The ACT For Dummies

By Suzee Vlk, Michelle Rose Gilman, Veronica Saydak

Book Overview

There's no escaping the ACT. Many colleges require that you suffer through the ordeal of taking this entrance exam before they will even look at your application. Some colleges emphasize ACT scores to compensate for grade inflation; that is, some high schools may give students A's for doing the same level work that would gain them C's in other high schools. Because the ACT is the same for everyone (students nationwide take the exact same exam), colleges use ACT scores to get inside your head to see what's really in there. Think of this as an opportunity, not a crisis - after all, good ACT scores can overcome low GPAs. No matter how good your high school teachers are, their main goal is to prepare you for the real world - and not the world of the ACT. That's where The ACT For Dummies, 3rd Edition, takes over. Newly revised for the latest version of the exam, this book takes a substantive, but easy-to-understand, approach to helping you prepare for the exam, while at the same time presenting its information in the typical Dummies style - with humor and fun. If anything can make preparing for the ACT enjoyable, this book can. Here's a sampling of what you'll find in The ACT For Dummies, 3rd Edition: An overview of the test: Understanding the format and how the scoring works Stress-busters: How to survive exam day Things to double-check and things to avoid while taking the test Reviews of grammar and spelling, algebra and geometry, reading, and science reasoning Plenty of practice questions for all parts of the test Three full-length ACT practice tests (no, not the real thing ) Top Ten lists debunking ACT rumors, differences between the ACT and SAT, and true ACT stories You know you have to take the ACT seriously; after all, it can determine the college you go to, which will, in turn, affect the rest of your life. (Talk about pressure ) So why not be prepared? With The ACT For Dummies, 3rd Edition, you'll be as prepared for the exam as anyone can be, and you may just have a little fun in the process.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764554743
• ISBN13: 9780764554742
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.43 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 0.9" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A spoonful of humor helps the material go down

We love the "Dummies" series for their humor and easy-to-understand qualities. What good is a prep book if your mind wanders due to boredom? My son felt this book helped him understand the subjects better than his high school classes did. After thoroughly reviewing each subject, the book had two practice tests with complete explanations in the next chapter. This really helped my son prepare for and do well on the ACT. We highly recommend it.

Awesome reviews on things you'd forgotten along with great tips

I bought this book along with The Real ACT Prep Guide and have found this book to be much more useful. I already understood the basics of the test, but I was looking for something to refresh me on all those little rules I'd forgotten in school. This book did just that. It is a great reviewer, especially in the English and Math sections. I found this book very easy to follow along with. It is divided into sections for each subject test. In each section you will find basic rules and simple explanations for things that are commonly on the test. The math portion really brushed me up on things I'd forgotten in geometry and algebra. Even if you're having trouble understanding you math teacher, this book will teach you what you need to know very easily. With each new thing you learn in the book, it gives you a sample question that uses your new information. Then you get questions at the end of each section that test what you've learned. I also found the tips to be very helpful, such as one that said the ACT never asked any questions about spelling. It's helpful to know that when you're taking the test, and it was one less thing I worried about on the English test. The practice test in this book wasn't as close to the real test as it could have been. A few of the questions were a lot easier or harder than you'd find on the real test, but overall they were close to the real thing. I suggest picking up a practice test with your registration packet for a more realistic test. In conclusion, this book is great if you want to brush up on your skills over a period of time, or if you want to cram the night before the test. I found it very helpful and littered with great test taking tips. I know this isn't an accurate measurement, but after reading about half the book (and having an additional year of school), my score went from a 22 to a 26, and then to a 29. Some of that has to be due to this book.

It got me into college

The ACT for Dummies is a great ACT study guide. The Math section totally refreshed me and was very valuable when it came to test time. But what really made the ACT for Dummies book so good was that it was full of really cheesy humor. This humor helped keep me reading a book that would otherwise be extremely dull and positively unbearable. I wouldn't be at the University of Michigan without the ACT for Dummies!Hey also check out The 5 Minute Iliad, after finishing the ACT book

extremely helpful

I bought this book with the intention of just reading the sections I had trouble with. I found it to be so helpful and easy to read, I ended up reading the entire book. I don't beleive I would have scored as high if I hadn't.