on them as possible. particularly if you’re retaking the entire exam, you should be very careful to not brush up only on your weaknesses when you study for a retake.

i’ve seen countless students be disappointed by their overall score when they see their weak section scores go up, but their strong section scores go down. but the act has recognized this is a problem. and with that in mind, they’ve come out with some exciting news!

as of september 2020, the act will allow you to retake individual sections, rather than the test as a whole! this is great news if you’re struggling with an individual subject but don’t want to risk lowering your score in other sections.

3. use the incredibly helpful test information release service

if you took a december, april, or june test, i highly suggest you order the test information release service if you have the time to wait for the report.

this service provides you with a booklet of all the questions and your answers on the act, so you can see exactly which questions you missed that you can use as you figure out how to study for an act retake, providing you with extremely useful data about why you ran into trouble.

4. define your goals for the retake

after you receive your act scores, make a plan. do you want to increase your score by 2 points? 10 points? do you want to remember to relax and breathe so you can think of a good response on the essay section? write down a concrete list of your goals for your retake and a timeline and plan of attack for accomplishing them.

as you make this list, consider what your goals are for each section. remember, sectional retakes will be a possibility after september 2020!

finally, if you are targeting certain colleges, make sure you know the act score ranges of admitted students, so you know what you are aiming for and make sure you have the time and resources you need to accomplish this gain.

5. determine your retake study method

it’s time to be honest with yourself about how you study best to figure out how to study for an act retake successfully. there are a few main categories of test preparation:

1. self study (or guided self study like our one month act study plan or act streaks schedule!)
2. classes
3. tutoring

everyone learns differently. evaluate how you studied the first time and ask yourself if it was best suited to your needs. do you need a class that will hold you accountable for your homework? would self study fit better with your busy schedule? do you need a tutor who can help you with stress management? could you benefit from a combination of all of these methods? now’s the time to make a change and give yourself a fighting chance on your act retake.

6. use score choice

being strategic in your preparation also means keeping in mind the bigger picture. many colleges allow you to choose which composite score you send, which is great because it puts you in control of what test report you send, taking the risk out of retaking the test. even better is what is popularly known as superscoring.

although it is more common with the sat than the act, some colleges will allow you to combine your highest section scores across test administrations. that means you can combine your best individual section scores into a super-awesome overall score. as you determine how to study for an act retake, considering using the superscore may provide you with an important tool to cut your study time down.

keep in mind that there are a handful of competitive schools out there that require you to send all of your scores. so if you are eyeballing these schools, make an effort to identify how many times you should retake the act.

7. prepare both mentally and physically

many students fall victim to test pressure and anxiety on the act, particularly the first time because it is a new experience. the second (or third or fourth) time you take the test, you will have a better idea of what to expect.

so now is the time to do some really great mental and physical preparation.  if you got tired or hungry or overwhelmed, your most important preparation may not be studying questions. instead, learning how to be healthy and manage stress may be the best thing you can do as you determine how to study for an act retake. snacks and sleep can make a world of difference.

and don’t forget that there is such a thing as too much act prep. some students are simply burned out on test prep. if this sounds like you, ask yourself if what you really need for your retake is a temporary break.

how to retake the act: a student’s perspective

for a firsthand account of how to study for an act retake, watch the embedded video below!

in “how to raise your act score: my retake tips” magoosh student, nikolai, explains how he took his act score from 24 to 33 over the course of several retakes.

the post how to study for an act retake appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

*for a refresher the day before the test!

so, you have one week until the act.

maybe this day has been circled on your calendar for months.

maybe it’s taped to your mirror along with a growing list of inspirational messages such as “you’ve got this,” “you’re a winner,” and “the area of a circle is pi r-squared.”

or maybe your mom just told you about the test.

whatever situation led you here today; it’s going to be ok. your inspirational post-it was right: you’ve got this. and we’re here to help!

one disclaimer that we just have to add here (we are educators, after all):
we don’t think that one week is enough time to fully prepare for the act and get the highest score you are capable of. but it is a reality for some students, so we want to help you make the most of your act test date. however, we highly suggest you spend 1-6 months (and maybe more) preparing for the act in order to get your best score. if you do have more time before the test, or are planning for a retake after this one, see our other study schedules for more long-term prep!

