The composite is an average: Let the full weight of that sink in. Do you need to bring up all four scores
equally to raise your composite? Do you need to be a superstar in all four tests? Should you focus more
on your weaknesses than your strengths? No, no, and absolutely not. The best way to improve your
composite is to shore up your weaknesses but exploit your strengths as much as possible.
To improve your ACT score, use your strengths to lift the composite score as high as possible.
You don’t need to be a rock star on all four tests. Identify two, maybe three tests, and focus on raising
those scores as much as you can to raise your composite. Work on your weakest scores to keep them from
pulling you down. Think of it this way: If you had only one hour to devote to practice the week before the
ACT, spend that hour on your best subjects.
Math and Science Scores
These two subjects make a good pair. Every student is different, but many students begin with Math as one
of their higher scores and Science as one of the lower. There are good reasons for this. The Math test,
perhaps deceptively so, resembles school tests more than the other three. Science feels the most different,
and many students are intimidated by both the content and format.
When it comes to improving scores, many students find Math scores the easiest to bring up. A strategic
review of the rules and formulas, coupled with rigorous practice, can add several points. Science, on the
other hand, can be the most difficult. The Science test is designed to test your reasoning skills using
passage-based information, not tap specific outside knowledge. There are no rules or content you can
review. Who knows what specific topics will appear on the next ACT? On the goods-news front,
however, The Princeton Review can teach you a smart, effective approach designed to maximize your
performance every time, regardless of content. It can be tough to change your ways, but dedicated practice
with a strategic method can prevent the Science score from pulling down that composite.
Time
How often do you take a final exam in school that gives you at most a minute per question? Probably
never. The ACT isn’t a school test, and you can’t approach it as if it is. While speed and accuracy depend
on individual skills and grasp of content, almost all students struggle to finish the Math and Science tests
on time. The more you treat these tests the same way you would a school final, the less likely you are to
finish, much less finish with the greatest accuracy. The Princeton Review’s strategies are all based on this
time crunch: There’s a difference between knowing how to do a question under the best of circumstance
and getting it right with a ticking clock and glowering proctor in the room.
