ACT
The ACT is given six times per
year (September, October, December, February, April & June). About 1.92
million students from the class of 2015 (59%) took the ACT compared to
the 1.67 million who took the SAT.
The test is made up of four
required sections (English, Math, Reading, Science) with an optional
essay. Each section on the ACT is graded on a scale of 1-36. The four
sub-scores from English, Math, Reading and Science are averaged to get
the student’s Composite score. The optional essay is scored on a
2-12 scale and not included in the average for the Composite score.
Here’s how the sections breakdown:
English: 75 questions in 45
minutes, focusing on grammar rules and context.
Math: 60 questions in 60
minutes, emphasizing Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry and Trigonometry.
Reading: 40 questions in 35
minutes based on four total passages with one from each of four
categories: Fiction, Social Science, Humanities and Natural Science.
Science: 40 questions in 35
minutes, testing a student’s ability to quickly assess the results of
6-7 experiments, mostly through recognizing patterns in tables, charts
and graphs. No science knowledge required!
It is recommended that students
take the optional essay section. It is a 40-minute exercise, where the
student is presented with an issue and three viewpoints on that issue.
The student must assess each viewpoint and give his or her own
assessment of the issue.
You should take the ACT if:
1. Fast test taker
2. Straight-forward thinker
3. Like using calculators
all the time
4. Enjoy finding patterns in
scientific
tables/charts/graphs for fun
5. Read for speed, not depth

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