how to choose the right one week act study plan for you

the first step is to assess where you are at right now, and what is realistic for you to accomplish with only one week until the test date.

so first, i would like you to categorize yourself into one of the following groups, and then jump down to the study plan that is right for you.

student a: you haven’t studied for the act at all, but you’re ready to study now and make the most of the time you have before the test. follow our “one week act study schedule for newbies.”

student b: – either- you’ve been studying for the act a little bit, but other things got in the way and you’re not feeling like you did all the prep you could have done. you want to make sure you maximize the time you have left to focus on the concepts the act tests the most. -or- you’ve already taken the act once or twice, so you are familiar with the test, but you haven’t studied much (if at all) for a retake. you need to brush up quickly in order to improve your score. follow our “one week act study schedule for quick act score improvement”.

student c: you’ve been studying for the act, maybe for a few months. you feel like you’ve put plenty of time in, but now the test date is looming and you want to make sure you are really ready. like really ready. follow our “one week act study schedule for a last-minute act refresher.”

one week act study schedule for newbies

the important thing is that you are here now, and you still have a week before the exam. that may not sound like a lot, but there are plenty of things you can do this week to boost your confidence and your score before the big day.

time requirement

this schedule assumes that you have about 2 hours a day to devote to your studying (with the exception of the full practice test day, during which you’ll need 4-5 hours). hopefully, this is a manageable amount for one week of studying balanced with your schoolwork. if it is too much, you can adjust the plan to focus primarily on reviewing your weaknesses and taking practice sections. if it is too little, there are plenty of extra practice questions that will be left in magoosh act for you to add on an extra practice section or two a day.

materials

• magoosh act premium account
• magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (free online pdf)
• magoosh act blog
• magoosh act prep app (optional, but it will allow you to take your studying on the go!)

day 1

(sunday if you are taking a saturday test)

• familiarize yourself with the structure, timing, and strategies of the test. (30 minutes)
  • review the “meet the act”, “general act tips and strategies”, and “act scoring” sections of the free magoosh act ebook.
• take a diagnostic test (3.5 to 4 hours with breaks)
  • check out our full tips here for how to take an 2022世界杯入门名单!
    • use our list of free, full-length 2022世界杯入门名单s to find a high-quality practice test. i’m scheduling this practice for sunday because most students will likely have more time today than on a weekday when they are also in school, but if this is not the case, you can also move your practice test to day 2, 3, or 4, but not day 5 or 6. too close to the test and you will risk burning out.
    • if you are really struggling to find enough time in a day, you can split this practice test over two days. it’s not ideal, but doing two sections back to back will help you practice the endurance and mental gear shifting required by the act more than just doing one section at a time.
    • make sure that you can find a quiet space with no distractions. no tv, no internet, and no cell phone. make sure to notify people in your household that you are taking a practice test and hang a “do not disturb” sign on your door. even better, enlist a parent or other responsible family member to act as a proctor and come in to periodically announce “time’s up” for each section.
    • on the act, the essay section is optional. if you are taking the essay, make sure to plan and write a full practice essay in the allotted time. if you are not taking the essay, you can skip the essay on this practice test and the essay prep stuff below.
    • ask a parent, teacher, or literary older sibling or friend to read over your essay, provide you with feedback, and score it using the complete scoring rubric linked on this page.
• review your practice test. (30 minutes)
  • complete the following tasks as you review:
    • examine any time management issues you had. where did you run out of time and why? did you make sure to take a guess on every question? (remember there is no penalty for guessing on the act)
    • review every single question you got wrong and start keeping an error log. in your error log, list each question you got wrong, noting:
      • why you got it wrong
      • what the correct answer is
      • what you would do next time to avoid making the same mistake

