Grockit SAT ACT Prep

Learn more about Grockit's SAT and ACT test preparation

ACT Posts

TOP 10 WAYS TO BEAT COLLEGE STRESS – pt 2

By posted May 9, 2012

After making the most of ACT questions and practice tests, you aced the ACT.  You wrote terrific application essays, and did so well in your college admissions interviews, you had your pick of schools.  Now, there are more tests ahead of you as an undergrad – not just French exams and history quizzes, but also physical, mental, and emotional stuff that will challenge you in ways you probably haven’t experienced yet.

In Part 1 of this article, we learned to keep busy with campus events to avoid homesickness; call old friends to feel connected and grounded; follow a schedule to keep on track; get away to a quiet spot to be alone; and visit the campus health center for more options.  Here are five more  ways to beat stress:

6.  Keep in Touch with Mom and Dad

You’ll be dealing with lots of feelings about leaving home – excitement, apprehension, curiosity, insecurity, and plain old homesickness.  And guess what?  Your classmates feel the same way.  So when you freak out as soon as your family drives from your new dorm – remember you’re not alone and you’ll probably see your family soon.  Even if you don’t head home for the holidays, you can keep in touch with calls, emails, letters, and care packages (which you can hint about whenever you call).

7.  Dorm Sweet Home

With your schedule of classes, study time, and free time posted on your wall and keeping you on track, the rest of your dorm room should be a place of comfort and retreat.  After a long day of lectures, study groups, and/or exams, de-stressing will be a lot easier if you can collapse in your old beanbag with your grandma’s quilt.  Fill your space with favorite photos, books, and posters.  Whether you relax with old movies or Xbox 360, you’ll be able to take a deep breath and re-charge in your home away from home.

8.  In with the Good, Out with the Bad

Meditation can be as simple as closing your eyes and focusing on your breath for ten minutes.  You don’t need a special outfit and a CD of seagulls – just sit in a quiet place, in a comfortable chair, and think of nothing but your breath going in and out.  You can seriously improve your mood, concentration, and level of stress by thinking: “I’m breathing out the nasty stress…I’m breathing in peace of mind…”. Read more »

No Comments »

TOP 10 WAYS TO BEAT COLLEGE STRESS – pt 1

By posted May 7, 2012

You aced the ACT, after making the most of ACT questions, test prep, and practice tests.  You wrote terrific application essays to the best schools for your field of interest.  And you did so well in your college admissions interviews, you had your pick of schools.

Now, there are more tests ahead of you as an undergrad – not just English exams and biology quizzes, but also physical, mental, and emotional stuff that will challenge you in ways you probably haven’t experienced yet.  Here are ten ways to beat stress in college:

1.  Do Your Thing…But Maybe Not Everything

To keep your mind off missing home, keep yourself busy with orientation parties, campus events, and dorm mixers.  The beginning of the year is a great time to check out lots of clubs and meet lots of people – but it’s also a stressful time if you’re constantly “on.”  Don’t try to jump in and join everything – and don’t worry about finding your place and your people immediately – or you’ll totally drain your batteries.  Relax.  Be patient.  You will feel at home, eventually.

2.  Phone-a-Friend

While you’re having a terrific time exploring the campus, checking out organizations, and making new friends, you’re probably also going to have some lonely days and boring nights.  When you have a rough day – or week! – that’s when it really helps to call or IM an old friend.  Your high school and childhood friends know you best, and they might be the best people to get you feeling connected and grounded again.

3.  Overworked? Don’t Get Overwhelmed

First:  Check out the locations of your classes and how long it takes to get to each one, so you don’t show up late, breathless, and stressed.  Second:  Every prof seems to think that his or her class is your only one, and the work will be piled on accordingly – but the workload should balance out, and even if it doesn’t, your ability to handle it will improve.  Third:  Create a schedule of all your classes, study time, and free time and post it in your room.  Stay on top of it, and you won’t get overwhelmed by it. Read more »

2 Comments »

Top 5 Best Beach Colleges

By posted May 1, 2012

If you wear flip-flops even when it’s snowing, if you want to surf after studying, if you keep your boogie board with your books, then these schools are for you.  Nothing’s better than finishing your reading assignment while sprawled out on a beach towel, or working off some stress by hitting the waves.  The following schools are top not only for academics, but for beaches and surfing.

