Barron’s ACT 36: Aiming for the Perfect Score It’ll take more than just reading this book if you want a 36… – M. Chaitman – FL
I’ll certainly say that this is the most detailed ACT strategy book I’ve read. Being someone who scores in the 30s, I needed a book that was going to help me answer the more difficult questions. I had no use for the books that simply taught you how to use a comma, verb tenses, possession, etc; I knew that stuff already. Basically, this is the book for those who want help scoring above a 30.
The strategies in this book aren’t great, and I found myself using it more for the information it gives in the English and Math sections. The English section goes through a huge chapter-worth of all the complex grammar or punctuation rules you may just happen to find one question on on the test. However, having taken the real ACT three times already, I have to say that they don’t really test you on that kind of stuff. The math section does the same type of thing, teaching you the basics but also complex sequencing, trigonometry, etc. to help you on those two or three harder questions that make the difference between a 30 and a 33 or even a 33 and a 36. The only really good thing from the Science section is the ‘5-6-7 strategy’ and I haven’t found anything too helpful from the reading section. Those are just sections no one can really tell you what to do; you have to find what works for you.
Overall, I’d say that this book really over-prepares you, showing you how to answer the questions you’ll probably find once a ‘testing-season’ on one of the tests. However, if you’re truly aiming for that perfect score, then you’re going to have to be prepared to answer those types of questions.
It does include a practice test for each category, but they’re pretty difficult, as the book strategy covers more difficult questions as I said.
If you want practice tests, go with McGraw-Hill’s 10 ACT Practice Tests, Third Edition (McGraw-Hill’s 10 Practice Acts) or The Real ACT Prep Guide: The Only Guide to Include 3Real ACT Tests.
: Even the most gifted college-bound students who take the ACT college entrance test aren’t expected to achieve the perfect composite score of 36–but those who come close are virtually guaranteed acceptance to the nation’s finest, most academically challenging colleges. This brand-new test prep manual picks up where ordinary manuals leave off. The expert team of authors presents special advice and suggests innovative strategies directed at academic achievers, showing students how to tackle the ACT’s most difficult questions, come up with winning answers, and get an exceptionally high test score. In addition to detailed advice on test-taking strategies, this book presents hundreds of difficult and tricky practice questions with tips on interpreting them correctly and finding the correct answers. The practice questions are similar in format to those found on the actual test, and all ACT test topics are covered: English, mathematics, reading, science, and the optional Writing Test, which requires a brief essay.
Barron’s ACT 36: Aiming for the Perfect Score
- Barron’s ACT Math and Science Workbook (Barron’s Act Math & Science Workbook)
- Barron’s ACT English, Reading, and Writing Workbook (Barron’s Act English, Reading and Writing)
- The Real ACT Prep Guide: The Only Guide to Include 3Real ACT Tests
- 1,296 ACT Practice Questions (College Test Preparation)
- McGraw-Hill’s 10 ACT Practice Tests, Second Edition (McGraw-Hill’s 10 Practice Acts)