day 2

• watch these essential strategy lesson videos from magoosh act on act.www.catharsisit.com or on our test prep app (available in the apple and android stores. (60 minutes)
  • science:
    • using key terms
    • pacing on the act science test
    • how to read the act science test
  • english:
    • all of the videos under the heading punctuation (punctuation is one of the most commonly tested subjects on the act english test)
• go to the practice tab on magoosh act, click “custom practice,” and answer 40 questions in either english or science, whichever section you feel least comfortable with. (25 minutes)
• update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

day 3

• watch these essential strategy lesson videos from magoosh act. (30 minutes)
  • reading:
    • approaching passages
    • wrong answers
    • basic strategies
• review the math concepts tested on the act math section. see the act math section of the magoosh act ebook or the act math page on the magoosh act blog for a list of math concepts tested on the act. use the magoosh act math lessons and your math book to brush up on concepts you have learned in school but are particularly fuzzy on. read this handy resource on math formulas to know as well: act math facts and formulas. (30-60 minutes)
• watch at least 5 magoosh math lessons on the topics you most need to review. there are a lot of math lesson videos in magoosh, and you only have a few days before the test, so we want you to focus on what you need to review the most on this section! (30-60 minutes) if you’re a magoosh student and need help determining what you should focus on, reach out to one of our expert tutors at help@www.catharsisit.com.

day 4

• watch these key magoosh act lesson videos. (60 minutes)
  • reading:
    • using key words
    • main idea
    • meaning of words
    • inference
  • math:
    • backsolving (word problems)
    • vics – picking numbers (algebra)
    • assumptions & estimation (geometry)
• complete 40 reading questions in magoosh by clicking on custom practice and choosing “reading” for the section. (35 minutes)

day 5

• watch these key magoosh act lesson videos. (60 minutes)
  • science:
    • understanding tables, graphs, and figures
    • finding trends and patterns
    • linking tables and graphs
    • the conflicting viewpoints passage
  • english:
    • all of the videos under the heading rhetorical strategy
• go to the the custom practice tab on magoosh and answer 40 questions in science. (35 minutes)
• continue to update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

for act writing test-takers:

• if you are taking the essay, review the information on the new act essay on the act student website if you didn’t already do so on day 1 and this blog post with strategy advice for the essay: the act essay. (15 minutes)
• click on “practice” and “practice test” in magoosh act and skip to the writing section. practice outlining the essay you see as you would on the real test. (5-10 minutes) if you are feeling ambitious and have time, practice writing the whole essay in the time limit!
• if you have time (or if writing is a weakness), there are additional lesson videos on the essay you can watch on magoosh act.

day 6

• complete a practice section of either your strongest section or weakest section on magoosh (click on “practice” and “practice test” and skip to the desired section). (35-60 minutes)
  • there are pros and cons to either approach. since your act is a composite score based on averaging all of your section scores, you can pull up your overall composite score by improving your score in a subject you are already good at. practicing your strongest section can also help you build confidence this close to the test. if you have one section that is dragging your other scores down though, your time might be better spent today doing extra practice on your weakest section.
  • if you are short on time, skip the practice! the most important thing you can do tonight is get a good night of sleep.
• review your error log and make yourself a “cheat sheet” of final reminders to review the morning of the exam. this can include things like “watch out for run-on sentences!” and “the area of a trapezoid is (base 1 + base 2)/2 * height.” (30 min) this youtube video can help you make a review sheet!
• review these last-minute test day tips: act tips for test day and pack your bag (15 min).

day 7

• it’s test day, which means no last minute prep! do some light exercise, eat a full breakfast, and give yourself plenty of time to get to the test center. don’t forget your #2 pencils, calculator, watch, drink, snack, admissions ticket, and photo id.
• review your list of last-minute pointers before you go into the testing center so you can walk into the test confident that you have put in the hard work and are ready to show it!

one week act study schedule for quick score improvement

if you have landed on this post because you have been studying for the act (or have already taken it once or twice), but are wondering what you can do in this last week before test day, that’s great! this is what we live for here at magoosh—helping students maximize their success! this study schedule can provide an excellent final refresher and review to make sure you have all your bases covered.

this plan assumes you are familiar with the act and have already taken a practice test, or the real thing, once or twice, so you won’t be taking a diagnostic test on this plan. if you haven’t taken an act test before, jump back up to the “one week act study plan for newbies.”

