The ACT is an online, multiple-choice test used for US college admissions. ACT scores are considered alongside a student’s grades, essays, interviews and recommendations. There are sittings throughout the year and many people take the test several times before they apply to college.

All ACT questions are multiple choice. You sit the ACT on a computer at the test centre (unless you receive accommodations) and are given scratch paper or a whiteboard for your working in the Math section.

The ACT is made up of four sections - English, Math, Reading and Science - and requires strong English grammar and math knowledge, as well as critical thinking and reading ability. There is also an optional writing section which some schools and programmes require.

There are 215 multiple-choice questions in the ACT. These are divided into 75 English questions, 60 Math questions, 40 Reading questions on four passages and 40 Science questions. There's an optional Writing portion which is one essay question.

The ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes long. The English section is 45 minutes, the Math section is 60 minutes and the Reading and Science sections are both 35 minutes.

The optional Writing portion is 40 minutes long and brings the total length of the test to 3 hours and 35 minutes.

The ACT covers a large amount of material and requires incredible precision to bag top scores. As many students take the ACT multiple times before they achieve the scores they go on to submit, we advise starting preparations as early as possible. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

By taking a diagnostic test after Year 11, you can assess how much time you will need to dedicate to ACT preparation and work out a schedule that will help you maximise your scores.

• You’ll be making enough decisions during the test itself, so try to keep your morning simple by planning ahead. Plan your travel, your breakfast, and even your outfit, so you can relax. 

• You can’t perform well if you haven’t given your body what it needs. Be sure to get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated and eat a breakfast that’s going to make you feel great. 

• A quick review of your techniques is all you need on the morning of the test. Avoid frantic cramming and use the time to get outside and get your blood flowing instead.

• Once you get into the exam hall, the nerves can really set in. Practicing mindfulness or a breathing exercise can help you stay calm and centred. 

• The ACT is a marathon AND a sprint. Make the most of your breaks by standing up and stretching out, having a drink or snack, and focusing on a far-off object for 30 seconds. You’d be surprised the difference those 5 minutes can make! 

• Remember that no matter the question, you have the tools to tackle it. Fall back on the techniques and approaches you’ve practiced with your tutor. If you focus on the basics the rest will fall into place. That means reading carefully, checking your answers and putting all your energy into the question in front of you. 

• After all your hard work, you deserve to celebrate! Regardless of how the test has gone, it’s important to reward your efforts. Set aside some time to do something you love and relax after your test. 

• Reflecting on how things went can be invaluable for your progress, but don’t dwell on the details. You can’t go back, so panicking about whether you missed a minus sign on question three is only going to make you feel bad.  

• It’s easy to catastrophise if things didn’t go to plan. Remember that most people take the ACT multiple times, and however you did, you’ve learnt something and can come back even better next time.

You can take the ACT up to 12 times. We've seen most students take it multiple times to improve their scores.

Despite thorough preparation, unforeseen variables like distractions, nerves, and exam hall conditions can affect your ACT performance. Your first ACT attempt is crucial for experiencing and adapting to these elements, enhancing future performance.

No matter how ardently you have strived to ensure your practice ACT tests replicated the exam scenario, there will always be differing variables in this standardised test: distractions from other students, nerves, or even the temperature of the exam hall.

Sitting the ACT the first time is an excellent way to put into practice all you have achieved, but also is a valuable reconnaissance for these uncontrollable variables to strengthen your performance for the future.

When you are in the test itself, focus on the essentials: reading the question carefully and underlining key words, writing out your work, using the techniques that you have worked on with your private tutor.

After the test, take ten minutes and write out what you remember: how was your timing, what ACT math content came up, were there any grammar questions about which you felt unsure, etc.

Also write out how you felt going through the exam: Did you struggle with nerves? Did you find it difficult to concentrate? How did your stamina last?

These are crucially important observations for you to take to your private tutor to evolve your academic planning for the next test.

Having completed your initial assessment, you're now perfectly positioned to hone in on those key areas needing refinement based on your first ACT attempt. Our advice? Zero in on...

• Accuracy: If you signed up for ACT Test Information Release (TIR), you can request a copy of your questions and answers and see exactly where you went wrong. Discuss with your tutor, or think about how to minimise your errors - this may well lead to you aiming to answer fewer questions on your second standardised test.
• Timing: Connected to the number of questions you will be answering is the amount of time you spend on each. Now you know how the nerves of the exam affected you, you might want to give yourself more time per question. Remember: accuracy is more important than bulk.
• Content: Under pressure, were there areas in ACT math or grammar that you couldn’t quite remember? Be sure to focus on repetition of exercises for these targeted areas so that you store the information and approaches in your long-term memory.

Strategic academic preparation unlocks the door to top ACT performance. Whether you're navigating your ACT path or fine-tuning any aspect of your academic strategy, our dedicated tutors and Academic Team are here to support you every step of the way.

For 19 years, A-List has empowered tens of thousands of students globally to overcome test anxieties with our mindful, methodical approach. We ensure every student's ACT success through a holistic strategy, focusing on creative critical reasoning and a growth mindset for comprehensive academic achievement.

All of our tutors are first-class graduates from leading US universities - including Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Dartmouth and University of California. They combine in depth subject knowledge with insight into what it takes to succeed in some of the world’s most demanding academic environments.

For each subject area, we train our students in a thorough grounding of foundational to advanced content, stretching them with material beyond past papers and drills to produce articulate, well-rounded thinkers.

To enquire about A-List ACT support services, contact our Client Service team at +44 (0)20 3004 8101 or info@alisteducation.co.uk, anytime during our office hours Monday - Friday, 9am - 6pm.