ACT Science
Articles in this topic. Browse the full ACT prep blog for every guide.
Five minutes left on ACT Science
Stay on the figure in front of you, then fill every blank. Do not open a new debate passage.
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Start with the easiest Science passage
Start with the Science passage type you finish fastest. Save conflicting viewpoints for later.
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Which experiment on ACT Science
Match the result to the setup that actually changed that variable.
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Supported or weakened on ACT Science
If the data match the claim, it is supported. If they go the other way, it is weakened.
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The same variable on two Science figures
If two figures share a variable, read both axes before you compare.
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Units in the choices on ACT Science
Read the units in the choices. A right number with the wrong unit is wrong.
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Compare viewpoints on ACT Science
Chart where two scientists agree, disagree, or would predict differently.
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Evaluate a model on ACT Science
Ask whether a result fits the model's prediction.
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Annotate Conflicting Viewpoints
On Conflicting Viewpoints, read the passage. Label each student or scientist with one short stance.
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When a Science question has no locator
If a Science question does not name a figure, table, or experiment, the answer is usually in the introduction.
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A straightedge on ACT Science graphs
To read a value off a Science graph, hold scratch paper or a card as a straightedge along the axis.
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Zoom on digital ACT Science graphs
On the digital ACT, zoom in on a Science figure when the ticks are tight. That is figure zoom, not Desmos zoom.
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Pattern questions on ACT Science
A pattern question asks what happens as one column or axis changes. Read the trend, then name it.
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Detail from the graph on ACT Science
A detail-from-the-graph question is a lookup. Go to the named figure, find the point, read the value.
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Inference questions on ACT Science
A Science inference still has to sit on the data. Combine two figures without importing class knowledge.
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Scientific-method questions on ACT Science
A scientific-method question asks how the experiment was built: what changed, what was measured, what was held still.
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Go to the named figure on ACT Science
When a question names Figure 2 or Table 1, go there first. Do not start by reading the introduction.
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Skip the Science intro first
On data-heavy Science passages, skip the opening paragraph and start with the questions that point at figures.
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Independent vs dependent variables
The independent variable is what the experimenters change. The dependent variable is what they measure in response.
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Control groups on ACT Science
A control group is the version of the experiment that does not get the treatment, so you have something to compare against.
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New-information questions on ACT Science
The question adds a fact that was not in the passage and asks what that fact would do to a result or a viewpoint.
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Hypothesis vs conclusion on ACT Science
A hypothesis is what the experimenters expected. A conclusion is what the data actually show.
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Comparing two experiments on ACT Science
When two experiments sit in one passage, find the one factor that changed and treat everything else as the same.
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Yes/no because questions on ACT Science
Decide yes or no from the data, then check that the because clause is true. Both halves have to be right.
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The right figure and the right interval
A missed Science trend is often the right pattern on the wrong figure, or over the wrong stretch of the axis.
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Direct vs inverse on ACT Science graphs
Direct means both quantities move together. Inverse means one rises while the other falls.
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Minimums, maximums, and turning points
The minimum is the low point, the maximum is the high point, and a turning point is where the line changes direction.
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Axis labels and units on ACT Science
Read the axis title and the unit before you say the line went up. The wrong unit is the wrong answer.
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Is For the Love of ACT Science worth it?
The book can teach graph habits if you will sit optional Science. Skip it if Science is not on your Saturday.
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What is a good ACT Science score?
Science is optional and off the Composite. A good score is one you will send to a college that still reads Science or a STEM score.
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Do engineering colleges care about ACT Science?
Science is optional on the Composite, but STEM programs often still want Science or the STEM score. Default to taking it for engineering and CS.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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