ACT examination is one such examination that helps students in achieving their dreams of studying abroad and especially in American universities. If you plan to study at American Universities, appearing for the ACT examination can be really helpful to you. In this article, we will discuss the details of the ACT examination and some of the best ACT preparation courses that can help you improve your ACT score.
What is the ACT examination?
The ACT, or the American College Testing, is an undergraduate entrance examination taken by high school students to get admission into four-year degree courses in colleges and universities in the US. For more than 60 years, many American colleges and universities have relied on the scores of students appearing for the ACT exam for admission. Also, the ACT examination is accepted and valued by all US colleges and universities and more than 225 universities worldwide.
Why should you give the ACT examination?
The most eye-catching element of the ACT examination is that you can give this examination around 28 times a year. Also, in 2021, the ACT organization introduced the feature of superscore in the ACT examination. Through this, your new score will be the sum of all of your ACT examination attempts’ best individual subject scores. Earlier, students gave the ACT exam in a paper-based format, but now it is done in a computerized manner. Even outside the US, the ACT exam is given in a computer-based form. The ACT’s course requirements include reading, mathematics, science, and an optional writing assignment. The writing section in the ACT examination is optional and does not affect the overall score. ACT also offers an additional science section in its examination. Lastly, many ACT prep courses are available for students, which can help them score well.
Details about the ACT Examination
Examination Fees
The examination fees for ACT vary depending on whether you take up the writing section or not. The full ACT examination without the writing section costs $171.50, whereas the full ACT examination, along with the writing section, costs $196.50. There are additional charges for test option change, late registration, additional score reports, etc.
Duration
For students who opt for the ACT exam without the writing section, the overall duration is 2 hours and 55 minutes. For students who opt for the ACT exam with the writing section, the total duration of the examination is 3 hours and 40 minutes.
Sections
The ACT examination mainly evaluates students based on their proficiency in five main areas, i.e., Reading, Mathematics, English, Science, and an optional Writing section. Each section has its own time limit for students to attempt the questions.
No. of Questions
ACT has a total of 215 questions, out of which 75 questions are for English, 60 are for Mathematics, 40 are for Reading, 40 are for Science, and an optional writing section is also available according to the student’s preference.
Average Score
The ACT examination measures a student’s score on a scale of 1 to 36. The average score for a student is 21. If you score more than 21, you can surely get into renowned colleges in the US. This is because it shows that you have scored higher than 50% of test takers.
Score Validity Period
The ACT examination score is valid for 5 years.
What are the skills you require to ace the ACT examination?
The ACT’s English part consists of multiple-choice questions followed by essays or excerpts. English-related ACT exam questions involve competencies like usage/mechanics, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills. You have to develop these skills to ace the English section of the ACT examination. Data Representation, Conflicting Viewpoints, and Research Summary are the three primary passage types included in the science and mathematics section of the ACT exam. There are seven paragraphs in the science section, and each is often followed by a table, chart, or graph. The mathematics section consists of multiple choice questions. You must develop your skills in interpreting, analyzing, solving problems, and evaluating information to score well in the ACT Science and Mathematics exam. The ACT reading test consists of four portions, three of which are made up of large writing, and the fourth, two brief sentences. The social studies, natural sciences, humanities, and literary narrative topics are covered by the ACT reading section. The ACT reading test assesses reading ability using three criteria: organization and growth, consistency of knowledge and concepts, and main ideas and details. You will have to develop these skills to get a high score in this section.
ACT Exam Dates and Results
The ACT organization conducts the ACT exam around 28 times throughout the year. This includes 7 weekends (Saturday and Sunday) on which the ACT is conducted in two shifts. Below is a list of dates on which the ACT exam will be conducted this year.
9-10 September 2022: For which you have to register by 12 August (which can be extended till 26 August, but you’ll have to pay the late fee along with the actual fees)21-22 October 2022: For which you have to register by 23 September (which can be extended till 7 October, but you’ll have to pay the late fee along with the actual fees)9-10 December 2022: For which you have to register by 11 November (which can be extended till 28 November, but you’ll have to pay the late fee along with the actual fees)10-11 February 2023: For which you have to register by 13 January (which can be extended till 27 January, but you’ll have to pay the late fee along with the actual fees)14-15 April 2023: For which you have to register by 17 March (which can be extended till 31 March, but you’ll have to pay the late fee along with the actual fees)9-10 June 2023: For which you have to register by 12 May (which can be extended till 26 May, but you’ll have to pay the late fee along with the actual fees)14-15 July 2023: For which you have to register by 16 June (which can be extended till 7 July, but you’ll have to pay the late fee along with the actual fees)
Apart from ease of registration and a good scoring system, another feature of ACT is that many institutes and websites offer ACT prep courses. These courses enable you to have an idea about the curriculum and exam pattern of the ACT exam. These courses also help you develop the skills required to ace the examination. Below are some of the best ACT prep courses to improve your score.
