How to Study for the ACT: Everything You Need to Know

TL;DR

The ACT tests English, Math, Reading, and Science in 2 hours and 55 minutes. Start prepping 3+ months out. Take a practice test first, focus on your weakest section, and learn time management — the ACT's biggest challenge is the clock, not the content.

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What Even Is the ACT?

The ACT is a standardized test used for college admissions. It's accepted by every college in the US (yes, every single one), and it tests four subject areas:

1. English (75 questions, 45 minutes)
2. Math (60 questions, 60 minutes)
3. Reading (40 questions, 35 minutes)
4. Science (40 questions, 35 minutes)

There's also an optional Writing section (1 essay, 40 minutes), but most colleges don't require it anymore. Check your target schools before deciding.

Total time: 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 40 min if you do Writing).

Your composite score is the average of all four sections, scored 1-36. That's it. Simple math.

ACT vs SAT: Quick Comparison

Both tests are accepted equally by colleges, so the real question is: which one plays to YOUR strengths?

Choose the ACT if you:

• Work quickly and efficiently under time pressure
• Like science (or at least don't hate reading graphs)
• Prefer straightforward questions over tricky ones
• Are strong across all subjects (the ACT covers more ground)

Choose the SAT if you:

• Need more time per question
• Prefer fewer sections and adaptive testing
• Are stronger in math and reading than science
• Want to use a built-in graphing calculator (Desmos)

Pro tip: Take a practice test of EACH before deciding. Many students score significantly higher on one than the other. Don't guess — test it.

Step 1: Take a Practice Test

You cannot skip this step. Before studying anything, take a full-length ACT practice test under real conditions:

• Find official practice tests at act.org (they're free)
• Set a timer for each section
• No phone, no breaks between sections (except the scheduled 10-minute break)
• Score it using the answer key and scoring chart

Your diagnostic score tells you:

• Where you're starting overall
• Which sections need the most work
• How your timing feels (spoiler: it'll probably feel rushed)

Write down your section scores. These are your baseline numbers.

Step 2: Understand Each Section

English Section (75 questions, 45 minutes)

This is basically a grammar and writing style test. You'll read passages with underlined portions and choose the best version.

What it tests:

• Grammar and mechanics (punctuation, subject-verb agreement, pronoun use)
• Sentence structure (run-ons, fragments, parallelism)
• Rhetorical skills (word choice, adding/deleting sentences, organization)

Key strategy: If two answers are grammatically correct, pick the shorter one. The ACT prefers concise writing.

Time per question: 36 seconds. That's fast, but the questions are short. Most students finish this section with time to spare.

Math Section (60 questions, 60 minutes)

The math section covers everything from pre-algebra to trigonometry. Questions go from easy to hard (roughly), so the first 30 are more straightforward than the last 30.

What it tests:

• Pre-Algebra and Elementary Algebra (20-25%)
• Intermediate Algebra and Coordinate Geometry (25-30%)
• Plane Geometry (20-25%)
• Trigonometry (5-10%)
• Statistics and Probability (5-10%)

Key strategy: The first 30 questions are your bread and butter. Nail those. If you're running low on time, guess on the hardest questions at the end.

Calculator: You can use a calculator on the entire math section (graphing calculators allowed, but no CAS). Bring one you're comfortable with.

Reading Section (40 questions, 35 minutes)

This is where the ACT gets brutal. You have to read 4 passages and answer 10 questions each in just 35 minutes. That's about 8 minutes and 45 seconds per passage.

The 4 passages are always in this order:

1. Prose Fiction / Literary Narrative
2. Social Science
3. Humanities
4. Natural Science

Key strategy: You don't have to read the passages in order. Start with your strongest category. If you're a science person, read Natural Science first. If you love fiction, start there.

Time tip: Spend 3 minutes reading the passage and 5 minutes answering questions. If you're a slow reader, try reading the questions first, then scanning the passage for answers.

Science Section (40 questions, 35 minutes)

Plot twist: the science section doesn't really test science knowledge. It tests your ability to read graphs, interpret data, and evaluate experiments.

You'll see 6-7 passages with:

• Data Representation (graphs, tables, charts)
• Research Summaries (experimental descriptions)
• Conflicting Viewpoints (two scientists disagree — who's right?)

Key strategy: Don't read the passage introductions carefully. Go straight to the questions and refer back to the figures/data as needed. This saves a TON of time.

You do NOT need to know specific science facts. Everything you need is in the data and passages. If a question requires outside knowledge (rare), it's usually basic stuff like "pH below 7 is acidic."

