Take this practice test from this booklet, ACT Form 1267C (67C), and then use our answer explanations to learn from your mistakes and gain a greater understanding of the test.

Explanations are available now here: ACT Form 1267C Answer Explanations.

If you purchased the Test Information Release (TIR) from the ACT when you registered for the June 9, 2012 test, you should have recently received your test booklet back.  If you have not yet received your test booklet, it will likely be arriving very soon.  Use our answer explanations to review your test and understand the nuances of the right and wrong answers to every single question.  Study your June test carefully, and be ready to do even better on the September and October exams!

Explanations are available here: June 2012 ACT Answer Explanations.

If you took the June ACT and have not yet purchased your TIR, it is not too late; you have three months from the test date to place your order, so order your TIR from the ACT today.  When you receive your copy of the test booklet, visit AnswerExplanations.com to review your test.

If you purchased the Question and Answer Service (QAS) from the College Board when you registered for the May SAT, you should have received your test booklet back sometime during the past week.  If you have not yet received your test booklet, it will likely be arriving very soon.  Use our answer explanations to review your test and understand the nuances of the right and wrong answers to every single question.

Explanations are available here: May 2012 SAT answer explanations.

If you took the May SAT and have not yet purchased your QAS, it is not too late; you have five months from the test date to place your order, so order your QAS from the College Board today.  When you receive your copy of the test booklet, visit AnswerExplanations.com to review your test.

If you purchased the Test Information Release (TIR) from the ACT when you registered for the April 14, 2012 test, you should have recently received your test booklet back.  If you have not yet received your test booklet, it will likely be arriving very soon.  Use our answer explanations to review your test and understand the nuances of the right and wrong answers to every single question.  Study your April test carefully, and be ready to do even better on the June 9 exam!

Explanations are available here: April 2012 ACT Answer Explanations.

If you took the April ACT and have not yet purchased your TIR, it is not too late; you have three months from the test date to place your order, so order your TIR from the ACT today.  When you receive your copy of the test booklet, visit AnswerExplanations.com to review your test.

61-63 questions in 60 minutes. By the time you have completed the last question in a passage, no more than that many minutes should have elapsed.

How to read the passages:

In general, these passages are more difficult than those found on the SAT or ACT, so you will need to read more slowly in order to get what you need. Adjust your pace according to the difficulty of the passage, and prioritize understanding what you have read over being fast.

Prose: Read very much like SAT or ACT reading passages, although your pace will on average need to be slower due to the greater difficulty. First, determine whether the passage is fictional or factual. If it is fictional, concentrate on characters, plot, and setting. If it is factual, concentrate on main point first and foremost and secondarily on tone. Tone is the author’s attitude towards his subject; it can be thought of as a sliding scale from 0 to 10 with 0 being completely negative and 10 completely positive. Look for thesis statements, topic sentences, etc., to help you figure out the main point.

Poetry: Concentrate on what it is talking about on its most basic, literal level. Do not get interpretive. Read it as though it is prose, focusing on the punctuation (in poems where conventional punctuation is used) rather than the line breaks. Often the title can provide a very literal hint to what a very figurative poem is really talking about. Try to translate difficult language into plain English to gain a better understanding. Be certain to read slowly enough to make sure you get it.

Drama: Concentrate on characters, plot, and setting, with an emphasis on characters.

How to address the questions:

-Unlike on the ACT but much like on the SAT, it is not always the best idea to read every answer choice before ever going back. Use your head on this. Usually it makes most sense to do so, but other times it does not.

-Use process of elimination, especially on very difficult questions that do not have an obvious correct answer.

-Use common sense.

-Make sure the answer is consistent with the main point of the passage, even on questions that are asking something very specific.

-Make sure the answer is consistent with the words in any portion that is quoted in the question.

-Avoid extreme answers, specifically those containing absolute language (always, never, perfectly, etc.)

-Choose an answer that is specifically supported by the text rather than one that is a pretty good interpretation of the text. Remember that the correct answer must be impossible to argue with; therefore, you need specific textual justification to support your answer.

-When a question refers you to certain lines, you should consider the context of the referenced lines in addition to those lines themselves.

What Subject Tests are offered?

