Summer ACT testing dates are coming up, and students across Wisconsin are starting to prepare for one of the biggest parts of the college application process.
Experts say preparing ahead of time can help students feel more confident and less stressed before taking the ACT.
“It’s a hurdle most students will need to jump over to get to college,” said Dan Marlin, test prep director at Galin Education.
The ACT is a standardized test many students take during their junior year. In Wisconsin, public school junior students are required to take it in March. While many colleges became test-optional during the pandemic, Marlin said things are changing.
“Slowly there are more schools starting to require the scores again,” Marlin said.
The exam includes English, math and reading sections, along with an optional science portion. Some students also complete a writing portion through their school.
“It’s kind of a long test. It can be up to three hours,” Marlin said.
Marlin said one of the biggest changes in recent years is that the ACT is now shorter, with shorter sections and an optional science test. But despite those changes, he says timing is still one of the biggest challenges students face.
“A lot of students will say oh I would’ve done better if I had more time. We see that frequently,” Marlin said.
That pressure is one reason why Marlin recommends students begin preparing early instead of trying to cram a few weeks before the exam.
“It just takes time to prepare for these tests. You can’t really cram it in,” Marlin said.
He recommends students practice with timed exams to get familiar with the format and pacing. The ACT also releases a yearly practice guide known as the “red book,” along with online study resources.
“This is the big red book I was talking about,” Marlin said while holding up the study guide.
The highest score one can get on the ACT is a 36, with the national average around an 18. Competitive colleges often look for scores in the upper 20s or 30s.
“For a school like UW-Madison, which a lot of people are interested in, you want to be in the upper twenties or thirties,” Marlin said.
Marlin said consistency matters more than spending hours studying all at once.
“It doesn’t need to be your main priority but it should be on the list,” Marlin said.
Homestead High School junior Julia Rich says starting early helped her feel more comfortable each time she took the test. Rich began tutoring with Galin Education last fall after her mother researched local tutoring programs.
“Going into the ACT I’ve taken it three times now and I’ve been so much happier with my score. My score went up 8 points. I was way calmer going into the test, I practiced exactly what I needed to,” Rich said.
Rich said she surpassed her goal score of 30 and now feels competitive applying to several Midwest schools. She also agrees students should avoid cramming before test day.
She said preparing for the ACT is less about memorizing content and more about understanding the format, timing and expectations of the exam.
As summer approaches, Marlin also encourages students to keep reading regularly to maintain comprehension skills before the next testing cycle.
“Find a book find a website a magazine something that you can commit to twenty to thirty minutes a day,” Marlin said.
And as test day gets closer, Marlin says students should remember to get enough sleep, double-check their calculator batteries and avoid putting too much pressure on themselves.
Rich recommends taking advantage of free testing prep, however boasts about her personalized tutoring with Galin Education. For those interested in one-on-one tutoring, course placement, college counseling, organizational coaching and subject tutoring, you can reach out to Galin through email at info@galined.com
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