ACT Prep Blog
Friendly guides to help you study for the ACT, pick the right test, understand your scores, and build a prep plan that fits your life. No jargon, just what actually helps.
Study Plans & Timing
How long should you study for the ACT?
Most students need 4–12 weeks of focused prep. Timelines by starting score, target score, and hours per week so you can plan without guessing.
7 min read
How to study for the ACT
A step-by-step study plan that actually works: diagnostic, weak-area practice, full tests, and review habits that move your score.
8 min read
How many hours do you need to get a 30 on the ACT?
Most students need 40–80 hours of focused practice to reach a 30. How your starting score changes that estimate, and how to spend the time well.
6 min read
How many hours do you need to get a 36 on the ACT?
A 36 typically takes 80–150+ hours from the low 30s. Why the work shifts from learning content to flawless execution, and whether it's worth it.
6 min read
When should you start studying for the ACT?
Most students should start in junior year, 2–6 months before a test date. How your goal changes when to begin, and why earlier often feels easier.
6 min read
Scores & College Goals
How does ACT superscoring work?
A superscore combines your best section scores across test dates. Here's how it's calculated on the enhanced ACT and why not every college uses it.
6 min read
Should you take the ACT Writing section?
The essay is optional and doesn't affect your Composite. Here's how it's scored and how to decide based on the colleges on your list.
7 min read
Should you submit your ACT score to test-optional colleges?
Test-optional means the choice is yours. Use the middle-50% rule to decide when your score helps your application and when to leave it off.
7 min read
ACT score choice: which test dates should you send?
You control which test dates colleges see. Here's how score choice works, when to send your superscore, and how to read each school's policy first.
6 min read
How long does it take to get ACT scores back?
Multiple-choice scores usually start posting within about two weeks, with the essay later. Here's why scores trickle in and how to plan around deadlines.
5 min read
What are ACT percentiles and what do they mean?
Your percentile shows how your score compares to other test takers. Here's how to read it, why it shifts over time, and what it means for college.
6 min read
How many times should you take the ACT?
Most students take the ACT 2–3 times. Here's when another try helps, when it probably won't, and how to make each sitting count.
6 min read
What ACT score do you need for college?
How to read middle-50% ranges, what different school tiers typically look for, and when your score is strong enough to apply with confidence.
7 min read
What is a good ACT score?
A good ACT score depends on your goals. National averages, percentiles, and what colleges actually look for, explained in plain terms.
6 min read
ACT vs SAT
Should you take the ACT or SAT?
Not sure which test is yours? Compare the ACT and SAT by format, timing, and strengths, then pick the one where you feel most confident.
7 min read
Is the ACT harder than the SAT?
Neither test is universally harder. Here is how pacing, science, and math style differ so you can find the exam that fits you best.
6 min read
ACT Reading
How to improve your ACT Reading score
You can raise your Reading score with the right plan. Start with pacing, then build accuracy with timed passages and evidence-based answering.
6 min read
How to finish ACT Reading on time
Running out of time on Reading? Use a 10-minute-per-passage budget, answer easy questions first, and keep moving. Pacing is a skill you can build.
6 min read
What is the best ACT Reading strategy?
A repeatable system beats a single trick. Read for structure, answer from evidence, and use one consistent method on all four passages.
6 min read
How to get a 36 on ACT Reading
A 36 means missing zero or one question. Learn to spot half-right traps, nail inference questions, and bank time to recheck your work.
6 min read
Should you read the passage or questions first on the ACT?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Compare passage-first, questions-first, and hybrid methods to find what works best for you.
6 min read
How to read faster for the ACT
You can read faster without losing accuracy. Read actively for structure, reduce subvocalization, and train with a timer until pace feels natural.
6 min read
What types of passages are on ACT Reading?
ACT Reading always follows the same four passage types in order: Prose Fiction, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science. Here is what to expect from each.
6 min read
Why you keep missing ACT Reading inference questions
Inference answers are the smallest step the text supports. Learn why extreme choices trip you up and how to answer from evidence instead.
6 min read
How to improve ACT Reading from 24 to 30
At a 24, pacing and consistency are usually the holdup. Fix timing, answer from evidence, and a 30 on ACT Reading is within reach.
6 min read
How to improve ACT Reading from 30 to 36
The last few points come down to precision. Spot half-right traps, sharpen inference accuracy, and build a time buffer to recheck answers.
6 min read
ACT English
What grammar rules are tested on the ACT?
ACT English covers punctuation, sentence structure, verbs, pronouns, modifiers, and concision. Here's the full rule set you'll see again and again.
6 min read
How to improve your ACT English score quickly
English is rule-based and predictable, so gains can come fast. Learn the high-frequency rules, favor concision, and review your misses.
6 min read
The most common ACT English question types
ACT English splits into usage/mechanics and rhetorical skills. Learn each type so you know when to apply a rule or judgment.
6 min read
How to get a 36 on ACT English
Master every rule, default to concision carefully, win the rhetorical calls, and erase careless errors across 75 questions.
