Look here for helpful tips in general about the test:
1. Pace is important. For all sections, you must keep an eye on the clock. Everything is timed, so you want to make sure that you continually watch so that you can ANSWER ALL OF THE QUESTIONS.
2. For the reading portion, you will probably have around 8-9 minutes per passage, give or take. That is reading and answering the questions.
3. For the writing portion, write in "normal handwriting," meaning, don't capitalize everything. DO capitalize the word "I" and all proper nouns. You must also write legibly.
4. Do not skip lines in the writing portion. If you think you will need more space, shorten you indent a little bit...but do not forget to indent all paragraphs.
5. You will have 40 minutes to write, this will feel very short. Aim for a four paragraph essay. HERE is a sample writing prompt and information about scoring.
6. Don't personalize your essay, but focus on current events or literature or anything you have learned in your high school coursework. So don't say things like "This one time, my rumba vacuum wouldn't turn off and I questioned whether or not AI was a good idea."
7. Proofread if possible. Skim for errors like the following: "you," "First," or "Secondly," "In conclusion," "i" "&" or "+"
8. Don't use words just because you think they sound "smart." Use words that are applicable to your essay and your style. Use words that you know you can spell and use properly.
9. Here is the "Essay Task" Essay Task Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the relative importance of the liberal arts and professional studies. In your essay, be sure to: `analyze and evaluate the perspectives given `state and develop your own perspective on the issue `explain the relationship between your perspective and those given
Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different. Whatever the case, support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed, persuasive examples.
You will want to pick a side and stick with it. You only have forty minutes to plan, write and proofread this essay. You do not want to spend a bunch of time trying to organize the battle of "It depends."
10. Breathe throughout this test. Air helps your brain think calmly and rationally. :)
Look here for testing tips in general:
1. EAT BREAKFAST. The ACT is almost 5 hours long. Yes, FIVE HOURS. That is a long time and we are used to eating food at 10:30. Your stomachs will be rumbling and grumbling and you will not be able to focus. Might I suggest avocado and eggs with salsa on an English Muffin. (MMmmmmm) You will stay fuller longer. Stop by the grocery store today so your avocado is ripe in time for Tuesday! :) Get a banana too. And some granola bars.
2. You will have some breaks during the test, but you can only go out in the hall one at a time. You don't get to go into your bag. Keep a quick snack, ex: granola bar, in your pocket so that when you go to the bathroom, you can walk slowly in the hall and eat your snack if you are starving.
3. Stretch during the breaks. Stretching gets your blood moving faster. When your blood moves quicker, more oxygen gets to your brain. Fun fact, your brain needs oxygen to focus. Another fun fact, you need to focus when you take these tests so that you can do well. Whoop Whoop! You are not going to want to stand up. You will be all, "no one else is standing, I'm not gonna be the one. Plus I'm tired and booooored. I'm just gonna sit here and stare at the administrator because, what else am I going to do. Barrrrrgggggg." But you should stand up, you want a better score than all those peeps. So STAND UP.