1. University of California, San Diego
UCSD offers the ultimate combination of beach and academics – even the professors surf!  The ocean is within walking distance, and the Rec Department offers surfing classes.  If you have more than a casual interest in the ocean, UCSD is home to the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, one of the largest centers for ocean research in the world.

2. University of California, Santa Barbara
There are several beaches within walking distance of campus, and over a dozen more in Santa Barbara and neighboring Ventura and Carpinteria.  Santa Barbara also has a bumping party scene for students who want to experience the true California surfer bro lifestyle.

3. University of California, Santa Cruz
It’s hard to beat the UC’s for academic quality, value, and proximity to beaches.  UC Santa Cruz is located near what surfline.com calls “the single most diverse surf area in the state.”  The school offers beginner and intermediate surfing classes, and even features a spring break trip to Baja California.  For those who want to casually enjoy the beach, Santa Cruz has an old-fashioned beach boardwalk.

Sign up for a FREE trial account and try Grockit free for 3 days with unlimited access to group and solo practice sessions, advanced skill data with insight into your strengths and weaknesses, and predictive scoring.
Read more »

No Comments »

Top 5 differences between the SAT and ACT

By posted April 23, 2012

Just like the smart phones iPhone and Blackberry, the SAT and ACT are similar but have many crucial differences.  One important step of college admissions is deciding which test to take.  You should take into account not only which test your dream colleges prefer or require, but also how suited you are to preparing for each test and succeeding on it.  Someone who does well on the SAT might get bad ACT scores, or vice versa.  While generally a person’s score on each test won’t differ too much, there are exceptions.  So get to know the key differences and find out if the SAT or ACT is best for you!

Did you miss the Top 5 similarities between the SAT and ACT? Check that out here.

1. The Science section - The SAT has three multiple-choice subjects: Math, Reading, and Writing.  The ACT has a fourth multiple-choice subject, Science.  The SAT Writing section is the relative equivalent of the ACT English section.  The ACT Science section requires more “content knowledge” than the other three section on either test.  However, many of the questions test your ability to analyze information presented in tables, graphs, and charts, a skill that is not heavily content-based.  Basic math skills are needed to answer many of the questions.  So even if you don’t have a strong background in science, you could still score well on this section of the ACT.

2. The SAT Writing vs. ACT English format - The SAT writing section has 3 question types: improving sentences, improving paragraphs, and identifying sentence errors.  The ACT English section only has one type of question format, yet some find it a little trickier than the SAT formats.  For ACT English, you will be given passages with numbered underlined words or sentences.  The numbers in the passage correspond to the numbers of the questions, which will test you on a number of English-related topics, from basic punctuation to logical placement of ideas.  The SAT Writing section only has a handful of questions where you may have to consider an entire passage (improving paragraphs).  All ACT English questions are part of a passage, so context and meaning play much bigger roles.

3. Number of multiple choice answers - All multiple-choice questions on the SAT have 5 answer choices; all multiple-choice ACT questions have only 4.  This of course means that the odds are more in your favor when guessing on the ACT.  Additionally, 1/4 point is taken off on the SAT for an incorrect answer, while no points are lost for a wrong answer on the ACT.  Even if you cannot definitively eliminate any of the four choices on an ACT question, it’s still in your best interest to guess.

4. Vocabulary questions - The reading section of the SAT is divided into passage-based questions and sentence completions.  Sentence completions require you to pick the vocabulary word that best completes the sentence.  The ACT Reading section only includes passage-based reading questions.  While you will not be directly tested on vocabulary on the ACT, a strong vocabulary is very beneficial for the passage-based reading questions, as well as the English section.

5. The essay - On the SAT, the essay is considered part of the Writing section and is mandatory.  On the ACT, the essay is optional and is called ACT Writing, not to be confused with ACT English, which is multiple choice.  But before deciding to ditch the essay on the ACT because you can, check with the colleges you are applying to.  Some require you to write the essay anyways.  It’s probably in your best interest to complete it.

 Still not sure which test to take?  See how Grockit can predict your score on the SAT or ACT!