time requirement

this schedule assumes that you have about 2 hours a day to devote to your studying hopefully, this is a manageable amount for one week of studying balanced with your schoolwork. if it is too much, you can adjust the plan to focus primarily on reviewing your weaknesses and taking practice sections. if it is too little, there are plenty of extra questions that will be left in magoosh act for you to add on extra practice!

materials

• magoosh act premium account
• magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (free online pdf)
• magoosh act blog
• magoosh act prep app (optional, but it will allow you to take your studying on the go!)

a note on taking practice sections

whenever you are taking practice sections on this plan, follow these guidelines:

• make sure that you can find a quiet space with no distractions. no tv, no internet, and no cell phone. make sure to notify people in your household that you are taking a practice test and hang a “do not disturb” sign on your door. even better, enlist a parent or other responsible family member to act as a proctor and come in to periodically announce “time’s up” for each section.
• on the act, the essay section is optional. if you are taking the essay, make sure to plan and write a full practice essay in the allotted time. if you are not taking the essay, you can skip the essay on this practice test and the essay prep stuff below.
  • ask a parent, teacher, or literary older sibling or friend to read over your essay, provide you with feedback, and score it using the complete scoring rubric linked on this page.
• when reviewing your practice sections:
  • examine any time management issues you had. where did you run out of time and why? did you make sure to take a guess on every question? (remember there is no penalty for guessing on the act)
    review every single question you got wrong and keep an error log. in your error log, list each question you got wrong, noting:
    • why you got it wrong
    • what the correct answer is
    • what you would do next time to avoid making the same mistake
• check out our full tips here for how to take an 2022世界杯入门名单!

day 1

• watch these essential strategy lesson videos from magoosh act on act.www.catharsisit.com or on our test prep app (available in the apple and android stores. (60 minutes)
  • science:
    • using key terms
    • pacing on the act science test
    • how to read the act science test
  • english:
    • all of the videos under the heading punctuation (punctuation is one of the most commonly tested subjects on the act)
• complete the english test portion of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (page 3). (45 minutes)
• update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

day 2

• watch these essential strategy lesson videos from magoosh act. (30 minutes)
  • reading:
    • approaching passages
    • wrong answers
    • basic strategies
• review the math concepts tested on the act math section. see the act math section of the magoosh act ebook or the act math page on the magoosh act blog for a list of math concepts tested on the act. use the magoosh act math lessons and your math book to brush up on concepts you have learned in school but are particularly fuzzy on. read this handy resource on formulas to know as well: act math facts and formulas. (30-60 minutes)
• watch at least 5 magoosh math lessons on the topics you most need to review. there are a lot of math lesson videos in magoosh, and you only have a few days before the test, so we want you to focus on what you need to review the most on this section! (30-60 minutes) if you’re a magoosh student and need help determining what you should focus on, reach out to one of our expert tutors at help@www.catharsisit.com.

day 3

• watch these key magoosh act lesson videos. (60 minutes)
  • science:
    • understanding tables, graphs, and figures
    • finding trends and patterns
    • linking tables and graphs
    • the conflicting viewpoints passage
  • english:
  • • all of the videos under the heading rhetorical strategy
• complete the science test portion of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (page 33). (35 minutes)
• continue to update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

for act writing test-takers:

• if you are taking the essay, review the information on the new act essay on the act student website if you haven’t already done so and this blog post with strategy advice for the essay: the new act essay. (15 minutes)
• practice outlining the essay at the end of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (page 49) as you would on the real test. (5-10 minutes) if you are feeling ambitious and have time, practice writing the whole essay in the time limit!
• if you have time (or if writing is a weakness), there are additional lesson videos on the essay you can watch on magoosh act.

