<p>so ive taken the ACT twice… i did worse on the second time in june. im just looking for some tips, particularly for getting through the critical reading and writing the essay. i took different approaches in the way i wrote the essay for these two tests, but it hardly made any difference. im also confused on what they are really looking for in the writing.</p>
<p>Critical reading is challenging because different techniques work for different people. Some people like to skip the passage and go straight to the questions to save time. Others (like me) quickly scan the passage (while absorbing the information) and then answer the questions. It’s all a matter of what works best for you. I suggest practicing both with time limits and see which has a better result. It’s also tricky because it’s the 3rd section and by then you’re already running out of mental fuel and just want to get done with it. And that section is one that requires a LOT of concentration in order to do well. </p>
<p>The essay was tricky for me too… I think what they’re looking for is you relating the topic back to yourself personally. Provide examples (even if you have to make them up lol) and try to be creative/interesting to stand out in a sea of mediocre & cookie-cutter essays.</p>
<p>Critical Reading: read fast, DO NOT SKIP THE PASSAGE, I tried this when I took the ACT and I ended up reading the whole passage anyway, it just wasted time. I would recoomend reading the questions first and mark which sound the most likely. Doing this got me a 29, not too sure what you are shooting for though.</p>
<p>Essay: I set my essay up as a standard 5 paragraph essay, 1 Intro 3 body paragraphs, 1 Conclusion. Thesis is needed. State your position on the topic and give reasons why. Then Give 2-3 examples that support your reasons in each paragraph. Don’t try to sound smart, just write fluently and make it understandable. I got a 9 on my essay, again, not sure what you are shooting for.</p>
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<p>This is exactly why you should skip it. If you read it, you’ll probably reread a lot of it, which is a waste of time.</p>
<p>As for the essay, it doesn’t matter much for admissions because it says nothing about your writing ability. Shoot for an 8. The above explanation is adequate.</p>
<p>CR:</p>
<p>Read the whole passage first, carefully. Write little notes beside each paragraph about what’s important. Then answer the Qs (they tend to be in chronological order).</p>
<p>Essay:</p>
<p>Make up impressive statistics that make you sound smart. Write as much as you can. Use impressive language and transitions. Have an intro, 2-3 body paragraphs (using specific examples for supports) and a concusion.</p>
<p>@RedSeven I meant that going straight to the questions was a waste of time. I tried answering the questions but had to read the passages anyway, I wasted time trying to figure the answer out before I read the passage</p>