Subject tests are offered in most academic subjects, including Mathematics, English Literature, foreign languages (with or without listening), US and World History, and the sciences.  For a complete list of tests offered, visit the College Board’s website:  http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-subject/about.

Which Subject Tests should you take?

The first thing to determine in deciding which Subject Tests to take is whether any of the schools or specialized programs you are applying to require specific Subject Tests.  If any of your schools do recommend or require specific tests, your decision has been made for you.  Specifically, engineering programs often recommend that students take the Math II (the higher level math) and/or the physics.  If none of the schools you are applying to requires you to take specific Subject Tests, you should take the tests that best demonstrate your abilities.  In general, this means taking the tests on which you will score the highest.  If you are unsure which tests you will do best on, purchase The Official Study Guide for ALL SAT Subject Tests, which contains a real sample test in each subject.  Try taking the ones you feel like you might do well on.  Then grade your tests and compare the scores.  If the scores are close, consider which tests will be easiest to prepare for.  In addition to considering which tests you would score best on, you should also consider which tests demonstrate your abilities as they pertain to your academic interests and the programs you are applying to.  For instance, if you are applying to an engineering program, you should consider taking the Math II and the Physics, even if the program does not specify which tests you must take.

When should you take the Subject Tests?

In general, it is a good idea to finish up with the SAT or ACT before turning your attention to the Subject Tests.  The SAT or ACT is somewhat more important than the Subject Tests, so you want to concentrate first on your SAT or ACT score.  The Subject Tests are offered on the same test dates as the regular SAT, and you cannot take both tests on the same date, so this situation can require some planning.  Many students plan to be finished with their SAT no later than May of their junior year, so they can take the Subject Tests in June and, if necessary, again in October.  Sometimes, it makes sense to take one or more Subject Tests early.  Specifically, it makes sense to take a science or history test in June after you have just finished taking a class on that subject.  That way, you will not forget all the information you just learned.  Be aware, however, that supplemental studying is often necessary.

Take the ACT when you are ready.

The most important consideration is to take the ACT when you are ready.  In other words, take the test when you feel that you have prepared sufficiently and are capable of getting the score you need to get into the schools you will be applying to.  It is typically not worth taking the test “just for practice” if you are not truly ready, as such practice could just as easily be gained by taking practice tests under strictly timed conditions.

Give yourself the opportunity to take the test multiple times.

Many students take the ACT two, three, or even more times.  Taking the test multiple times can be a great idea, as it gives you a chance work on your weaknesses and improve your score.  If you hope to take the test more than once, it is definitely a good idea to take the test for the first time during your junior year.

Take the test earlier if you hope to apply early action or early decision to one or more colleges.

Most early action and early decision deadlines are in November, so the October ACT is the last ACT that will be considered for early action and early decision at most schools.  If you hope to apply early, be sure to have your testing done early as well.

Take the test when the Test Information Release (TIR) is offered.

The Test Information Release (TIR) allows students to purchase from the ACT a copy of their test booklet along with a list of their answers and the correct answers.  The TIR is offered three times per year on standard Saturday administrations of the test, in April, June, and December.  The TIR is an invaluable tool in preparing for future tests, so it can be a good reason to take the ACT in April, June, or December.  In particular, many juniors who wish to get an early start take the ACT in December primarily because they will be able to get their test back to help them prepare for tests later in the year.  Once you get your TIR back, visit AnswerExplanations.com for answer explanations to every single question.  Use our explanations to master the concepts that gave you trouble, and be ready to do even better next time.

If you purchased the Question and Answer Service (QAS) from the College Board when you registered for the January SAT, you should have received your test booklet back sometime during the past week.  If you have not yet received your test booklet, it will likely be arriving very soon.  Use our answer explanations to review your test and understand the nuances of the right and wrong answers to every single question.

Explanations are available here: January 2012 SAT answer explanations.

If you took the January SAT and have not yet purchased your QAS, it is not too late; you have five months from the test date to place your order, so order your QAS from the College Board today.  When you receive your copy of the test booklet, visit answerexplanations.com to review your test.

Take the SAT when you are ready.

The most important consideration is to take the SAT when you are ready. In other words, take the test when you feel that you have prepared sufficiently and are capable of getting the score you need to get into the schools you will be applying to. It is typically not worth taking the test “just for practice” if you are not truly ready, as such practice could just as easily be gained by taking practice tests under strictly timed conditions.

