Taking the ACT is a life-altering endeavor. Good ACT scores mean admission to the college of your choice, receiving free money for your college schooling and many other perks. That sounds daunting and exciting at the same time. There is actually no “failing” in the ACT, but you have to keep up to a certain standard, and that’s the required score of your target colleges. Now, you might be wondering about how to study for the ACT. Here are some tips.

1. Start your ACT test prep early. Time is of the essence when studying for the ACT. Don’t get too complacent thinking that it is easy to pass the test because you’ve taken up your subjects in school. Remember that studying for months is necessary for major tests like the ACT. Depending on your baseline score, you may consider a 1 month, 2 months or 3 months ACT study program.
2. Determine your baseline score. Get hold of an official ACT practice test from a reputable book or online resource. Take the test without studying, including the optional Essay section. The score that you will obtain from this initial test is your baseline score. From here, you can measure how many points you have to work to improve on, or whether you are at par already. You then set a corresponding test prep time-frame according to your target score.
3. Decide on your goal. Is it a score of 29 that you’re aiming for in the ACT? Maybe it’s a 33. Or else you might want to increase your Science test score by 6 points. You thus have to set a goal pertaining to these, and when you do, make sure that your goal is “SMAART”, meaning that it is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Action-Oriented, Results- Oriented and Time-Phased. For instance, you can decide to study for 3 days in a week for 3 months so that you can attain an ACT score of 33 when you take the test in June.
4. Know about the basics of the ACT. Don’t be taken aback by what you’ll see in the ACT. You wouldn’t want to be clueless about it. Otherwise, you might suffer from test anxiety. Be in-the-know about the topics covered by the ACT, and they are English, Math, Reading and Science Reasoning. There is also an optional Writing test. The items you’ll come across are multiple-choice questions. At the same time, be aware of what a good ACT score is and how to register for the test.
5. Be aware of what test prep options you might consider. Evaluate the study programs that are available to you. Do you want to test prep in a tutoring center? Maybe you are opting to join a class. Do you think that studying with books is more workable? If you have trouble concentrating, you might choose to study with ACT apps or an online study guide.
6. Create and stick to your study schedule. You have to optimize your test prep for the ACT, and that means rendering as much time as you can for it. If you want to study for a lesser time everyday, you ought to start with your prepping earlier. Be sure to squeeze in your study time in between your Snap Chatting or reality TV hours. In a nutshell, learn how to manage your time when preparing for the ACT.
7. Improve your test-taking skills by taking practice tests. Take as many of them as possible because taking practice tests is one of the most effective studying techniques. This fact is backed by research. Whether studying with an ACT book or an online ACT test prep program, incorporate practice tests in your schedule.

These tips about how to study for the ACT are easy and practical. Don’t make your academic career complicated by studying for the said test during the last minute because an early bird gets all the goodies!