About the ACT test

The ACT (American College Testing) is similar to the SAT – it is an online, standardized test that is used an entry requirement for US universities. The whole test lasts 3 hours and 25 minutes and it is administered 6 times per year. Over the past few years the ACT has become more popular than the SAT test as an entry requirement to top US universities.

Structure of the test

Scoring-Results
The ACT test is scored on a scaled range from 0 to a perfect score of 36. The Ivy League universities generally look for a score in excess of 31.

Our results have been excellent with students attaining places at world-renowned universities such as Brown University, Georgetown University, University of California – Berkeley, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, New York University, and Columbia University, to name just a few of the recent destinations of the Tree Foundation Tutorial College students. As a student or parent it is most interesting and informative to learn from the experiences of previous students, and this can be arranged through the network of students who have graduated or are currently studying in the US or Canada.

FAQ

When do I need to start preparing for the test?
Our advice is to begin preparing at least four months before the first time you wish to take the exam. Students usually start preparing approximately a year and a half before they finish high school so as to be able to take the test at least 2 or 3 times.

How many times can I take the test?
As the SAT, you may take the ACT examination as many times as you wish. However, students are advised to take the exam no more than three times.

What is the ACT point scale?
The ACT is marked out of 36. Each of the four sections has a different scale. The English is out of 75, the Mathematics is out of 60 and the Reading and Science are out of 40 each. The scores of each section are then converted into a number out of 36.

How long is the Exam?
The actual exam takes three hours and thirty five minutes if you include the writing and two hours and fifty five minutes for those not taking the writing part. However, students will usually be dismissed after five hours, including the breaks.

Is the essay mandatory?
No. The writing part is optional, but you will often find that many Universities in the US do require that you take it.

How much does it cost to register for the ACT?
The ACT without the writing costs 39.5 US dollars and with the writing component costs 59.5 US dollars. For international students outside the US and Canada, there is an additional cost of 40 US dollars.

How long does it take for the results to be published?
Results will be published between three to eight weeks from the test day. The writing component usually takes around two weeks more.

Can I send my ACT scores to Universities?
Yes. You can send your ACT scores to any University. For more information please visit http://www.actstudent.org/regist/.

Important links

For further information and registration for the ACT please visit the official site at www.actstudent.org

Practice materials – Recommended textbooks

The most important book to practice from is The Official ACT Prep Guide, which comes from the test makers themselves.


For additional theory and practice we would recommend the following:

• Kaplan ACT Premier (2016-2017) which comes with 8 fairly challenging tests
• Princeton Review: Cracking the ACT test with 6 practice tests. This perhaps the most realistic simulation of the real ACT test and so is highly recommended for practice.
• Barron’s ACT. This is a little over the top in some areas as far as difficulty levels are concerned. For the students that are aiming high this is a must.
• McGraw-Hill 10 ACT Practice tests. And just for pure extra practice, this book serves up relatively realistic practice tests, 10 of them to be exact.

SAT vs ACT

The SAT reasoning test & the ACT
Many will know and have heard of the SAT and the ACT tests. These tests can literally make or break your application to a college or university in the US. These tests constitute one of the most important criteria that you, as a prospective candidate, are judged. If you attain the results then the world is your oyster; otherwise all the doors may close very rapidly. The fact is that you have to score high in the ACT and/or the SAT to secure your future place at a great US university. It certainly is not easy and that is why the Tree Foundation Tutorial College is here to guide you. We have tutored hundreds of students over the last 15 years to the very best universities in the US. Let us guide you to the college of your dreams.

A little more about the distinction between the ACT and SAT tests
In essence there are not many differences between the two tests: both examine you on your knowledge of mathematics and the English language. The salient difference is that the ACT has a Science section whereas the SAT Reasoning Test does not. Over the last few years the ACT has been in ascent, perhaps due to its more spherical nature, examining the prospective test candidate on his/her mathematical, linguistic, and scientific competences rather than just his/her mathematical and linguistic competences, in the case of the SAT. In the ACT there is more emphasis on time management – you have to be extremely fast and efficient to succeed.

How are the ACT and SAT examinations scored?
The ACT is scored out of 36. The SAT is scored out of 1600. To give you a more objective appraisal of the scores, an Ivy university will be expecting at least 30/36 in the ACT or 1350/1600 in the SAT. If one looks at the scoring algorithms of the respective tests one will discover that the scoring is certainly not a linear relationship; at the high end one’s score drops extremely rapidly with just a few mistakes. We at the Tree Foundation Tutorial College will make absolutely sure that your examination technique is refined to optimise your very best score. You simply have to get your examination technique honed to perfection: that is what the Tree Foundation Tutorial College is here to assist you with.

For details concerning the two tests please see the table below: