Exactly How Long Should You Study for the ACT? A 6-Step Guide

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Posted by Samantha Lindsay | Dec 18, 2017 12:00:00 PM

ACT

In planning your ACT prep, you probably want to know how long you need to study. Is it weeks or months? Is it dozens of hours or hundreds?

The answer to these questions depends on a variety of factors, including your target score and how comfortable you already are with the test material. There’s no reason to torture yourself with endless studying if your scores are already in the right range for your top choice schools. On the other hand, if you're still pretty far away from the scores you want, you may have to work harder than you think.

In this guide, I'll show you how to figure out how much you need to improve, how many hours you need to spend to get there, and how you should build a study schedule before your next real ACT.

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What to Do With a Low SAT/ACT Score

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Posted by Dr. Fred Zhang | Dec 14, 2017 12:00:00 PM

ACT, SAT

You got your SAT/ACT score back, and it isn't what you'd hoped it'd be. Even though the SAT and ACT are each just a few hours long, the score you get often counts for a third or more of college admissions and can therefore have a big impact on your future.

The fact that you're looking for solutions is a good first step. It's important, now more than ever, not to freak out and to instead calmly plan the best steps forward. In this article, we go over our top four tips for what to do with a low SAT or ACT score.

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High GPA but Low ACT Score: What Do You Do?

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Posted by Dora Seigel | Dec 13, 2017 6:30:00 PM

ACT

You do great in school, but you just can’t get that score you want on the ACT. If you're a great student but not as great a standardized test taker, don't worry: you aren't alone.

In this post, I'll let you know what ACT scores qualify as low, what message those scores send to admissions officers, and what you can do to improve your chances of getting into a good school.

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The Best Way to Study SSAT Vocabulary

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | Dec 11, 2017 12:00:00 PM

Other High School

If you’re taking the SSAT, you’ll need to have a good vocabulary in order to do well on the test. It can be difficult to find good SSAT vocab resources, but we’re here to help! In this guide, we explain the three main ways vocab is tested on the SSAT (with sample questions), go over the top resources to help you find SSAT vocab words, and give you advice on the best way to study those vocab words.

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How to Register for the SSAT: 5 Simple Steps

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | Dec 11, 2017 11:00:00 AM

Other High School

The SSAT can be an important test for students hoping to attend a private school, but how do you register for it? In this guide, we walk you step-by-step through the SSAT registration process and include screenshots from the SSAT website to makes things as simple as possible.

At the end of the guide, we also include a chart with upcoming SSAT registration dates so you know exactly when you need to register for each exam date to avoid late fees.

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How Long Is the ACT? | ACT Expert Guide (Updated for 2025)

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Posted by Halle Edwards | Dec 8, 2017 11:30:00 AM

ACT

Getting ready for the ACT exam goes beyond just reviewing trigonometry and grammar rules. Doing well on the ACT requires pacing and stamina so you can keep up your focus over hours of testing. So just how long is the ACT test? And how many questions do you have to answer per minute? Learn the ins and outs of ACT timing so you know how to maximize your time on the ACT. 

This article is updated for the 2025 changes to the ACT!

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What's a Good SAT Score for 2018?

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Posted by Laura Staffaroni | Dec 7, 2017 12:00:00 PM

SAT/ACT Score Target

Another year, another chance to take the SAT! If you're taking the SAT this year, you might be wondering: just what is a good SAT score for 2018? Is there a particular score I should be aiming for to make sure I get into the colleges I want to go to?

To answer the question of what good SAT scores for 2018 are, this article looks at a few different definitions of what makes a good SAT score, and how this has changed over time. We also explain why SAT score goals should be specific to each student and give you step-by-step instructions for choosing your target SAT score.

