Getting a 36 on ACT?

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
1

<p>My son is considering taking the ACT in September. He took the SAT once in high school in December as a junior and got a 2320 with 800M 790CR and a 9 on essay. He was done but now I’m understanding that 2320 might not be high enough (apparently) for some of his schools which includes two Ivies.</p>

<p>So, if he took the ACT, wouldn’t he really need to get a 36 in order to equivalentyly better his SAT score? To get a 36, can I assume one can’t miss any questions? How long is the test? We know nothing about it but I’m going to get a used ACT study guide off of Amazon.</p>

2

<p>Well, a 35 would be considered equivalent to your son’s SAT score (with an estimated range of 2290-2370). Of course, as usual, a 36 would be better with a score range of 2380-2400.</p>

<p>Really, a 2320 is an excellent and competitive score for basically any Ivy school, but I suppose if he’s set on trying for a 36 on the ACT, he’ll have to become accustomed to the test.</p>

<p>Here’s a brief overview of the sections of the test:
English: Much like revising a friend’s essay. Nothing far from basic grammatical skills and rhetorical skills. Your son should be able to decide whether a sentence or brief paragraph should be or shouldn’t be added into an essay and why. There are 75 questions to be done in 45 minutes. Typically, if you miss one question, your subscore will drop from a 36 to a 35.
Math: Unlike the SAT, the ACT’s math section includes fairly straightforward questions, much like ones likely to be found in a high school math textbook. It includes topics from: Algebra I/II, Geometry, and Trigonometry. There are 60 questions to be answered in 60 minutes. Typically, if you miss one question, your subscore will drop from a 36 to a 35, though rarely, it will remain at a 36.
Reading: Your son will have to speed quickly through this section. Once again, unlike the SAT, the ACT’s reading section is fairly straightforward and about half of the answers can be found in the text verbatim. There are 40 questions to be answered in 35 minutes. Typically, if you miss one question, your subscore will drop from a 36 to a 35, though sometimes it’ll stay at a 36 or even drop to a 34.
Science: Moving quickly through here is a must. You have to be able to interpret graphs and charts quickly, yet effectively. Your son really doesn’t need extensive science knowledge here, but if he does know the topic at hand, it is a major help. There are 40 questions to be answered in 35 minutes. Typically, if you miss one question, your subscore drops from a 36 to a 35, though sometimes even to a 34.</p>

<p>The composite score is calculated from the average of the four subscores. So, for example, if I missed 3 in the English, 3 in the Math, 0 in the Reading, and 0 in the Science, the calculations be look like this:
English: 33
Math: 33
Reading: 36
Science: 36
So therefore, my composite would be a 34.5, but since they round, a 35.</p>

<p>If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.</p>

3

<p>That is very helpful. Thank-you! It seems very straight forward. I would assume my son would want to take the writing since his writing score, 730 with a 9 essay, was his weakest. Is that an extra cost? Is it just an essay or is it like the SAT essay plus multiple choice?</p>

<p>Should my son concentrate on the English and Reading? I can assume his math would be 36 (hasn’t missed a math question on any standardized test since age 13) and he’s had extensive science experience and data interpetation and I can probably assume that would be a 36, too.</p>

4

<p>Well, if your son is planning on enrolling to the Ivies, he would have to take the Writing, so there really is no choice there. Keep in mind, however, that the essay score does NOT factor into the composite score. It combines with the English score to make a completely separate Combined English/Writing Score.</p>

<p>I would recommend him taking 1 Practice ACT test with all of the time restrictions and then practice accordingly from there. Even though he may seem strong in math and science, you want to make sure that he is able to complete the two sections flawlessly within 60 and 35 minutes respectively to ensure that he is entirely capable of completing the two sections on the actual test successfully.</p>

5

<p>Great advice! He’ll definitely do some practice tests before the real thing.</p>

6

<p>Your son is clearly a very high-aptitude student, and if he does some practice he has a shot at a 36, especially if he finds the ACT easier (I personally did – 2190 on SAT and 34 on ACT). The red book has three practice tests, and he can get a booklet with a fourth one from his high school. If he does all that and learns from his mistakes on the tests he’ll be good to go.</p>

7

<p>2320? He’s very smart. Sorry just wanted to compliment.</p>

8

<p>NO schools requires >2320 score. 36 is not going to help him any better for admissions, but will help him with scholarships at schools he may not be very serious going to.</p>

9

<p>No point in taking the ACT when you have a 2320 SAT. That’s already Ivy League caliber. But congrats on the score!</p>

10

<p>At that level, the difference between a 2320 and a perfect score on the ACT really is not that different at all. No Ivy is going to accept or reject your son based on that test score. If anything, a 2320 will help him tremendously. I will say that your son may want to look into retaking the SAT if he absolutely thought he had to (though it might even look better not to). Most colleges superscore, meaning if you retook it (the test he is already familiar with), they’d take the highest subscore from each sitting. That way, so long as he improved his writing score, his overall score would improve.</p>

<p>I got a 780 writing, and I can tell you firsthand that it does not test one’s knowledge of the English language. It tests preparedness. Buy a review book (like PR), and look over how THEY think grammar should be and how THEY think essays should be written, and his score will improve dramatically.</p>

<p>It seems like more work than necessary taking the ACT when he is already familiar with the ACT. Colleges will only look at the higher of the two if you submit both regardless.</p>

11

<p>Thank-you for the encouragement, all. My son and I met with (for free, a real blessing!) a private college counselor and she said his 2320 was definitely good enough, particularly since he got 800 and 790 on M and CR. She said <em>if</em> he felt like it and wanted to take the ACT in September, it wouldn’t hurt anything but he probably has other ways to spend his time. I bought a used ACT study guide from Amazon. I’ll have my son look at it but if it’s too time consuming to prepare giving everything else he’s doing this summer, he’ll just move onto his last SAT II in October and skip the ACT.</p>

<p>I3auer, that’s a great score! The thing about my son is, he got a 78 on the PSAT (missed one question). He probably just had an off day for the SAT and I think he missed 3-4 questions and missed one on the CR. I think he could get an 800 on the writing portion if he took it again but I have decided it’s not worth the money or time. I know there are those on CC that would disagree but after seeing the college counselor and seeing scores of clients that got into highly selective colleges, I feel better!</p>