General Strategies for Taking
two children playing tag in the forest. Who will win—the
girl who never stumbles because she knows the placement of every
tree and all the twists and turns and hiding spots, or the kid who
keeps falling down and tripping over roots because he doesn’t pay
any attention to the landscape? The answer is obvious. Even if the
other kid is faster and more athletic, the girl will win because
she knows how to navigate the territory and use it to her advantage.
This example of tag in the forest is extreme,
but it illustrates a point. The structure of the ACT is the forest.
Taking the test is the game of tag. And no one likes to lose at
In this chapter, you’ll learn how to take advantage of
the ACT’s structure to achieve the score you want. You’ll learn
basic rules for taking the ACT, as well as pacing and preparation
strategies. These are the general test-taking strategies that you should
use in all sections of the test. There are, of course, specific
strategies for each of the individual Subject Tests. We’ll cover
those in the chapters devoted to each Subject Test.