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The Ultimate ACT Math Prep Guide: Strategies, Topics, and Tips

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Posted by Courtney Montgomery | Nov 29, 2017 8:00:00 AM

ACT Math

We at PrepScholar believe in providing you with the highest quality ACT study material. We've put together a detailed, entirely free guide for your ACT math prep right here. This is the best, most comprehensive guide to the ACT Math section available anywhere. To make this article, we brought all of our top ACT Math guides together in one place.

The path to mastering the ACT is challenging, but if you're dedicated to doing your best on the test and are ready to commit your time and energy to improving your score, using our guides can help you reach your greatest potential!

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Your ACT Superscore Calculator

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Posted by Dora Seigel | Nov 29, 2017 7:30:00 AM

SAT/ACT Score Target, ACT

Planning and trying to reach your ACT target score can be stressful and frustrating. You got a 36 in Math on one test date and a 35 in Reading on another test date. Why can’t you just get all of your highest individual section scores on the same test date?

If you’re applying to colleges that superscore the ACT, you don’t have to worry about that. So what is an ACT superscore? And how do you calculate it? In this post, I’ll explain what superscoring means, how to create your own ACT superscore calculator, and how superscoring affects your test-prep strategy.

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Do PSAT Scores Predict SAT Scores? What's a Good PSAT Score?

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Posted by Dr. Fred Zhang | Nov 28, 2017 8:00:00 PM

SAT/ACT Score Target, PSAT Info and Strategies

The PSAT is the first exposure many students have to college entrance exams. Because the two tests are so similar, the PSAT is very good at predicting how you'll do on the SAT. In this article, we explain the most accurate way to use your PSAT score to predict your future SAT score.

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Complete Study Guide: SAT US History Subject Test

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Posted by Rebecca Safier | Nov 27, 2017 4:00:00 PM

SAT Subject Tests

Alexander Hamilton, Lucretia Mott, Frederick Douglass, and Rosa Parks—these are a few of the important historical figures you might encounter on the SAT US History Subject Test.

This complete study guide will tell you everything you need to know for SAT US History, how you can prepare, and where to find the best practice questions to start prepping.

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What's a Good ACT Score for 2018?

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Posted by Hannah Muniz | Nov 23, 2017 12:00:00 PM

SAT/ACT Score Target

Planning to take the ACT in the 2017-18 school year? In addition to studying for the test, you'll need to know what score to aim for. What is a good ACT score for 2018? What's a good score for each section? Has the definition of a good ACT score changed over time?

We'll start by looking at what are considered good ACT scores for 2018 using the average score and percentiles. After, we'll go over how to set an ACT goal score and then examine historical ACT score data to see whether the definition of good ACT scores has changed in recent years.

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Celebrity ACT Scores (Steve Jobs, Barack Obama, Marilyn Monroe)

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Posted by Rebecca Safier | Nov 22, 2017 1:00:00 PM

ACT

Are you taking the ACT? You're in good company! Barack Obama, Marilyn Monroe, and Steve Jobs all took the ACT, too, along with several other celebrities. We've compiled their scores so you can see how these successful people performed back when they were in high school.

We've also converted the SAT scores of famous people to the ACT scale so you get a sense of how their scores compare. Now if you ever run into Barack Obama, you'll have at least one conversation starter to fall back on...

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The Best Way to Study for the SAT: 4 Ultimate Tips

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Posted by Justin Berkman | Nov 22, 2017 8:00:00 AM

SAT

If you hope to get an amazing SAT score and improve your chances of getting into the college of your dreams, you'll need to know the best way to study for the SAT. But without a definitive study plan and the tools needed to study effectively, you won't be able to maximize your score, even if you put in tons of prep time.

In this article, I'll explain all of your SAT study options to help you figure out which ones are right for you, and also give you essential study tips for your SAT prep.

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Calculators on the SAT: Tips from Experts

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Posted by Dr. Fred Zhang | Nov 21, 2017 6:00:00 PM

SAT

Calculators are allowed on the SAT, and not using them correctly can put you far behind. SAT experts Fred Zhang and Allen Cheng discuss which tips and strategies worked for them in getting perfect scores.

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