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2012–2013PREPARING FOR THE ACTWhat’s InsideFull-Length Practice Tests, includinga Writing Test Information about the OptionalWriting Test Strategies to Prepare for the Tests What to Expect on Test Day Esta publicación también sepuede ver o descargar en español enwww.actstudent.org/testprep/index.html.This booklet is provided free of charge.

Contents1.2.3.4.Additional ACTPreparation Materials General Preparation for the ACT Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Strategies for Taking the ACT Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5What to Expect on Test Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Taking the Practice Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Practice Multiple-Choice Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Practice Writing Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555. Scoring Your Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57How to Score the Multiple-Choice Tests . . . . . . . . 57How to Score the Writing Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 656. Sample Answer Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Multiple-Choice Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Writing Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 ACT Online Prep : The only online test preparationprogram designed exclusively by ACT testdevelopment professionals. ACT Online Prep haspractice test questions, a practice essay with real-timescoring, a diagnostic test, and a personalized StudyPath. You can access ACT Online Prep via the Internetanywhere and at any time.The Real ACT Prep Guide is the official print guideto the ACT. This book includes five complete practicetests previously used in actual administrations—eachwith an optional Writing Test, with explanations forall right and wrong answer choices.Order at www.actstudent.org/testprep.1General Preparationfor the ACT TestsA Message to StudentsThis booklet, which is provided free of charge, is intendedto help you do your best on the ACT. It summarizes generaltest-taking strategies, describes the content of each test,provides specific tips for each, and lets you know what toexpect on test day. Included in this booklet are completepractice tests—“retired” ACT questions that wereadministered to students on a national test date, includinga writing prompt—a sample answer document, answerkeys, and self-scoring instructions. Choosing a Test OptionStudents may register for one of two Test Options: theACT (No Writing), which includes the four required multiplechoice tests, or the ACT Plus Writing, which also includes a30-minute Writing Test. The optional ACT Writing Testcomplements the ACT English Test. The combined resultsfrom both tests provide information about yourunderstanding of the conventions of standard writtenEnglish and your ability to produce a direct sample of yourwriting. Taking the ACT Plus Writing will provide you withtwo additional scores: a Writing subscore and a CombinedEnglish/Writing score. Taking the ACT Writing Test does notaffect your subject area scores or your Composite score.Read this booklet carefully and take the practice tests wellbefore test day so you will be familiar with the tests, whatthey measure, and the strategies you can use to do yourbest on test day.ACT is committed to representing the diversity of oursociety in all its aspects, including race, ethnicity, andgender. Thus, test passages, questions, and writingprompts are deliberately chosen to reflect the range ofcultures in our population.Not all colleges require or recommend taking the ACTWriting Test. Check directly with the colleges you areconsidering to find out their requirements, or ask your highschool counselor which Test Option you should take. Youcan also check www.actstudent.org for a searchable listof colleges that have provided information to us about theirpolicies—whether they require, recommend, or do not needresults from the ACT Writing Test. Consult this list beforeyou register, so you will know which Test Option to select.We also are committed to ensuring that test questions andwriting prompts are fair—that they do not disadvantage anyparticular group of examinees. Extensive reviews of thefairness of test materials are rigorously conducted by bothACT staff and external consultants. We also employstatistical procedures to help ensure that our test materialsdo not unfairly affect the performance of any group.The ACT Plus Writing is available within the United States,U.S. territories, and Canada on all established test datesand for Special and Arranged Testing during designatedtesting windows. The ACT Plus Writing is availableinternationally on all test dates except February. 2012 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved.ACT endorses the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education and the Code ofProfessional Responsibilities in Educational Measurement, guides to the conductof those involved in educational testing. ACT is committed to ensuring that eachof its testing programs upholds the guidelines in each Code. A copy of each Codemay be obtained free of charge from ACT Customer Services (68), P.O. Box1008, Iowa City, IA 52243-1008, 319.337.1429.NOTE: This booklet is covered by federal copyright laws that prohibit thereproduction of the test questions without the express, written permission ofACT, Inc.2

