LAST DAY TO CRAM BEFORE THE ACT - MATH TIPS

Last day to CRAM for the ACT!  Let's look at Math.

Math equations that you will need to use.

     SOH-CAH-TOA

     Pythagorean Theorem
          a^2 + b^2 = c^2

     distance = Pythagorean Theorem
                   = √ [(X1 - X2)^2 + (Y1 -Y2)^2]

     slope = rise over run
              = ∆ y/ ∆ x
              = (Y1 - Y2) / (X1 - X2)

     Mean = Average = Sum / Number

     Median is the middlemost

     Mode is the most frequent

     Midpoint = (the average x, the average y)
              = [(X1 + X2)/2, (Y1 + Y2)/2]

     All AREA formulas:
         Parallelogram....bh
         Triangle.....1/2 bh
         Trapezoid (often forgotten, frequently needed).....1/2 (b1 + b2)h
         Rhombus and Square (special ones using diagonals).....1/2 (d1)(d2)
         Circle.....π r^2

     General VOLUME formula:
         Flat-top prisms and cylinders……area of the base times height
         Pointed-top cones and pyramids..(area of the base times height) / 3

     Probability
         Successes / Total Possible

PROCESSES that will come in handy.

     1)  Set up ratios and proportions
          for SIMILAR TRIANGLES
          for RATES
          for CONGRUENT FRACTIONS

     2)  Write out equations and substitute values

     3)  Use all the data provided.

     4)  Draw diagrams.

     5)  Use the calculator to visualize by graphing and to check calculations.

     6)  Compare fractional values by finding a common denominator.

Don't get hung up on a single question.  Remember that the score is an accumulation of points, so missing 1 is not as bad as not finishing all 60.  Plan to spend the least amount of time on the first 30, an average of 1 minute or less on 31 through 45, and invest the remaining time efficiently on the final 15.  This last group will probably contain the most challenging problems, but be sure to recognize the 2 or 3 that are super simple; they are your reward for getting that far within the allotted time.

GOOD LUCK!!!

ACT 2 DAYS TO EXAM - ENGLISH TIPS

Only 2 days left to CRAM for the ACT.  Since you’re probably applying at an American school, let’s make sure the English section demonstrates a respectable level of knowledge. 
ENGLISH - REVIEW RULES OF GRAMMAR
Several standard rules are ALWAYS tested, some more than once on a single test.

ITS-IT’S 
its is like his — it shows possession
it’s is an abbreviation for it is

INTRODUCTORY PHRASES must relate to the subject of the sentence
(good)  Sitting on the balcony, we watched the parade.
(not good)  Sitting on the balcony, the parade passed right by us.

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Single subjects do not usually end in ’s’ but single verbs do.
Plural subjects usually end in ’s’ but plural verbs do not.

VERB TENSE does not change in the middle of a paragraph.

PRONOUN REFERENCE
The pronoun usually refers to the preceding noun.
If you can’t answer the question “who?” then use the noun.

SPECIAL NOTES ON PUNCTUATION:
 --  Two commas (or two dashes) means that the words in between are not needed.
 --  The subject and verb can NEVER be separated by a single comma.
 --  When adding an ‘-ing’ phrase after a full sentence separate it with a comma if it does NOT describe the preceding noun.
 --  A COMMA ALONE CAN NEVER, NEVER, NEVER SEPARATE TWO INDEPENDENT SENTENCES!   (But comma-conjunction can.)
--  A period, colon, semicolon, and comma-conjunction are usually interchangeable when there is a full sentence in front, so finding more than one in the alternatives tells you to look for special circumstances.

REMOVE REDUNDANCIES
If a shorter alternative gives enough information, pick it.

COULDAV-WOULDAV-SHOULDAV
Spell it out, don’t just say it.  These contractions replace ‘could HAVE,’ ‘would HAVE,’ ‘should HAVE,’ so abbreviate them as could’ve, would’ve, should’ve.

ADVERBS VERSUS ADJECTIVES
The difference may be in the -LY (which makes the word modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb).

OMIT, DELETE
If ‘omit’ is an alternative, there is a 50% chance that it’s the right answer.  Be sure information is VITAL  before including it.
 
WHO-WHOM
“Who” is the subject doing the action.
“Whom” is the person the action is affecting (direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition).

REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS (himself, herself, myself)
The person DOING and the person RECEIVING the action must be the same person.

