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How are people good at the ACT?

HizeusHizeus Registered User Posts: 187 Junior Member
in SAT and ACT Tests & Test Preparation
I genuinely don't understand how the great majority of people here do much better at the ACT than SAT. I don't understand how you complete each section in time: When I took the ACT, I literally had 11 questions left on the Math section I couldn't finish, so I just randomly filled in the bubbles, the same occurred for the reading section. The time limit is so short!
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Replies to: How are people good at the ACT?

  • Yomo710Yomo710 Registered User Posts: 319 Member
    I'm a fast tester. I have always been a fast tester since elementary school. Whenever I take the SAT I get tremendously bored due to the amount of time they give you and I just zone out. This isn't the case with the ACT as everything is so fast-paced.
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  • peytonmgpeytonmg Registered User Posts: 456 Member
    Working fast and intelligently. It helps to know the test, know what to expect, and to be able to read very quickly or scan for only the needed details.
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  • HizeusHizeus Registered User Posts: 187 Junior Member
    That didn't help.
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  • dfbdfbdfbdfb Registered User Posts: 3,494 Senior Member
    How not? Replies #1 and #2 both seemed pretty good explanation to me, really.

    Part of the issue is that it depends on the individual—some are better at ACT-style tests, some are better at (old) SAT-style tests. (Now that the SAT is about to become more ACT-like, though, I'm curious to see if scores individuals get align more closely.)
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  • bjkmombjkmom Registered User Posts: 6,500 Senior Member
    What sort of help are you looking for?
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  • HizeusHizeus Registered User Posts: 187 Junior Member
    I was just hoping for something more concrete and clear, some genuine insight. It truly doesn't matter, never mind me.
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  • hsseniior2hsseniior2 Registered User Posts: 100 Junior Member
    Consider wearing a watch. I just hate how the clocks are behind you so you will have to turn over to see what time it is. I also hate how the proctors don't say how much time is left until there is 5 minutes left. They also don't say say that you have 1 minute left or 2 minutes. I always getting a sudden stop in my heart when they do that. Wearing a watch gives my assurance and allows me to pace myself.
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  • SlackerMomMDSlackerMomMD Registered User Posts: 3,094 Senior Member
    edited January 2016
    I took the practice tests with my daughter. We started out taking the practice section tests untimed. That just allowed us to get familiar with the questions and format. After a month, we found ourselves in the 30's, so I switched to timed exams. There wasn't much of a time hit because we were by then comfortable with taking the test.

    The main thing you have to realize is that my daughter started taking these practice section tests three or four months before taking the actual ACT exam, so this was a long term study plan.
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  • Studious99Studious99 Registered User Posts: 911 Member
    The SAT requires a lot of creative thinking and tests with a lot of strange questions.

    The ACT is generally more straightforward. The conventional wisdom around here agrees that the SAT tests IQ intelligence, as far as intelligence can be tested, while the ACT tests *academic achievement.* The time limit really is short, but it's not unreasonable with some practice.
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  • Hermit9Hermit9 Registered User Posts: 637 Member
    ^^^ I respectfully disagree with that generalization. At my school, the students who are best at SAT are the ones who study hard and have great GPAs. The ones with okay grades but better natural intelligence have done better on ACT.
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