Choosing a Test DateRead each question carefully.It is important that you understand what each questionasks. Some questions will require you to go through severalsteps to find the correct or best answer, while others canbe answered more quickly.Before you choose a test date, check the applicationdeadlines of the colleges and scholarship agencies you areconsidering. It will normally take three to eight weeks aftera test date for ACT to mail your score report to you and toyour college or scholarship choices.Answer the easy questions first.The best strategy for taking the tests is to answer the easyquestions and skip the questions you find difficult. Afteranswering all of the easy questions, go back and answerthe more difficult questions if you have time.Many colleges and scholarship agencies recommend thatstudents take the ACT during the spring of their junior year.By this time, students typically have completed most of thecoursework covered by the ACT. There are a number ofadvantages in taking the ACT then: You will receive test scores and other information thatwill help you plan your senior year of high school. Many colleges begin contacting prospective studentsduring the summer before their senior year. If you do not score as well as you believe you can,there will be opportunities to retake the ACT in the fall ofyour senior year and still have your new scoresavailable in time to meet admission and scholarshipdeadlines.Use logic on more difficult questions.When you return to the more difficult questions, try touse logic to eliminate incorrect answers to a question.Compare the answer choices to each other and note howthey differ. Such differences may provide clues as to whatthe question requires. Eliminate as many incorrect answersas you can, then make an educated guess from theremaining answers.Answer every question.Your score on the tests will be based only on the number ofquestions that you answer correctly; there is no penaltyfor guessing. Thus, you should answer every questionwithin the time allowed for each test, even if you have toguess. Your supervisor will announce when you have fiveminutes remaining on each test.NOTE: You cannot plan on receiving your scoresfrom one test date in time to register for the next.General Test-TakingStrategies for the ACTReview your work.If there is time left after you have answered every question ina test, go back and check your work on that test. Check to besure that you marked only one response to each question.You will not be allowed to go back to any other test or markresponses to a test after time has been called on that test.The ACT contains multiple-choice tests in four areas:English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Each ofthese tests contains questions that offer either four or fiveanswer choices from which you are to choose the correct,or best, answer. The following suggestions apply to allfour tests:Be precise in marking your answer document.Be sure that you properly fill in the correct ovals on youranswer document. Check to be sure that the number of theline of ovals on your answer document is the same as thenumber of the question you are answering and that youmark only one response for each question.Pace yourself.The time limits set for each test give nearly everyone enoughtime to finish all the questions. However, because theEnglish, Reading, and Science Tests contain a considerableamount of text, it is important to pace yourself so you will notspend too much time on one passage. Similarly, try not tospend too much time puzzling over an answer to a specificproblem in the Mathematics Test. Go on to the otherquestions and come back if there is time. Your supervisorwill announce when you have five minutes remaining oneach test.Erase completely.If you want to change a multiple-choice answer, be sure touse a soft eraser that will not leave smudges and erase theunintended mark completely. Do not cross out answers oruse correction fluid or tape; you must erase. Correctionfluid/tape, smudges, or unintended marks may causeerrors in scoring.Read the directions for each test carefully.Before you begin taking one of the tests, read thedirections carefully. The English, Reading, and ScienceTests ask for the “best” answer. Do not respond as soon asyou identify a correct answer. Read and consider all of theanswer choices and choose the answer that best respondsto the question.To students approved to test at national test centerswith extended time:You will be allowed up to 5 hours total to work on themultiple-choice tests at your own pace, including breaksbetween tests. If you are taking the ACT Plus Writing,you will be allowed up to 5 hours and 45 minutes total towork on all five tests. You will need to pace yourselfthrough each test in order to complete all tests within thetotal time allowed. Your supervisor will provide timeupdates every hour. When you complete each test, youmust notify your supervisor that you are ready to beginthe next test.The Mathematics Test asks for the “correct” answer. Readeach question carefully to make sure you understand thetype of answer required. Then, you may want to work outthe answer you feel is correct and look for it among thechoices given. If your answer is not among the choicesprovided, reread the question and consider all of theanswer choices.3