CONNECTOR AND TRANSITION WORDS
Lump them into general categories:
    a) showing contrast (however, but, instead, although, nevertheless, yet)
    b) showing cause and effect (therefore, consequently, as a result)
    c) giving proof or more examples (likewise, besides, moreover, indeed)
    d) Since the English section is usually informal, when given a choice between ‘however’ and ‘but’ or ‘therefore’ and ‘so,’ choose the informal ‘but’ and ‘so.’


ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO SATURDAY'S ACT, so if cramming is your style, you'd better get to it!

3 DAYS BEFORE ACT TIPS

With only 3 days left to CRAM for the ACT, the panic is starting to set in.  Here are 6 last minute activities to maximize your efforts.

1.  REVIEW PREVIOUS WORK
Pull out all the tests you used for practice and review the answers you got wrong.  Think about what you SHOULD HAVE DONE to get the right answer.

2.  ENGLISH - REVIEW RULES OF GRAMMAR
Since about 2/3 of the English test involves grammar, you stand to gain the most points in this area.  Tomorrow's post will list several concepts that will most likely be on Saturday's test.

3.  MATH - REVIEW BASIC ALGEBRA AND GEOMETRY EQUATIONS
Make a list of those that appear in your practice problems.  There are quite a few, but they are always the same.

4.  READING - PRACTICE FINDING SPECIFIC WORDS IN CONTEXT
Take any magazine or newspaper article.  (Magazines are better because the columns are generally  wider and more like the layout of the test.)  Have someone list 5 or 6 words they find in the article. (Nouns are the best sources since ACT questions usually refer to specific names or ideas.)   Peruse the article, circling the words listed.  This practice will help you to more quickly find specific information from the Reading passages without the need to actually READ the whole article. 

5.  SCIENCE - PRACTICE READING CHARTS AND GRAPHS
Search "science graphs" in your browser.  When I 'google' it, I get samples, pictures under the heading 'images.'  Click on one and answer the following questions:
      a) what is the independent variable? (What does the x axis represent?)
      b) what is the dependent variable?  (What does the y axis represent?)
      c) pick a spot on the graph and identify the meaning.
Here's an example:

    
      a) hours elapsed 
       b) bacteria 
       c) after 5 hours had elapsed, approximately 23 bacteria were reproducing.

Don't obsess over why we need to know this information.  Just answer the question and move on.  The test task is to read the graph accurately and work on the next question.

6.  SCIENCE - COMPARE RESULTS
Using the same graphs, analyze results.  In this example, an analysis statement might be "as the hours increase, the number of bacteria reproducing increases."  Personally, I use a shorthand system that looks more like.... 

   ....to take less time than full sentences.

Three days left.....keep working!!!

JUNIORS: 2 Weeks to the PSAE Study Plan

Fourteen days to the PSAE for Illinois high school juniors and time for a little "intensive study." If you haven't already, get a few copies of old ACT tests. The library or college department at your high school should have copies of the ACT preparation materials which include one sample. There are numerous prep manuals at bookstores. ACT publishes one and I also recommend the Barron's version because of it's similarity to real ACT questions and the clarity of answer explanations. Some online sources have samples too. Check out previous blogs for links.

YOUR 14 DAY PLAN...

1. Take a sample test, possibly over 4 days (one day for each section if you're under a time constraint) and keep track of how much time it takes to finish each section. Scoring your work will give you an indication of how much you need to study and timing will alert you to any need for pacing practice.
2 (One day) Choose the section in which you scored the lowest. Identify the concepts tested in each question you missed. Read the instructional material on that concept in the Barron's text or other answer key. Complete any sample questions available.
3. (The next day) Take another test on your #1 section. Score. Recognize improvement. Look over the rationale for the correct answer for any question you missed.
4. Repeat the process on the next lowest scoring section -- 2 days of review -- one day to study and the next day to retest and review. Repeat Step 4 until all sections have been studied.

If you used 4 days to take the original test, you've spent 12 days studying. Two more to go.

5. Take another full test. If pacing has been problematic, follow these guidelines:

ENGLISH (75 questions in 45 minutes): There are 5 articles, each with 15 questions. Try to finish all questions in an article in 9 minutes. Answer each question as you come to it. Don't skip any. Put answers directly on the scantron.

MATH (60 problems in 60 minutes): This may appear to give you 1 minute for each question, but the easier ones come at the beginning and the more difficult ones after #45. Try to spend just 30 seconds on most of the first 30 questions. From 31 to 45, plan on one minute each. From 46 through 60, you'll have about 2 minutes for each. If a problem requires too much time, skip it if you aren't looking for a perfect score. Either mark the scantron lightly so you know to return to the question, or default the question right away but lightly so you can change the answer if you have time to come back and work on it again.

