This document provides an overview of an ACT preparation course. It begins with an introduction and table of contents. It then covers what the ACT is, the different sections of the ACT, how the ACT is scored, and what will be covered in this preparation course. The course aims to improve scores through full-length practice tests, PowerPoint slides on content and strategies, and targeted exercises. Students are advised to take thorough notes, complete all assignments, and practice frequently in order to maximize their preparation.

1. 1
ACT
Preparation
Introduction Slides
Welcome!

2. Table of Contents
2
I. What is the ACT?
II. What is on the ACT?
III. How is the ACT scored?
IV. What is this course?

3. The ACT
 ACT: standardized test
used by college
admissions, scholarship
programs, and other
institutions to compare
students across the
country on a “level”
playing field
 Assesses college
readiness
 ACT tests…
 Grammar and writing
skills
 Math computation and
understanding
 Reading comprehension
 Critical thinking
3

4. Misconceptions of ACT Improvement

5. Misconceptions of ACT Improvement
1.I’m not good at standardized testing, so I will never succeed
on the ACT

6. Misconceptions of ACT Improvement
1.I’m not good at standardized testing, so I will never succeed
on the ACT
2.We should focus preparation on the sections, topics, and/or
questions that we are “bad at”

7. Misconceptions of ACT Improvement
1.I’m not good at standardized testing, so I will never succeed
on the ACT
2.We should focus preparation on the sections, topics, and/or
questions that we are “bad at”
3.‘X’ strategy worked for my friend, so it will work for me

8. Misconceptions of ACT Improvement
1.I’m not good at standardized testing, so I will never succeed
on the ACT
2.We should focus preparation on the sections, topics, and/or
questions that we are “bad at”
3.‘X’ strategy worked for my friend, so it will work for me
4.I will improve simply by taking a bunch of practice tests

9. ACT Preparation
5

10. Why Should I Care?
 Think of the number of
hours you have put into
your education and GPA
over the past 12 years…
How many?
 Putting 50+ hours into
ACT Prep for a score that
will make you stand out –
sounds like a pretty good
deal
 So look at this test as a
time to shine!
6

11.  According to a 2015 report by U.S. News,
about 78% of colleges say that
standardized tests are of “considerable
importance” in college admissions, up from
60% in 2008 and 43% in 1993
 The ACT plays a role in scholarships and
honors program admissions in addition to the
college admissions decision
How Important is the ACT?
7

12. Table of Contents
8
I. What is the ACT?
II. What is on the ACT?
III. How is the ACT scored?
IV. What is this course?

13. Outline of the Test
Five sections (order is consistent)
1.English (45 minutes)
2.Math (60 minutes)
3.Reading (35 minutes)
4.Science (35 minutes)
5.Writing (40 minutes) – OPTIONAL
Question types
Sections 1–4: all multiple choice
Section 5: open-ended essay
9

14. Success on the Test
Driven by Two Primary Factors
Content Knowledge
 The “what you know” piece of
testing
 English and Math sections
tend to be driven more by the
content
 Many more rules, specific
computations, and
consistent structures
Strategy Implementation
 The “how you approach each
section” piece of testing
 How long do I spend on
each passage?
 When should I use Process
of Elimination?
 When should I just plug in
the answers and see which
one works?
 Reading and Science sections
tend to be driven more by
strategy implementation
10

15. Test Structure – English
 Passages
 5 passages with 15 questions each
 Total of 75 questions
 Time
 45 minutes to complete
 Question Types
1. Production of Writing (29-32%)
 Topic Development
 Organization, Unity, & Cohesion
2. Knowledge of Language (13-19%)
3. Conventions of Standard English (51-56%)
 Sentence Structure & Formation
 Punctuation
 Usage
11

16. English Sample
 Passage I
A Microscope in the Kitchen
I grew up with buckets,
shovels, and nets waiting by
the back door; hip-waders
hanging in the closet; tide table
charts covering the refrigerator
door; and a microscope was
sitting on the kitchen table.
Having studied, my mother is a
marine biologist.
1) A. NO CHANGE
B. waiting, by the back door,
C. waiting by the back door,
D. waiting by the back door
2) F. NO CHANGE
G. would sit
H. sitting
J. sat
12

17. Test Structure – Math
 Time
 60 minutes to complete
 Questions
 60 questions (increasing in difficulty)
 Predominantly “word problems”
 Question Types (3 content areas as per the ACT)
1. Preparing for Higher Math (57-60%)
a. Number & Quantity (7-10%)
b. Algebra (12-15%)
c. Functions (12-15%)
d. Geometry (12-15%)
e. Statistics &Probability (8-12%)
2. Integrating Essential Skills (40-43%)
3. Modeling
a. About 25% cross-listed as “Modeling”
13

18. Math - Sample
3) What is the value of x when 2x +
3 = 3x – 4 ?
A. –7
B. –1/5
C. 1
D. 1/5
E. 7
54) What is the probability that a
number selected at random from
the set {2, 3, 7, 12, 15, 22, 72,
108} will be divisible by both 2 and
3 ?
F. 1/4
G. 3/8
H. 3/5
J. 5/8
K. 7/8
14