day 4

• watch these key magoosh act lesson videos. (60 minutes)
  • reading:
    • using key words
    • main idea
    • meaning of words
    • inference
  • math:
    • backsolving (word problems)
    • vics – picking numbers (algebra)
    • assumptions & estimation (geometry)
• complete the math test portion of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (page 15). (60 minutes)
• continue to update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

day 5

• watch these key magoosh act lesson videos. (90 minutes)
  • science:
    • math problems on the act science test
    • answering “yes/no, because” questions
    • finding clues in the answer choices
  • english:
    • all of the videos on grammar and usage and sentence structure
  • math:
    • 5 lessons on the topics you most need to review
• complete the reading test portion of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (page 24). (45 minutes)
• continue to update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

day 6

• complete a practice set of either your strongest section or weakest section on magoosh (click on “practice” and “practice test” and skip to the desired section). (35-60 minutes)
  • there are pros and cons to either approach. since your act is a composite score based on averaging all of your section scores, you can pull up your overall composite score by improving your score in a subject you are already good at. practicing your strongest section can also help you build confidence this close to the test. if you have one section that is dragging your other scores down though, your time might be better spent today doing extra practice on your weakest section.
  • if you are short on time, skip the practice! the most important thing you can do tonight is get a good night of sleep.
• review your error log and make yourself a “cheat sheet” of final reminders to review the morning of the exam. this can include things like “watch out for run-on sentences!” and “the area of a trapezoid is (base 1 + base 2)/2 * height.” (30 min) this youtube video can help you make a review sheet!
• review these last-minute test day tips: act tips for test day and pack your bag. (15 min)

day 7

• it’s test day, which means no last minute prep! do some light exercise, eat a full breakfast, and give yourself plenty of time to get to the test center. don’t forget your #2 pencils, calculator, watch, drink, snack, admissions ticket, and photo id.
• review your list of last-minute pointers before you go into the testing center so you can walk into the test confident that you have put in the hard work and are ready to show it!

one week act study schedule for a last-minute refresher

nice work! you’ve been preparing for the act, you’re familiar with the test, and you know what areas you need to study a little more. you need something a little more tailored that will help you feel extra confident in the final week leading up to act test day. sounds great to us! we love helping students maximize their success here at magoosh! this study schedule will help you brush up on your weaknesses and hone your strengths so you can have a great act test day.

this plan assumes you are familiar with the act, have already been studying regularly for the act for 2+ months, and have taken a practice test or the the real thing. if that doesn’t sound like you, jump back up to the “one week act study plan for newbies” or the “one week act study schedule for quick score improvement.”

time requirement

this schedule assumes that you have about 1-2 hours a day to devote to your studying. this is actually a lighter load than our other one week plans. because you’ve already been preparing, you can take the time for a little bit of extra sleep, meditation, deep breathing, and exercise to help you feel calm and collected for the big day. if you do have more time, there are plenty of extra questions that will be left in magoosh act for you to add on extra practice!

materials

• magoosh act premium account
• magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (free online pdf)
• magoosh act blog
• magoosh act prep app (optional, but it will allow you to take your studying on the go!)

a note on the recommended lessons on this plan

there are hundreds of lessons in magoosh act! that’s why many of our students love our act prep—because they can truly customize a plan that’s right for them. if you are using this study schedule, you’ve already been preparing for the act, so you likely have a good idea of what types of questions you need to practice more. for that reason, i’ve highlighted videos that are strategy-focused; lessons that discuss techniques you may never have even realized you can use on the act to help eliminate answer choices or simply understand how the test-makers think. working on good standardized test-taking skills may be the key to improving your act score! that being said, feel free to swap out any of the lessons for lessons that target concepts you know you need to review. the important thing is that you dedicate the time to studying.

a note on taking practice sections

whenever you are taking practice sections on this plan, follow these guidelines:

• make sure that you can find a quiet space with no distractions. no tv, no internet, and no cell phone. make sure to notify people in your household that you are taking a practice test and hang a “do not disturb” sign on your door. even better, enlist a parent or other responsible family member to act as a proctor and come in to periodically announce “time’s up” for each section.
• on the act, the essay section is optional. if you are taking the essay, make sure to plan and write a full practice essay in the allotted time. if you are not taking the essay, you can skip the essay on this practice test and the essay prep stuff below.
  • ask a parent, teacher, or literary older sibling or friend to read over your essay, provide you with feedback, and score it using the complete scoring rubric linked on this page.
• when reviewing your practice sections:
  • examine any time management issues you had. where did you run out of time and why? did you make sure to take a guess on every question? (remember there is no penalty for guessing on the act.)
    • review every single question you got wrong and keep an error log. in your error log, list each question you got wrong, noting:
      • why you got it wrong
      • what the correct answer is
      • what you would do next time to avoid making the same mistake
• check out our full tips here for how to take an 2022世界杯入门名单!

