ACT audio study material and prep

Any type of test can be stressful, especially if it can have a huge impact on your life. Of course, if you want to earn a high score on any exam, you will need to prepare accordingly.

High school students planning on taking the ACT need as many study material and prep resources as they can get in order to feel confident and do well on the test. Here are a few audio study material and prep resources that can help you!

The importance of preparing for the ACT

Taking the ACT, or the American College Testing, can be a life-changing moment for high school students planning to attend college, and there are plenty of reasons why you should dedicate time and effort to prepare for it.

The ACT is one of the two standardized tests administered to high school students (the other is the SAT) which are essential for college admission, acting similar to entrance exams that aspiring college students might take in other countries. Preparing for the ACT means that you will increase your chances of getting to college and continuing your education as planned. 

There are four categories of the ACT you will need to complete. These are: 

• ACT Reading

• ACT Mathematics

• ACT English

• ACT Science

Each of these four categories is scored between 1 and 36, and the total score is the average of each four sections. There is technically no passing or failing the ACT, but higher scores are critical for increasing your chances of college admission. Therefore, most students should aim for getting an average score of 20 or above.

Tips for studying the ACT material

The first thing you will need to know is that there is no easy way around it. You will need to study for the exam. But this doesn’t mean that all is doomed. You can still find numerous ways to make studying for the ACT a bit easier. 

If you are looking for useful tips that will help you prepare, you will find that these methods are more than helpful. They will assist you in studying, help you save time, and improve the quality of learning each step of the way. 

Text to speech readers

One of the ways you can save time is by using text to speech (TTS) software. These tools are handy if you don’t want to waste time on reading, and they can also assist those with reading difficulties. 

TTS apps are accessibility tools, and almost every device offers them. But if you want to use a universal app across all of your devices, one of the best programs on the market is Speechify. (More details on Speechify further down!)

The popularity of text to speech readers is increasing by the day. Some students use them to help overcome reading disabilities such as dyslexia, while other students use them to save time. Whatever the reason may be, you will find these tools to be quite helpful. TTS tools turn any text into audio so that you can listen to your textbooks, notes, and study guides from anywhere.

Start on time, and don’t be afraid to take risks

The key to preparing for the ACT is to start on time. As long as there is enough time, you will be able to cover all the material and subject matter. It’s essential to familiarize yourself with the type of exam you will be taking, which will help you be less stressed when the test day comes.

At the same time, you should know that taking risks might be helpful. Each question has only one correct answer, but if you have no idea what that answer is—guess it. Yes, you read that right. ACT tests don’t have negative scores. 

So, there is nothing to lose if you try to guess the answer. Worst-case scenario, you won’t get any points. If your hunch is right, then you will get the points you need!

Find materials for the ACT

Having the right literature can make a world of difference. This is why there are so many books and study guides dedicated to ACT exams. With them, you will be able to get all four of the categories, and some even include ACT practice tests. 

These materials will allow you to understand how the entire test works and better prepare for them. Even if you have all the time in the world, it won’t help you if you don’t have the right tools. Or in this case, the right books. 

So, try to find good test preparation guides that will allow you to get a perfect score on your ACT tests. Check out various practice questions, create flashcards, and do anything else that will help you memorize the lessons.

Speechify

Originally, Speechify was designed as a text to speech app to assist people with dyslexia, but the popularity of the app made other students check it out as well. There are so many features that can take your ACT studying to the next level!

Speechify works on any operating system (Windows, Mac, etc.) as well as any mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Android, etc.). Your account can sync across all devices, and it has plenty of functionalities you can explore. Speechify easy to use thanks to the intuitive user interface, and it supports numerous languages. 

With Speechify, you can put on your headphones and listen to all the documents, notes, or study guides you have, allowing you to multitask while studying. 

If you plan on using the app on different devices, all you need to do is create an account. The app is available as an extension for your browser, an app for your smartphone, and it even has OCR if you want to convert physical texts into a listening experience by simply taking pictures of any text and uploading it into the program.

Did we mention that Speechify is also free? There is even a premium version available that comes with many more amazing text to speech features on top of what is already included in the free version. Try it out today to optimize your ACT study prep!

FAQs

How can I get a 36 on the ACT?

Generally speaking, you will need to answer all of the questions across all four sections to score 36. Since this is the max score, you won’t have a lot of space for mistakes. You should know that math allows some space for errors, and you can miss one question. 

In the majority of cases, failing to answer between one and three questions will lose you one point in your total score. So, if you aim for the highest score, you will need a perfect result. The best way to get a high score is to study well and start studying early.

Is the ACT test hard?

The ACT test can be challenging for some students. One of the main issues is that time is quite limited. For the ACT English test, you will have 45 minutes, but you will need to answer 75 questions. 

The ACT Math section, for example, gives you one minute per question, and you will have an hour to complete it. Keep in mind that some people will say that ACT is not as hard as GRE, PSAT, or ASVAB. 

What are the best ACT prep books?

Any book that is designed as an ACT study guide can be good. This includes well-known best-sellers such as Kaplan’s ACT Prep Plus, Barron’s ACT, The Official ACT Prep Guide, Princeton Review ACT Premium Prep, and others. 

Whether you have these books in digital or physical form, Speechify can help. This app can allow you to turn any test prep book into an audio file you can listen to. The majority of these books offer practice exams and quizzes, which is a great way to test your knowledge. 

When looking for books, try to find new releases since there might be a few changes between editions.