READING (40 questions in 35 minutes): Each Reading passage has 10 questions. Plan to spend 8 minutes on each passage, leaving 3 minutes extra for the "extra hard" questions. Try answering direct questions first and inferential ones once you have an idea what the article is about. Mark answers directly on the test booklet until all 10 are complete and then transfer your selections to the scantron before moving to the next article.

SCIENCE REASONING (40 questions in 35 minutes): For pacing, plan to spend one less minute than the number of questions in the data set. This timing gives you 2 additional minutes; that's not much, so use it wisely. Answer questions in the order they are asked within the data set and mark your alternative choices directly on the scantron. BUT if you're not reaching for a 35 or 36 (nearly perfect or perfect score), hold an extremely difficult data set for last. Default the answers if you think you'll run out of time, but do so lightly enough so that you can erase if you get back to it and work out answers.

READY? SET? STUDY!

ACT - APRIL 10, 2010

Only 3 days left to study for Saturday's ACT. Plan well. Work smart. Relax.

Tuesday: Select the section in which you predict you will have the most trouble. Review your past study materials and remind yourself of the strategies that you have discovered for doing your best work. Go over questions or problems that you missed before and ensure that you could select correct answers now. Use a note card to jot down any vocabulary, formulas, or steps that you want to brush up on at the last minute. Even if you never use it, you will benefit from making the list in terms of both memory and self-confidence.

Wednesday: Review the section in which you predict you will receive your highest score. Again look over your past study materials. Use this section to remind yourself how successful you can be when you put your mind to it. Look over your note card from yesterday with the confidence that you can achieve an outstanding score even on your weakest section.

Thursday: Only two more sections to review. Remind yourself of the strategies that resulted in your greatest success. Congratulate yourself on studying smart and prepare to reap the reward of a terrific ACT score.

TIPS FOR ACT TEST DAY

These tips have nothing to do with your knowledge of the topics covered in the ACT. In fact, what you are about to read can be applied to any test-taking situation including classroom exams.

1. HAVE A SNACK AVAILABLE. There is a scheduled break between Math and Reading and you should refuel at that point. Take the next week to experiment with the type of foods you should bring: nothing too filling that will put you to sleep. Avoid turkey and some legumes, for example, because of the tryptophan effect. Keeping in mind that you aren't allowed to eat DURING the timed portions of the test, I usually have raisins in my pocket in case I start to lose energy. They are quiet and nutritious and won't cause a deleterious sugar high. No candy, please.

2. STAY HYDRATED. The brain needs fluid to facilitate electrical and chemical exchanges that are the basis of thought. Water is good. Soda pop is not. Coffee is not. Try out "sports drinks" and "energy boosters" before assuming that they will have the desired effect.

3. SIT UP. In addition to fluids, the brain needs oxygen. Slumping over the desk is robbing your brain of its ability to function at full force. Deep breaths, a little stretching, and straightening your back can refresh you without using up precious minutes.

4. USE BOTH SIDES OF YOUR BRAIN. Use your nondominant hand to mark your place in a passage or chart while reviewing questions or bubbling on the scantron sheet. The activity will help your brain to use both concrete and abstract strengths, and having a finger on your place will avoid the need to search for where you left off when moving your eyes from the test to the answer sheet.

5. HAVE A DEFAULT ANSWER READY AND WAITING. Statistically, every alternative is used an equal number of times in a section. Since the ACT does not penalize for incorrect answers, it is to your benefit to fill in a bubble for every question even if you aren't sure which alternative is correct. "Educated guesses" are, of course, preferable, but if you just don't know or don't have time to address all of the questions before time runs out, bubble straight down the scantron. It doesn't matter which position you choose. I take the third alternative -- C -- for a totally arbitrary reason. If you're superstitious, pick a default that has some meaning; for instance, select the first position -- A -- if your middle name is Alex.

QUICK REVIEW OF ACT SCIENCE REASONING

Some students fret over the Science Reasoning section because the name seems to imply that we need to know a lot about current science theory in order to make "reasonable" conjectures. On the contrary, you should be glad to know that, aside from a very few terms, all of the information that you need in order to find correct answers is presented within the data sets themselves.

Your tasks for this 40 question section are threefold:
1) The first 2 questions in any group are DIRECT, asking whether you can read a chart or a graph or find a discrete piece of data within a paragraph. Your response should be a confident, "Sure."

Identify the key elements from the question, like a direction to look at a specific exhibit. Locate the labels of each axis on a graph or the column and row headings of a chart. Find the appropriate data and match it with the available alternatives.