day 1

• watch these essential strategy lesson videos from magoosh act on act.www.catharsisit.com or on our test prep app (available in the apple and android stores. (60 minutes)
  • science:
    • using key terms
    • pacing on the act science test
    • how to read the act science test
  • english:
    • all of the lessons under the “rhetorical strategy” and “style” headers
• complete the english test portion of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (page 3). (45 minutes)
• update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

day 2

• watch these essential strategy lesson videos from magoosh act. (30 minutes)
  • reading:
    • approaching passages
    • wrong answers
    • basic strategies
• read this handy resource on formulas to commit to memory: act math facts and formulas. (30 minutes) study these all week; they can greatly improve your speed and comfort level on the act math section.
• complete a custom practice set of math questions on magoosh act (click “practice” and then “custom practice” from the menu. set the difficulty level to something that is appropriate for you: easy, medium, or hard. or, if you know you need to brush up on a particular question type, select the appropriate category (such as “trigonometry”). (30 minutes)

day 3

• watch these key magoosh act strategy lesson videos. (60 minutes)
  • science:
    • understanding tables, graphs, and figures
    • finding trends and patterns
    • linking tables and graphs
    • the conflicting viewpoints passage
  • english:
    • all of the “punctuation” lessons. there are so many punctuation questions on the act! if you really study up on these, you can quickly improve your score. if you feel very solid on punctuation, choose lessons for the questions you struggle with the most.
• complete the science test portion of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (page 33). (35 minutes)
• continue to update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

for act writing test-takers:

• if you are taking the essay, review the information on the new act essay on the act student website if you haven’t already done so and this blog post with strategy advice for the essay: the new act essay. (15 minutes)
• practice outlining the essay at the end of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 guide as you would on the real test (page 49). (5-10 minutes) if you are feeling ambitious and have time, practice writing the whole essay in the time limit!
• if you have time (or if writing is a weakness), there are additional lesson videos on the essay you can watch on magoosh act.

day 4

• watch these key magoosh act math strategy lesson videos. (30 minutes)
  • math:
    • backsolving (word problems)
    • vics – picking numbers (algebra)
    • assumptions & estimation (geometry)
• complete the math test portion of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (page 15). (60 minutes). focus on using the strategies from the videos you just watched to help you find the correct answer!
• continue to update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

day 5

• watch these key magoosh act lesson videos. (60 minutes)
  • science:
    • math problems on the act science test
    • answering “yes/no, because” questions
    • finding clues in the answer choices
• 5 lessons on the topics you most need to review from english or math
• complete the reading test portion of the magoosh 2022世界杯入门名单 (page 24). (45 minutes)
• continue to update your error log with notes on the questions you struggled with. (15 minutes)

day 6

• complete a practice set of either your strongest section or weakest section on magoosh (click on “practice” and “practice test” and skip to the desired section). (35-60 minutes)
  • there are pros and cons to either approach. since your act is a composite score based on averaging all of your section scores, you can pull up your overall composite score by improving your score in a subject you are already good at. practicing your strongest section can also help you build confidence this close to the test. if you have one section that is dragging your other scores down though, your time might be better spent today doing extra practice on your weakest section.
  • if you are short on time, skip the practice! the most important thing you can do tonight is get a good night of sleep.
• review your error log and make yourself a “cheat sheet” of final reminders to review the morning of the exam. this can include things like “watch out for run-on sentences!” and “the area of a trapezoid is (base 1 + base 2)/2 * height.” (30 min) this youtube video can help you make a review sheet!
• review these last-minute test day tips: act tips for test day and pack your bag. (15 min)

day 7

• it’s test day, which means no last minute prep! do some light exercise, eat a full breakfast, and give yourself plenty of time to get to the test center. don’t forget your #2 pencils, calculator, watch, drink, snack, admissions ticket, and photo id.
• review your list of last-minute pointers before you go into the testing center so you can walk into the test confident that you have put in the hard work and are ready to show it!

