Thursday 18 August 2016

ACT online preparation

Every year, high school seniors take one of the most important exams of their three or four years: the American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Both measure reading and comprehension abilities, and have similar setups with minor differences. However, both score students on their abilities, and those scores help seniors get into colleges. There is a lot of preparation that you should take before the exam, the day of, and even afterwards.
Preparations
Both exams test your knowledge of various subjects you learned in high school: math, science, English, etc. They also quiz you on analogies, using various words you may have only seen once or twice, or read in a book. Doing a practice ACT or SAT is always a good idea to get a feel for everything. Be sure to time yourself as if you were in the classroom. You can either take the practice quiz online or using a testing book.
However, also pick up the various study manuals that offer a list of words and definitions, as well as math equations. For the former, remember context is key, and looking for roots and suffixes are great ways to figure out what a word means.
The Day Of The Exam
You are in for a long morning, so be sure to get a good night's sleep, and eat breakfast. On an important day like this one, you want to be well rested in order to think clearly. The exam itself takes a few hours, starting around 8 or 9 a.m., and ending around noon. While most teachers allow you to do an assignment with pens or pencils, here you will need a number two pencil. You can use personalized pencils, or something fancier, as long as it is still number two.
Unlike a test your teacher gives, it is a little harder to figure out whether you answered a question right or wrong. That is because you do not have a list of material to memorize, but a general idea of what is covered.

The Aftermath
Do not agonize over your performance. While your scores are sent off to various colleges of your choice, unlike an exam for class, there is no "pass" or "fail". If you get a low score, you can retake the ACT or SAT, usually after waiting a month or two. Be aware that most colleges require applications, transcripts, and scores by the springtime, so take the test as early in the year as possible. Also consider taking it your junior year, then brushing up over the summer.

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