19. Test Structure – Reading
 Passages
 4 passages with 10 questions each (1 of which is
Compare and Contrast)
 Total of 40 questions (four answer choices each)
 Time
 35 minutes to complete
 Question Types
1. Key Ideas & Details (55-60%)
2. Craft & Structure (25-30%)
3. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (13-18%)
15

20. Reading – Sample
1) One of the author’s main points about the
legal concept of responsibility in the passage
is that:
A. the phrase “not guilty by reason of
insanity” has made our legal system more
efficient.
B. responsibility and guilt are legal
concepts, and their meanings can be
modified.
C. knowing right from wrong is a simple
matter of admitting the truth to oneself.
D. people can become severely disturbed
without a word of warning to anyone.
8) The author feels that “all this rating and
counting and classifying of authors“ (lines
61–62) is:
F. an example of giving in to a competitive
approach to literature, which the author feels
is counterproductive.
G. an example of an approach to literature
that feminists have supported and should
continue to support.
H. at odds with Matthew Arnold’s view of
the function of criticism, a view that the
author endorses.
J. important, especially if it helps
eliminate the entire oeuvre of writers whose
names contain double Ws.
16

21. Test Structure – Science
 Passages
 6 passages with 5–7 questions each
 Total of 40 questions
 Time
 35 minutes to complete
 Passage Types
1. Data Representation (30-40%)
2. Research Summaries (45-55%)
3. Conflicting Viewpoints (15-20%)
17

22. Science – Sample
4) According to the results of Study 1, which of the
following best describes the relationship between
thermal conductivity and rock temperature? As thermal
conductivity increases, the rock temperature recorded
adjacent to buried SF canisters:
F. decreases only.
G. increases only.
H. increases, then decreases.
J. remains the same.
18

23. Test Structure – Writing (Optional)
 Prompt
 1 prompt
 Time
 40 minutes to complete
19

24. Table of Contents
20
I. What is the ACT?
II. What is on the ACT?
III. How is the ACT scored?
IV. What is this course?

25. General Scoring of the ACT
21

26. General Scoring of the ACT
 For each section, you get two types
of scores:
 Scale score (1–36)
 Scale Score
 This is based on the number of
questions you got correct. Each
ACT has its own “scale” to adjust
for minor differences in difficulty.
 Detailed Score Report
 Breakdown by question type
 Opportunity to focus review on
particular content areas
21

27. General Scoring of the ACT
 For each section, you get two types
of scores:
 Scale score (1–36)
 For the overall test, you get one
composite (or overall) score:
 Mean average of the four
section’s Scale Scores
 Scale Score
 This is based on the number of
questions you got correct. Each
ACT has its own “scale” to adjust
for minor differences in difficulty.
 Detailed Score Report
 Breakdown by question type
 Opportunity to focus review on
particular content areas
21

28. General Scoring of the ACT
 For each section, you get two types
of scores:
 Scale score (1–36)
 For the overall test, you get one
composite (or overall) score:
 Mean average of the four
section’s Scale Scores
 Scale Score
 This is based on the number of
questions you got correct. Each
ACT has its own “scale” to adjust
for minor differences in difficulty.
 Detailed Score Report
 Breakdown by question type
 Opportunity to focus review on
particular content areas
21
Example:
English – 20
Math – 18
Reading – 24
Science – 19
Average = 20.25  20

29. 22

30. 23

31. What is a “good” score?
 No “correct” answer to this
question
 Check individual colleges’
websites to see what
scores applicants typically
have
 Statistics
 National Averages* (2016)
 English: 20.4
 Math: 20.8
 Reading: 21.4
 Science: 20.9
 Composite: 21.0
 These numbers are averages
for a reason – there are
people above and below it.
 Don’t feel bad if your score
is lower than you’d like!
 That’s the point of this
class!
24*According to the ACT’s website

32. Table of Contents
25
I. What is the ACT?
II. What is on the ACT?
III. How is the ACT scored?
IV. What is this course?

33. Three Primary Components of the Course
1. Full-Length Practice Tests
 One at the beginning of the course, one in the middle, one at the end
2. PowerPoint Slides with Accompanying “Try It!” sets
 Will be focused on both content knowledge and strategy
implementation
 English and Math: focus on content knowledge
 Reading and Science: focus on strategy implementation
 “Try It!” sets: targeted reviews for particular content areas or question
types
3. Exercises
 English and Math: additional practice throughout the slides that is
directed at the recently-covered material
 Reading and Science: practice to be used at different intervals
throughout the slides
26
Look for this symbol!

34. How can I stay organized?
 Buy a three-ring binder (1” or 1½”)
 Make five sections (one for each ACT
section)
 Fill each with several sheets of
looseleaf paper
 You will not be given copies of the
notes – instead you will need to
take handwritten notes in class
 Keep your notes neat and in order so
that you can review before Practice ACT
tests and the actual ACT
27

35. What can I do to get the most
out of this Course?
1) Come prepared! To learn and practice, you have to
be here!
Bring a calculator and your binder (or notebook).
2) Take notes and ask questions – if you don’t
understand something in the class, you won’t on the
test.
3) Complete assigned exercise questions, additional
practice etc…
4) Practice, Practice, Practice… And review what you
missed so that you don’t make the same mistakes.
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36. 36
Course
Syllabus

37. 37
Introduction Section
Thank you for your attention!