Give yourself the opportunity to take the test multiple times.

Many students take the SAT two, three, or even more times. Taking the test multiple times can be a great idea, as it gives you a chance work on your weaknesses and improve your score. If you hope to take the test more than once, it is definitely a good idea to take the test for the first time during your junior year.

Take the test earlier if you hope to apply early action or early decision to one or more colleges.

Most early action and early decision deadlines are in November, so the October SAT is the last SAT that will be considered for early action and early decision. If you hope to apply early, be sure to have your testing done early as well.

Leave some test dates open for the Subject Tests.

If any of the schools you intend to apply to requires SAT Subject Tests, you will need to get started with your testing a bit earlier. Subject Tests are offered on the same dates as the regular SAT, so you can only take one or the other on a given test date. It is often wise to reserve two test dates for Subject Tests in case you don’t do as well as you would like on your first attempt. If you hope to take the SAT three times and the Subject Tests two times, it makes sense to begin your testing no later than January of your junior year. That way, you can take the regular SAT in January, March, and May, leaving June and October for the Subject Tests.

Take the test when the Question and Answer Service (QAS) is offered.

The Question and Answer Service (QAS) allows students to purchase from the College Board a copy of their test booklet along with a list of their answers and the correct answers. The QAS is offered three times per year on standard Saturday administrations of the test, in January, May, and June. The QAS is an invaluable tool in preparing for future tests, so it can be a good reason to take the SAT in January, May, or June. Once you get your QAS back, visit AnswerExplanations.com for answer explanations to every single question. Use our explanations to master the concepts that gave you trouble, and be ready to do even better next time.

This is where the superscore comes into play. A superscore is a student’s best possible composite, formed by using the student’s best subject scores from all of the tests the student has taken. Many times, the student’s best subject scores can be combined to create a composite that is one or more points higher than any composite the student achieved on a single test.

Will schools use a superscore?

Whether a school will consider a student’s superscore or best natural composite depends entirely upon the school. Unfortunately, most schools do not specifically publish their policy regarding superscores. However, schools will often answer this question when specifically asked, so it is definitely a worthwhile question to ask campus tour guides or admissions officers.

Implications of the superscore.

If all the top schools on your list accept superscores, you can alter your test-taking strategy a bit. Instead of going for your best composite on every test you take, it might sometimes make more sense to concentrate on one section of a test. For instance, imagine that you have taken the ACT once and scored a 29 in English, a 25 in Mathematics, a 32 in Reading, and a 30 in Science. Your composite would be a 29, since these scores average exactly 29. Therefore, you would need to gain exactly 2 points in order to raise your composite to a 30. However, suppose that the Reading and Science scores were significantly higher than the scores you typically got on practice tests. You might be concerned that any gains you could make in English and Math would likely be offset by losses in Reading and Science. However, if the schools on your list accept superscores, this would not be a concern. Instead of worrying about maintaining your Reading and Science scores in addition to raising your English and Math scores, you could choose not to worry about Reading and Science and instead devote all your preparation time to English and Math, giving yourself an excellent chance of raising your superscore even if you Reading and Science scores drop a couple of points.

Is there ever a reason not to submit scores that would result in a higher superscore?

Typically, when submitting scores to schools that accept superscores, students should submit their scores from all test dates on which they got their personal best scores for any given section, as doing so will result in their best superscore. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Students should be careful about submitting scores from any test date on which they did very poorly on one or more sections, even if they also did their very best on another section. For instance, suppose you took the test one time and scored a 30 in English, a 31 in Math, a 33 in Reading, and a 31 in Science. Your composite would be a 31, since these scores average 31.25. Suppose that you then took the test again and scored a 29 in English, a 25 in Math, a 31 in Reading, and a 32 in Science. Your composite would be a 29, since these scores average 29.25. It would be tempting to submit these scores as well, since the 32 in Science raises your superscore from a 31 to a 32. However, you should think long and hard before doing so. The composite of 29, in and of itself, is not particularly worrisome; however, the 25 in Math is a possible red flag. Is the 1 point increase in your superscore worth the possibility of calling your math skills into question in the eyes of the admission committee?