6 min read
How many questions can you miss and still get a 30 in ACT English?
On the enhanced ACT you can usually miss around 7–9 of 50 English questions for a 30, though the exact scale shifts each test.
5 min read
What punctuation rules should you memorize for ACT English?
Master commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, and apostrophes, plus the clause logic behind each, to win ACT English points.
6 min read
ACT Math
How to improve your ACT Math score
Focus on high-frequency topics, memorize the formulas the ACT doesn't give you, and drill timed sets with good review.
6 min read
What math topics are on the ACT?
ACT Math covers pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, and some trig, with algebra and geometry making up most of the section.
6 min read
What formulas should you memorize for ACT Math?
The ACT gives no formula sheet, so you'll want area, volume, slope, distance, the quadratic formula, and basic trig ratios memorized.
6 min read
How to get a 36 on ACT Math
Close every content gap, tackle the hardest end-of-section problems, and cut careless errors to reach a perfect Math score.
6 min read
What are the hardest ACT Math topics?
Advanced functions, trig, multi-step word problems, and rare topics like matrices and logs trip up a lot of students. Here's how to tackle them.
6 min read
How to improve ACT Math from 25 to 30
Fill in algebra and geometry gaps, cut careless errors, and fix pacing so you reach every solvable question and hit a 30.
6 min read
How to improve ACT Math from 30 to 36
Master the hardest topics, cut careless errors, and build speed to finish with time to check for a perfect Math score.
6 min read
How much geometry is on the ACT?
Geometry is about a third of ACT Math, covering plane and coordinate geometry. Here's what's tested and which formulas to memorize.
6 min read
How much algebra is on the ACT?
Algebra is the biggest part of ACT Math, over half the section. Here's the pre-algebra through intermediate algebra breakdown.
6 min read
What calculator should you use on the ACT?
The best ACT calculator is one you know well and that's on the approved list, often the TI-84. Check the policy and avoid banned CAS models.
5 min read
ACT Science
Which colleges still require the ACT Science section?
Science is optional now, so whether you need it is up to each college. Here's how to check, and when taking it is the smart move anyway.
6 min read
How to improve your ACT Science score
ACT Science rewards graph reading and reasoning, not memorized facts. Here's how to read figures first, learn the passage formats, and pick up points fast.
6 min read
Is ACT Science mostly reading?
Yes, and that's good news. ACT Science is mostly reading and data interpretation, not memorized facts. Here's how to prep for what it actually tests.
5 min read
How to read graphs faster on ACT Science
Graph speed is the biggest lever on ACT Science. Scan axes and units first, spot the relationship, and jump straight to the figure each question names.
5 min read
What is the best ACT Science strategy?
Skip the dense intros, go straight to the figures, and save Conflicting Viewpoints for last. A simple figures-first plan that makes Science feel manageable.
6 min read
How to get a 36 on ACT Science
A 36 comes down to flawless data reading at speed. Automate your method, cut careless axis errors, and handle Conflicting Viewpoints with confidence.
6 min read
Is the ACT Science section optional now?
On the enhanced ACT, Science is optional and no longer counts toward your Composite. Here's how to decide whether to take it based on your colleges and goals.
6 min read
How to improve ACT Science from 24 to 30
A 24 on Science is usually about pacing and approach, not science knowledge. Speed up graph reading, go figures-first, and tame Conflicting Viewpoints.
6 min read
Practice Tests & Test Day
What changed on the enhanced ACT?
The enhanced ACT is shorter, with 44 fewer questions, optional Science, and a Composite from English, Math, and Reading. Here's what's new and what stayed the same.
7 min read
Should you take the digital or paper ACT?
Both formats test the same content on the same scale, so neither is easier. Here's how to choose based on faster scores, built-in tools, and how you work best.
6 min read
Should you guess on every ACT question?
Yes, always. There's no penalty for wrong answers, so a guess can only help. Here's how to guess smart and never leave a bubble blank.
5 min read
Where can you find free ACT practice tests?
You can find free ACT practice through official samples, school resources, and platforms like thirty-six. The key is realistic material and actually reviewing it.
5 min read
How many ACT practice tests should you take?
Most students take about 4–8 full-length practice tests, enough for timing and stamina, paired with deep review and drills.
5 min read
Are official ACT tests better than third-party tests?
Official tests best predict your score, and quality third-party material adds drilling volume. Here's how to use each one well.
5 min read
How to review ACT practice tests
Analyze every miss and lucky guess, label the cause, and log patterns. Review, not the test itself, is where the points actually come from.
6 min read
Why am I not improving after taking ACT practice tests?
Stalled scores usually mean testing without deep review. Fix your review, target weaknesses, and address pacing to improve.
6 min read
What should you do the week before the ACT?
Taper your studying, take one final timed test early in the week, review error patterns, and prioritize sleep and logistics over cramming.
6 min read
What should you do the night before the ACT?
Stop studying, pack your bag, set multiple alarms, and get to bed. Rest and readiness beat last-minute cramming every time.
5 min read