ACT® Prep in Just 20 Minutes a Day [Magoosh]
This ACT prep course offered by Magoosh is known for its simplicity, accessibility, flexibility, and affordability. In this course, you will just have to devote 20 minutes of your day to preparing for the ACT examination. You can easily access this course on mobile and computer devices, and the course itself is quite affordable. Furthermore, the course offers video or textual explanations for all of its questions and has smart progress tracking tools to detect your progress. It also offers help from ACT preparation experts.
ACT Math Test Prep Course Exam Review Made Easy [Udemy]
Mathematics is a very important part of the ACT examination. This ACT prep course is for any person who desires to improve their math score on the ACT exam. This ACT Math exam preparation study course includes 190 practice-based multiple-choice questions with detailed solutions in a video format. It contains various topics like Basic Algebra Review, Composite Functions, Graphing Linear and Quadratic Equations, Factoring Trinomials, Perfect Square Binomials, Sum of Perfect Cubes, and GCF, Simplifying Rational Expressions, Matrix Multiplication and Finding The Determinant, etc.
ACT® Prep That Gets Results [The Princeton Review]
With more than 35 years of expertise, this ACT prep course offered by The Princeton Review assures maximum results in minimum time. The course guarantees to address the most commonly faced problem faced by ACT test-takers: ineffective methods to solve the problem, misunderstanding the question, and wasting time memorizing concepts. The course offers many features, and you can choose whether you want to study online or offline. Most importantly, The Princeton Review offers many packages from which you can choose according to your comfort and liking.
ACT® PREP [Kaplan]
This ACT prep course offered by Kaplan is in three different forms. These three forms are Live Online, Self-Paced, and Online Tutoring. A team of off-camera instructors responds to your questions in a private chat as a top-rated ACT teacher conducts class in the live online course. The self-paced course is ideal if your schedule is hectic. One-on-one sessions allow you to focus on the appropriate information and tactics while identifying your strengths and potential improvement areas. In its preparation classes, Kaplan incorporates actual ACT questions and practice exams. They have a customized Qbank with more than 2000 actual ACT questions. Additionally, you will receive five authentic practice examinations with the same format and question types as the real exam.
SAT/ACT Tutoring [Testive]
This ACT prep course offered by Testive is suitable for both ACT and SAT pursuers. By giving you specialized topic training, thorough explanations of the practice problems, test-taking tactics, and lots of encouragement, their entertaining and highly qualified instructors can assist you in getting the maximum score possible. Additionally, their courses consist of homework assignments, mock exams, and scheduled tutoring sessions. Testive also provides access to an adaptive learning platform, up to 8 practice tests with complete score reporting, test review sessions with test preparation experts, and thousands of practice questions suited to your skills and weaknesses.
ACT Score Guarantee [PrepExpert]
PrepExpert offers 3 types of ACT prep courses. These are the 8-Week Capstone ACT Prep Course with a 4-Point ACT Score Improvement Guarantee, 6-Week Flagship ACT Prep Course with a 4-Point ACT Score Improvement Guarantee, and Self-Paced Video ACT Prep Course with an ACT Score Improvement Guarantee. It is known for its scheme, which says you can get back your money if your ACT score does not improve after taking the course. These three courses offered by PrepExpert are conducted by various industry experts available on the PrepExpert platform.
ACT Prep, Designed from the Ground Up [PrepScholar]
ACT Prep Course offered by PrepScholar is an online preparation course created specifically to target the ACT exam. It is expertly engineered to assess students’ skills precisely before presenting the most productive lesson plan. You will receive detailed, step-by-step directions on how to study, which classes to take, when to take practice exams, and how to analyze your errors in this course. They guarantee an ACT score boost of at least 4 points, or they’ll refund your money. Additionally, they ensure that their top program will benefit you because it comes with one of the best score guarantees in the business.
ACT Prep: Practice & Study Guide [Study.com]
Study.com’s ACT prep course aims to help you prepare for the ACT exam and get your best score. You can get hold of its content anytime and can access it on any computer or mobile device. This comprehensive course includes succinct video lectures and interactive practice exams to help you grasp all of the ACT exam subjects. You can take a 50-question quiz to gauge your understanding of the fundamental ideas covered in this course or a comprehensive practice test replicating the actual exam format.
Conclusion
With the increase in the number of students planning to study abroad, the competition for exams like the ACT or SAT might increase. But this should not be why you leave your dream of studying abroad. You can easily crack exams like the ACT with proper training and guidance. These above-mentioned ACT prep courses can help you improve your score and boost your confidence. So, steady your goals and start preparing for your dreams abroad with a strong will and a sharp mind! Next, you can check out some of the best GRE Preparation Courses.