No Comments »

Top 5 similarities between the SAT and ACT

By posted April 19, 2012

The test prep and college admissions process can be confusing to navigate.  Preparing for tests is often one of the most stressful aspects of this hectic time.  The SAT and the ACT are like the Super Bowl of standardized tests.  But which one to take when it comes to the Big Day?  The SAT and ACT have their differences, but they are surprisingly similar in a few general ways.  Here’s some basic information to get you started on your journey to your dream college.

1. Overall content - Both the SAT and ACT test essentially the same skills in reading, math, and writing.  Probably the biggest difference people notice is that the ACT also has a science section, but many of the questions are more math-based, asking you to interpret a chart, graph, or other information.  The science section isn’t as content-based as you might think.  Another content difference is that the SAT has sentence completions (vocabulary questions), and the ACT does not.  However, vocabulary is still essential to understanding reading comprehension questions on the ACT, so again this is not a huge difference in overall content.

2. Multiple-choice format - Both tests use the multiple-choice format for all questions except for the essay.  (The essay is optional on the ACT, but most people choose to complete it.)  The only difference is that the SAT gives you 5 choices for each question, and the ACT gives you 4.

3. Length - Both tests take about four hours to complete, although they are divided up differently.  Technically the ACT test is 3 hours and 25 minutes, and the SAT is 3 hours and 45 minutes, but you will be at each test for roughly the same amount of time.  Each of the 4 ACT subjects has its own section.  The SAT subjects are divided up into shorter sections, and you will jump around from subject to subject.  There are 3 sections each of reading, math, and writing, and one experimental section on one of the 3 subjects that will not be scored.  You will not know which section is unscored when you take the test.

4. Colleges’ test acceptance - All schools accept either test, so there’s no need to worry that your dream college prefers one test over the other.  That being said, you might have better study opportunities available to you depending on each test’s popularity in your part of the country.  Traditionally, students on the West and East Coasts tend to take the SAT and students from the Midwest tend to take the ACT, but there is no rule either way.  Pick which test you take based on which one you feel more comfortable with.

Try this ACT science question for practice.  Read more »

1 Comment »

Top 10 tips for ACT English, Part 2

By posted April 5, 2012

Test prep for the ACT involves not just practicing ACT questions, but also learning strategies for different question types.  Apply the rest of these top 10 writing tips to the ACT to improve your score and your chances of getting into the best schools.

6. Make sure parallelism is used.  Parallelism is a grammatical principle that becomes easier to spot the more you see it and get familiar with it.  For a sentence to be parallel, the clauses within it must have matching structure. Here’s an example of a sentence that isn’t parallel:

My favorite things to do are running, swimming, and to read.

The first two items in the series are in gerund form (running and swimming), and the third item is in infinitive form.  To make this sentence parallel, change “to read” to “reading.”

Here’s another ACT English practice question for more test day practice! Read more »

No Comments »

Top 10 tips for ACT English, Part 1

By posted March 29, 2012

It’s always a good idea to not just do ACT practice tests, but also to learn some tips about how to approach ACT questions.  Test strategy is an important part of preparing for tests.  As you prepare for the English section of the ACT, keep these 10 tips in mind for an awesome ACT score!

1. Think simple.  As far as the ACT is concerned, the best writing uses the fewest possible number of words to convey an idea.  This doesn’t always mean the shortest answer is the best answer–sometimes more words are needed in order for a phrase or sentence to be grammatically correct.  But in general avoid answer choices that seem wordy.  The best answers are concise and clear.

2. Take the whole sentence into account.  It’s easy to read just the underlined portion the question asks about, or maybe just the clause that the underlined portion is a part of.  However, many times the other clause or clauses in the sentence can affect your answer.  For example, if the other clause is an independent clause, you will need to make sure that the underlined portion does not create a comma splice with another independent clause.  Read the whole sentence to yourself and you will be less likely to overlook an error.