Zero errors from this question type will give you a 14 point head start toward an average or higher score.

2) The next question or two are INDIRECT, asking how 2 or more snippets of data are related. You already know how to find the statistics, so now you just need to compare them. When one goes up, what does the other do? Sometimes there IS no relationship, although there is only a 25% chance that it is the correct answer if available.

Avoiding errors on this question type could result in another 10 to 14 points and you're well on your way to earning a score in the high 20's or even into the 30's.

3) EXTRAPOLATION questions are the "reasoning" part of the test and are usually the last one or 2 questions in any group. Using your skills in locating and comparing information, you now need to formalize your findings into something like a hypothesis so you can predict what would happen in a different, but related, situation.

GENERAL HINTS:
-- ANSWER QUESTIONS WITHIN A DATA SET IN THE ORDER PRESENTED. Because you are using specific skills in an expanding manner, you will learn a little about the science concept while answering easier questions. This strategy allows you to build knowledge while making progress on questions and avoids the time-consuming attempt to fully understand the topic before trying to answer the questions.
-- TAKE NOTES. This can be as simple as circling important information, underlining rows in a chart, making tic marks alongside useful data, or drawing a grid on a graph. Designing your own personal note taking abbreviations can expedite the process. I use arrows, for example, to mark increasing and decreasing trends on a chart. If I can't draw a linear pattern, the correct answer to a comparison question is probably "there is no relationship."
-- BE CAREFUL ON SENTENCE COMPLETION QUESTIONS. The ACT is not compelled to put the subject of a question at the beginning of the sentence. Here are two formats of the same question:
Based on the information in Exhibit A, the sun's diameter, compared to Jupiter's, is...
or
Based on the information in Exhibit A, compared to the diameter of Jupiter, the sun's diameter is...
In the heat of exam battle it is easy to be misled by sentence structure, so I make a note that simplifies the question before looking at a comparison of the diameters: "Sun is." This allows me to circumvent the need to reread the question before verifying the alternative selection, avoids confusion, and saves time.
-- If pacing is an issue, SELECT THE ORDER IN WHICH TO APPROACH THE DATA SETS based on your knowledge of your own strengths. For example, if Differing Viewpoints is tough for you and likely to result in wasted minutes and few correct answers, think about holding that set for last and default any questions that you don't answer before time runs out. The object is to COLLECT POINTS and unless you're going for a nearly perfect score (which means you've been studying for weeks) you don't need to correctly answer every question.

-- STAY FOCUSED for just 35 more minutes. If you aren't taking the Writing section, time called on Science Reasoning means you're DONE. The ACT is over!

QUICK TIPS FOR THE ACT

April 10....the next national administration of the ACT. Really too late to start studying, but a few quick tips could help raise that score by a point or two. For English and Math you might need 2 more correct answers to gain one more section score point; each Reading and Science Reasoning question should usually give you a point. Four more section score points are needed to raise the composite average by just one point.

ENGLISH: Recognize the punctuation questions relating to independent sentences. You always need a full sentence in front of a period, semi-colon, comma-conjunction, or colon. For the first 3 you also need a full sentence (not a prepositional phrase) after the punctuation. A colon can be followed by either a full sentence or a list or just more detail.

Recognize prepositions. They introduce phrases, not full sentences, and might need a comma at most.

SHORTER IS BETTER. At least consider the shortest alternative since it's the right answer more often than not.

MATH: Avoid silly mistakes, especially on the first 30 questions. And work problems for the entire hour; there are some easy questions in the last 10.

READING: Keep moving. Don't get "stuck" on one difficult question. Unless you're working toward a perfect score (which means you've been studying for weeks), you don't need to get every question right. Take the loss of one point rather than denying yourself the chance to gain 2 by finding easier questions further along in the section.

SCIENCE REASONING: Get the first two questions in every data set correct. These ask if you can read the data given and the answer should be "sure." If the last 2 questions are too hard, default them and move on to the next data set where the first few questions will be easier.

IN GENERAL: Leave nothing blank. Pick a default answer and use it to fill in bubbles for any question you can't answer. ONE DEFAULT ONLY. Pick the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth alternative and use only that one for default. Statistically you will be correct 20 - 25% of the time. Arbitrarily picking a different alternative every time could result in a success rate of 0%!

SIT UP! If you start to fade, take a second to sit up straight, stretch, breath deeply. Get the brain oxygenated again and dig back in!!

GOOD LUCK! And remember that if your score doesn't turn out to be what you hoped, there is also June, September, and October for 2011 graduates. With any of these test dates, you'll have results in time for early admission to most colleges.