Must-Know ACT Science Tips
ACT Science Section
There are 40 questions in the ACT Science Section, and you have 35 minutes to find the answers. There are multiple science passages on the test, and each one focuses on one of the following topics: physics, chemistry, earth/space sciences, or biology. One of three formats—data representation, research summaries, or conflicting viewpoints—is used to convey each passage. In this blog, we will provide ACT science tips that will help you ace the test.
Although the texts and questions center on scientific subjects, they don’t demand that pupils remember any particular scientific details. Instead, using the many paragraphs, graphs, tables, charts, and diagrams that each chapter contains, students are challenged to comprehend, analyze, and evaluate the content. Below is an example ACT Science passage and question, as well as more information about each type of passage.
ACT Science Tips
Here are some ACT science tips for you to keep in mind. Given that the ACT is essentially an open-book test, much like the Reading Test, the ACT Science Test may be much more manageable than you might initially believe. Even if you don’t know much about science, you can improve your grades by being disciplined and working hard.
These tips must always be kept in mind: The ACT Science Test will always be the fourth test you take on test day. You will have 35 minutes to finish the six to seven passages with 5-8 questions each. In addition, here are some ACT science tips prepared by AdmissionSight:
1. Knowing what to anticipate
Knowing what will be on the ACT Science test is the first step in ACT Science preparation. 40 multiple-choice questions about seven science texts in this format
Topics include astronomy, geology, meteorology, chemistry, and physics, as well as biology and chemistry.
The majority of the questions may be answered using the data in the passages or figures, but there are three or four that will require additional information. You ought to be capable of:
- Research data and trends
- Make forecasts
- combine information
2. Recognize the various ACT science passage types
The science sections are divided into three groups:
- Charts and graphs, each with five questions (Always come with figures; contain 1 or more charts, tables, graphs, or illustrations.)
- Six-question experiments (They usually come with figures; describe several experiments; include more text than the Charts and graphs passages do.)
- Opposing Viewpoints: 1 passage, 7 questions (sometimes with figures; seems more like ACT Reading Test passages), asks you to compare, contrast, and put together different points of view.
3. Order the passages
The ACT doesn’t put the passages in a difficulty hierarchy. However, there are questions on every exam that are significantly harder than others. Examine the passages and start with the one that appears to be the simplest. Spending too much time on the hardest passages will cause you to run out of time on problems that are simpler for you to answer.
4. Choose whether to answer questions. If not now, when?
Find the primary idea in each of the scientific passages on the ACT. When such findings are provided as figures rather than words, you will be able to identify the primary point more quickly. Therefore, the quicker you understand the basic principle, the easier the figures are to “read.”
The best exercises have the most visible patterns and a few other traits in common. Look for concise graphs, obvious trends, and answers with figures and words indicating a link, such as “rise” or “drop.”
5. Be adaptable
Always be ready to change your order based on what you observe—during a practice test as well as during a real exam. If you select a passage because it seems interesting but then have trouble understanding it, move on to another.
6. Confused? Guess, then continue.
When you’re perplexed, your first inclination could be to read the paragraph or reexamine the figure in hopes that something would suddenly click into place and make everything apparent. Instead, eliminate potential solutions using the process of elimination. Even if you can only estimate from one of the options, keep going.
ACT Science Scoring
Now that you know some ACT Science tips, let’s also learn how ACT Science Scoring is done.
Science
- Number of Questions: 40
- Scoring:
- Interpretation of data (45–55%)
- Scientific investigation (20-30%)
- Evaluation of models, inferences, and experimental results (25–35%)
- Models, inferences, and experimental findings: evaluation (25–35%)
When will your ACT results be available?
The release of test results typically starts 10 days following the test date, although it could take up to 8 weeks. Your results may take longer to post in some cases.
Here are some potential explanations:
- You must pay registration fees.
- There was an irregularity detected at your testing facility.
- Your information on the test admission ticket did not match the information on your answer sheet.
- Answer sheets arrived late from a test center.
- The writing section takes longer to score than the multiple-choice portion, which could be another factor contributing to the delay in results. However, if you haven’t gotten your results by the end of the two weeks, don’t start fretting! Simply keep an eye on the ACT timetable because your results will likely arrive soon.
Aside from knowing some ACT science tips and ACT science scoring, it is also important to consider how you can possibly raise your ACT score.
How may your ACT score be raised?
It doesn’t matter which scores you increase—your best section scores or your worst—because the ACT section scores are averaged. Assume you received a 23 on your most recent ACT, with 21 in English, 25 in math, 23 in reading, and 24 in science. Now imagine that you really concentrate on math, a topic you find to be very easy, that you practice, and that you raise that section score to a 30. Your superscore rises to a 25 only by improving that subject. Consider the impact a few points in your strongest subject, let alone across the board, could have.
Finding out more about these ACT Science tips may help you get a good score. You may raise your grade and graduate from college on time, affordably, and with the least amount of debt by using the right planning and study methods.
Want to learn more? Message us at AdmissionSight if you want to. Schedule a meeting if you would like our support with college admission preparation.