Step 3: Build Your Study Plan

3-Month Plan (Recommended)

Month 1: Learn the Test

• Week 1: Take diagnostic test, score it, identify weak sections
• Week 2-3: Study your weakest section intensively
• Week 4: Take a second practice test, track improvement
• Daily: 30-45 minutes of focused practice

Month 2: Build Skills

• Work on your 2 weakest sections
• Learn specific strategies for each question type
• Focus on timing — practice with a stopwatch
• Take 1 practice test at end of month
• Daily: 45 minutes

Month 3: Sharpen and Test

• Take a practice test every weekend
• Review EVERY wrong answer (understand why you got it wrong)
• Practice your timing on the Reading and Science sections
• Final practice test 5-7 days before the real thing
• Daily: 30-60 minutes

6-Week Plan (Compressed)

Week 1: Diagnostic + identify weak areas Weeks 2-3: Focused study on weak areas (1 hour/day) Week 4: Practice test + review Week 5: Focused study + strategy practice Week 6: Final practice test + light review

Best Free ACT Resources

1. ACT.org: Official practice tests and sample questions. THE gold standard.
2. CrackACT.com: Huge collection of practice tests and answers.
3. Khan Academy: While it's more SAT-focused, the math and grammar content applies to the ACT too.
4. YouTube: Channels like SupertutorTV and The Organic Chemistry Tutor have free ACT prep videos.

Paid Resources (If Budget Allows)

• Official ACT Prep Guide (Red Book): ~$25, essential if you want lots of practice tests
• Magoosh ACT: ~$100, online course with video explanations
• Private tutoring: $40-150/hour depending on location

ACT Scoring: What's a Good Score?

Composite Score	Percentile	What It Means
33-36	Top 1-3%	Competitive for Ivy League
28-32	Top 5-15%	Strong for most selective schools
24-27	Top 15-35%	Good for many state universities
20-23	Average	Acceptable for many colleges
Below 20	Below average	Consider retaking

What score do you need? Look up the middle 50% ACT range for your target schools. Aim for the higher end.

Time Management: The ACT's Real Challenge

Let me be honest: the content on the ACT isn't that hard. Most of it is stuff you've learned in school. The real challenge is doing it FAST.

Here's how to beat the clock:

English (36 seconds per question)

• Read the passage naturally, stop at each underlined portion
• If the answer is obvious, mark it and move on
• Don't overthink — your first instinct is usually right for grammar questions

Math (60 seconds per question)

• Do the first 40 questions in 40 minutes (they're easier)
• Save 20 minutes for the last 20 questions (they're harder)
• If a question takes more than 90 seconds, guess and move on

Reading (8 min 45 sec per passage)

• This is the hardest section to finish on time
• Read the passage ONCE — don't re-read
• Answer questions in order (they roughly follow the passage)
• If you can't find an answer in 30 seconds, skip and come back

Science (5 minutes per passage)

• Skip the intro paragraphs — go straight to questions
• Look at the data only when a question asks about it
• Conflicting Viewpoints passages take the longest — save them for last if needed

Test Day: What to Expect

Bring:

• Photo ID (school ID or driver's license)
• Admission ticket (printed from act.org)
• Number 2 pencils (not mechanical — the ACT is still on paper!)
• Approved calculator with fresh batteries
• Snacks and water (for the break)
• Watch (your phone will be collected)

Don't bring:

• Phone (or turn it completely off and leave it in your bag)
• Highlighters or colored pens
• Notes or study materials
• Smart watches or fitness trackers

Schedule:

• Arrive by 7:45 AM (testing starts at 8:00)
• English: 45 minutes
• Math: 60 minutes
• Break: 10 minutes
• Reading: 35 minutes
• Science: 35 minutes
• (Optional Writing: 40 minutes)

You'll be done by around noon (11 AM without Writing).

Should You Retake the ACT?

Most students take the ACT 2-3 times. Here's when retaking makes sense:

✅ Your score is below your target schools' ranges ✅ You felt time pressure affected your score significantly ✅ You identify specific areas you can improve with more study ✅ You had a bad test day (sick, anxious, distracted)

Here's the good news: most colleges superscore the ACT, meaning they take your highest section scores from different test dates and combine them. So if you score a 30 in English on your first try and a 30 in Math on your second try, they'll use both 30s.

Get Help With Your ACT Prep

Struggling with the reading passages? Need help polishing your writing skills? Gradily can help you build the reading comprehension and writing skills that make a difference on the ACT — and in your classes.

[Try Gradily for Free →]

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Your ACT Prep Checklist

• Take a diagnostic practice test
• Identify your weakest 1-2 sections
• Create a study schedule (3 months ideal)
• Use official ACT practice tests
• Practice under timed conditions
• Learn section-specific strategies
• Take 3-5 full practice tests before the real thing
• Prepare your test-day supplies
• Get a good night's sleep
• Crush it 💪

The ACT is a learnable test. The questions follow patterns, the content is predictable, and the strategies are well-documented. You don't need to be a genius — you just need to be prepared.

Go get that score. 🎯