ACT Science Tip

Hi ACT test takers.  Many students find the science section the most daunting section on the ACT.  It is always at the end of a long test - and your head may already be spinning from the previous 2 or so hours.  When you finally start the section you are faced with 35 minutes in which you have read 7 passages and answer 40 questions, while analyzing charts, graphs and figures.  Pressure!!  Most students do not actually finish the section in the allotted time.  Here's a tip - don't take the science passages in the order given.  Many find some sections intimidating when just looking at them.  Fine.  Stay calm, skip that passage.  Quickly move on to a section you feel you have more confidence tackling.  If you have time you will come back to anything you skipped.  Take the sections in whatever order you feel most comfortable with.  Many students skip the "conflicting viewpoints" passage - the only passage with 7 questions, and usually is the most time-consuming to sort through.  For others - lots of illustrations  might cause some panic.   I recommend picking your "letters of the day" and bubbling in guess answers in a section as you are skipping it - just so you don't have a rush at the end, or the proctor misses telling you you have only a minute or two left.  "Skipping" does NOT mean "leave blank"!  You never want to leave anything blank on the ACT.  But you don't have to do the science passages in the order given.  Maximize the use of your time on this test - and give it your best shot.