bonus! one day act study plan for a last-minute refresher*

*disclaimer! you can’t fully prepare for the act in one day, and we would never suggest that! but you can learn how to be ready to do your best on the test tomorrow morning, and that’s what this guide is for!

if you only have one day before the act, there are certain things that will be a good use of your time and certain things that will be a bad use of your time.

here are the things that will be a bad use of your time:

• taking a full-length 2022世界杯入门名单. (don’t do this. it’s long. you are going to be doing that again in less than 24 hours. you will just burn yourself out this way, and it will be harder for you to focus on the real thing.)
• trying to study everything. (don’t bounce around trying to cram a little bit on every subject tested on the act. you will just add to your stress level and you won’t retain very much.)
• staying up all night to study. (don’t do this. get a good night’s sleep so you don’t make careless errors on the test.)

here is what is a good use of your time: this plan! it will take you about 2-2.5 hours to complete and you’ll be in a much better position to do well on the test tomorrow!

the one day act study schedule

step 1

• if you aren’t familiar at all with the act, take a few minutes to learn what is tested on the act and how scoring works (for example, you should know that there is no penalty for wrong answers, so make sure you answer every question.) read the “meet the act”, “general act tips and strategies”, and “act scoring” sections of the free magoosh act ebook. (30 minutes)

step 2

• watch these act-specific strategy lessons on magoosh act to help you learn how you can use clues on the act to pick up extra points on the math and science sections. (30 minutes):
  • science: using key terms
  • math: backsolving (word problems), vics – picking numbers (algebra), assumptions & estimation (geometry)

step 3

• learn the rules of commas, semicolons, colons, and em-dashes. you can find lessons on these in magoosh act under english: punctuation. you can also find information on them in our magoosh act ebook. the english test includes dozens of questions that involve punctuation rules. if you can brush up on your punctuation, you can easily pick up several extra points. (30 minutes) if you are a punctuation-master, watch a few lessons on magoosh act on the concepts you do need to review.

step 4

• check out our act math facts and formulas pdf and refresh yourself on some of the common math formulas you may have forgotten! (15 minutes)

step 5

• make yourself a “cheat sheet” of final reminders you can glance over the morning of the exam. this can include things like “watch out for run-on sentences!” and “the area of a trapezoid is (base 1 + base 2)/2 * height.” this youtube video can help you make a review sheet! (15 minutes)
• review these last-minute test day tips: act tips for test day and pack your bag. (15 min)

test day morning!

• on test day, don’t do any last minute prep! do some light exercise, eat a full breakfast, and give yourself plenty of time to get to the test center. don’t forget your #2 pencils, calculator, watch, drink, snack, admissions ticket, and photo id.
• review your list of last-minute pointers before you go into the testing center so that you can walk into the test feeling confident!

the post one week act study schedule appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

how do you answer act english questions that ask whether you should add or delete a sentence?

if you’ve looked at even one official act test, i guarantee you’ve seen a question that looks like this:

at this point, the author is considering adding the sentence: xxxxxxxxxx. should the writer make this addition?

a. yes, because…
b. yes, because…
c. no, because…
d. no, because…

-or-

at this point the author is considering deleting the underlined portion. should the underlined portion be kept or deleted?

a. kept, because…
b. kept, because…
c. deleted, because…
d. deleted, because…

the trick

here’s my trick for answering these kinds of act english questions if they give you trouble, or to help keep you from falling into a trap and making a silly mistake if you happen to think these questions are easy.

first, ignore the yes’s and no’s, or “kept” or “deleted”. don’t rush to judgment based on your own intution about whether or not it is a good sentence. the reason to do this is because there is some subjectivity involved in these decisions. you may not always like the writing in the passage, you may have your own opinions about whether or not the given sentence a good sentence, but, unfortunately, the act doesn’t care so much about your opinion; it cares that you can figure out the test’s reasoning. so forget about making the decision at first and look at the rationale.