Try this ACT English practice question and see if you’re ready for test day! Read more »

No Comments »

10 Study Tips to Ace Standardized Tests

By posted February 23, 2012

  1. Sleep! Get plenty of rest not only before the big tests but also on a regular basis months before testing. It’s very tempting to cut ZZZZ time in order to get more done but a tired mind does not function optimally. Tired studying is actually just a waste of time. Better to sleep first- even for just an hour- and then study. Furthermore, make sure your sleeping environment is comfortable and cozy so that it calms the mind, nurtures the soul and encourages sleep. It’s possible these days to get fantastic college bedding sets very reasonably. Once your bed is comfortable and you are getting enough nourishing sleep on a regular basis grades and test scores will improve.
  2. Eat properly! A tired mind performs just slightly worse than a starved mind. Thinking brains demand a substantial amount of glucose. Without a proper balanced diet that includes plenty of plain water to stay hydrated your body can’t deliver glucose properly to your brain. Fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates and proteins are all essential for cellular function. Eating good food is as basic as sleeping and equally important.
  3. Exercise. Ok, now when does anyone have time to exercise? Especially with all that eating and sleeping! Make time. An elevated heart rate increases blood flow to the brain and releases endorphins that improve mood and attitude. This makes studying more productive and increases retention.
  4. Multiply the hours in the day. That’s right, time is not constant, not if you have friends. One person has only 24 hours in the day but 3 people have 72 and so on and so on. Study with friends in person and electronically to divide the work up and increase the amount of material covered. Moreover, teaching each other is one of the most effective ways to really learn. The person doing the explaining is forced to organize their thoughts and the person receiving the information must respond.
  5. Don’t underestimate the power of your own voice. Repeating things aloud increases retention. Recording your own voice and listening to the information while you sleep can help improve memorization.
  6. Use rhymes and funny sayings as memorization cues. Having fun developing these even helps increase retention rates.
  7. Take practice tests. Standardized testing is just that, standardized. Taking practice tests familiarizes the brain with the formats. It’s possible to even learn how to game the tests. Everyone is different so only by taking the tests will you improve your scores. These tests can determine your life so practice them until taking them is as easy as reading a good book.
  8. Take at least one study course for every test. Study courses provide valuable up to date information about the tests and how to study for them. The courses also provide discipline and structure to the large amounts of information.
  9. Get excited about studying for these tests! Want to graduate in three years or get into a dream college with a scholarship? Standardized tests can be the key that opens valuable doors. Unlike regular course work that can drag on for years and years, these tests are short and sweet. Studying for them is also nothing compared to a job at McDonalds. Look at these tests as a really big shortcut to getting ahead in life.
  10. Start test preparation as early as possible and put yourself on a study schedule. These tests are too big to cram for. Make the schedule so that you can cover everything with a few days to spare. This way if something comes up you will still get your test prep finished. Take any extra time to review the most difficult sections.
This post was written and submitted by the blogger at http://www.rhl.org/blog/

 

 

No Comments »

ACT Science: Understanding & Comparing Hypotheses on Test Day

By posted December 28, 2011

You’re likely to see ACT Science questions that ask about the hypotheses on the Research Summaries passages on Test Day, although hypotheses questions can also appear in Data Interpretation and Research Summaries passages. Make sure to always examine the point of view of the student/scientist/author. Ask yourself if the data supports their conclusions, or not. You may be asked to weaken or strengthen hypotheses individually, or you may be asked to compare more than one hypothesis.

To compare them, remember that you must understand the premise behind the experiments in order to know whether the results will weaken a conclusion. Try to identify the purpose, method, and results for each experiment first to get better scores on hypotheses questions. Unless you know the purpose, method, and results and can step into the scientists’ perspectives you will have a difficult time understanding the hypotheses. Here is a harder practice ACT Science Research Summaries passage, just like you might see on Test Day!

Stars often form in large groups.  For instance, an “open cluster” such as the Pleiades may contain hundreds of stars that were formed at approximately the same time (and are thus the same age). Even larger “globular clusters” may contain a million or more stars of approximately the same age.  By observing clusters of increasing age, astronomers are able to see how the brightness and temperatures of stars change as they age.


Shortly after a group of stars forms, a plot of their brightness versus their color (the left-hand panel of Figure 1) shows that they form a diagonal line called the “Main Sequence.” The bluest stars, on the left, are the brightest, and the reddest stars, on the right, are the dimmest.  (Star colors are divided into a series of “spectral classes” – O, B, A, F, G, K – as shown on the X axis of the figure.  A star’s brightness is expressed as an “absolute visual magnitude,” with the dimmest stars having the largest magnitudes.)

Test your science skills with this ACT science practice question.

Read more »

No Comments »

« Older Posts