in the video, i walk you through a sample question and discuss how to evaluate the rationales to quickly eliminate answer choices, so check it out!

here’s the question and passage we are working with. if you’re a magoosh student, you can find it here.

question:

at the highlighted point in paragraph 3, the writer wishes to add the following sentence:
the liberator was founded in 1831 and was published in massachusetts.

should the writer make this addition here?

a. yes, because it gives the reader specific information regarding the liberator.
b. yes, because it helps the reader understand why garrison could not speak about slavery from personal knowledge.
c. no, because the reader can infer the date the liberator was founded from the paragraph.
d. no, because it distracts the reader from the focus of the paragraph.

passage

note: the other errors in the passage are intentional, as the represent errors other act questions on this passage might ask students to correct. for this question, concentrate on the highlighted part:

the grimke sisters

[1]

angelina grimke and her sister sarah grimke were legends in their own lifetimes. together these south carolina sisters made history, they dared to speak before “promiscuous” or mixed crowds of men and women, published some of the most powerful anti-slavery tracts of the antebellum era, and were stretching the boundaries of the public roles of women.

[2]

their crusade, which was not only to free the enslaved but to end racial discrimination throughout the united states, made them more radical than many of the reformers who advocated an end to slavery but who could not envision true social and political equality for the freedmen and women. the grimke sisters were among the first abolitionists to recognize the importance of women’s rights and to speak and write about the cause of female equality.

[3]

what made angelina and sarah unique and defined within abolitionist circles were neither their oratorical and literary talents nor their energetic commitment to the causes of racial and gender equality. rather, it was their firsthand experience with the institution of slavery and its negative effect on slaves. [highlighted point in question here] abolitionists such as william lloyd garrison, editor of the liberator, and theodore weld, who angelina married in 1838, could give stirring speeches about the need to abolish slavery. however, they could not testify to either its impact on african americans or on their masters from personal knowledge.

[4]

angelina grimke was born in 1805, the youngest of fourteen children born to john grimke and mary smith grimke. as the daughter of one of charleston’s leading judges, she could have looked forward to a life of luxury and ease, and her comfort assured by the presence of slaves trained to respond to her wishes. [3] as an eligible young woman, she could have enjoyed the lively social life of charleston’s planter society with its balls and dinner parties that would have lead eventually to a good marriage and an elegant home of her own. but angelina grimke chose a challenging path: like her older sister, sarah, she left the south and devoted her life to racial and gender equality. in the early nineteenth century, the causes that the grimke sisters fought about placed them among the most radical americans of their day.

this essay was adapted from berkin, carol. “angelina and sarah grimke: abolitionist sisters.” history now 5 (fall 2005).

the post act english tips: adding or deleting sentences | video post appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

solving similar triangle math problems

ah, similar triangles. an old act fav.

i like to think of them as mama and baby triangles; they look just alike, but one is bigger and one is smaller. it’s a little silly, but it’s a memory trick that’s helped a lot of my students.

here’s the actual math definition: similar triangles have congruent (the same) corresponding angle measures. because all the angles in one triangle have the same measure as the corresponding angle in the other triangle, this means the sides of two similar triangles are in proportion to one another.

when you encounter a “similar triangle” problem on the act math section, you’ll know it because the question and/or diagram will clarify that the two triangles have the same angle measures.

often the answer to the question will be the length of one of the missing sides, or you’ll be required to find the length of a missing side in order to unlock the next step in a more difficult problem.

the key is to find the ratio, or proportion between the side lengths. typically this means setting up a proportion and cross-multiplying.

example act question:

let’s say you are given these two triangles with the same angle measures and these side lengths given and asked to find the missing side:

now you might be able to eyeball this one because it is relatively straightforward, but you can always set up a proportion:

and there you have it. you’ve found your missing side and can move onto the next act problem coming your way!

the post act math tips: similar triangles | video post appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

luckily, we have a handy infographic that can help you decide which test to take!

after reading, let us know if you still need help deciding which test to take, so that we can help you get your best act score!

the post act vs sat infographic appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.