Written By Andie Pinga
How should you study for the ACT? Once signing up for the standardized test, students often find themselves asking this question. They might wonder what the best way to prepare is and how to make the most of their time leading up to the test to study. It can be hard to figure out how to study for the test – after all, the ACT is unlike any high school exam you might have taken. It requires a slightly different approach and mindset to study for this test, which is probably significantly longer and a drastically different format that what you are used to.
What is most important in your preparation for the ACT, however, is to have a plan. No matter how much time you have before the test, creating a plan from the beginning and having a general sense of how you’re going to prepare before the test is the crucial first step for everyone. A good study plan is the foundation of setting yourself up to succeed. Study plans look different from student to student, but a few principles can apply generally. Oftentimes, working with a template and tweaking it to your needs is the easiest way to get started.
In this blog, I will provide 3 different ACT study plan templates based on if you have 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months to prepare for the test.
Creating An ACT Study Plan
Creating an ACT study plan is no easy feat, but each one will share a few general set of principles.
- First, the plan will be based on your target score or goal taking the test. Note that your goal does not necessarily have to be a specific score, though it often is. Students may take the ACT just to get a feel for the test, or to focus on a specific section if they are hoping to take advantage of the Superscoring option. Nevertheless, your entire plan will be built around and lead to achieving this goal.
- Second, the plan will have to consider your test date and how much time you have to prepare. At least 3 months of preparation before the test is ideal for students, as it allows enough time for you to learn new concepts and have them sink in. If the application deadlines are looming, however, and you only have one month or one week to prepare, there are study plans that can still help prepare you, but it will be significantly harder to reach your score goals.
- Third, you should adjust the plan to fit your study habits. Students learn in different styles and speeds, and you want the ACT study plan to be tailored to your needs.
- Fourth, and one of the most important steps, the plan should have a schedule. It can be however detailed you want it to be (daily, weekly, or monthly). This schedule will hold you accountable every week and also serve as a roadmap so that you are intentionally studying ACT material, not just mindlessly taking practice tests and example problems.
- Fifth, the study plan will encompass different kinds of ACT study resources that you can gather. While there are a plethora of ACT study resources available online, some free and some paid, keep in mind that their quality may differ. It is up to you to determine whether or not a resource is worth it, either by reading the reviews or asking friends and families if they have any experience with it. Another option students take is hiring a tutor who has extensive experience in navigating studying for the ACT and who can give informed recommendations on how and what to study.
The following templates will focus on the fourth step and can help you create a schedule for yourself, which is often the most difficult part. Make sure, though, that you don’t skip any of these steps, as each one will help set you up for the greatest chance of success on test day.
| Subject | Format |
| English | 75 questions 45 minutes |
| Mathematics | 60 questions 60 minutes |
| Reading | 40 questions 35 minutes |
| Science | 40 questions 35 minutes |
| Writing (optional) | 1 essay question 40 minutes |
ACT Study Plan: 3 months
As mentioned before, having 3 months to prepare for the ACT is the ideal amount of time for most students. Because it is the most popular window of time to prepare, we have actually prepared a whole separate article on a 3 month study plan to goes into greater depth on why you should create a study plan and how to create one.
Our study plan has a week-by-week breakdown of objectives and steps you should take in order to best prepare for the ACT.
Check out the 3-month ACT Study Plan here.
ACT Study Plan: 1 Month
While 1 month is a bit short to prepare extensively for the ACT, it is not impossible to reach your target score and goals if you put in the work and hours. A 1 month schedule calls for a more intensive study schedule – longer and more frequent hours — and, perhaps, a more targeted approach. If you only have a month, it is more important than ever to define your goals, make sure that they are feasible to achieve, and make a study plan that you stick to. There is no time to waste!
Total study time: 40 to 54 hours
Week 1
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 3 hours: Full-length practice test | 3 hours: Review practice test answers and explanations | 1-2 hours: Foundational concepts review – English | 1-2 hours: Foundational concepts review – Reading | 1-2 hours: Foundational concepts review – Math | 1-2 hours: Foundational concepts review – Science | Day off |
Study time: 10 to 14 hours
Objectives:
- Take 1 full-length practice test in one sitting:
- Score the test to get your baseline score
- Review answers you got wrong
- Review answers you got right (important step many students miss!)
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses and adjust your study plan accordingly
- Study foundational concepts: learn new ones you are not familiar with and review concepts you already know or need a refresher on
In this first week, you should take a full-length practice test. The score you get on this will become your baseline score, and you can adjust your target or goal accordingly. Taking the practice test will help familiarize you to the testing structure and format and allow you to make some preliminary identifications of your strengths and weaknesses, which will inform how you can tailor your study plan. Try to simulate testing conditions as best as you can, which means sticking to each of the time limits on each section and taking the test in one sitting. You can even ask a family member, friend, or tutor to act as a proctor.
After you take the test, it is of the utmost importance that you take time to review it. Many students do not realize that reviewing the test afterwards is just as, if not, more important than just taking it. This is where you can identify and learn from your mistakes, so you don’t repeat them again on the next test and see improvement. When you review the questions you got wrong, be sure to read an explanation on the correct way to solve it – these can be found in online resources, like YouTube, or you can ask a family, friend, or tutor to walk you through it. Then, once you understand where you went wrong and how to solve it, go through the process of solving the question again.
It is also important to review questions you got right. Though this may sound counterintuitive, but in each question, it is important to ask yourself: was this the most efficient way to solve this problem? Consult online explanations or your family, friend, or tutor to see if they did it the same way you did. Efficiency is key when taking the ACT, especially if you are pressed for time and working on your time management.
Based on the results of your practice test, identify key concepts that you either are not familiar with or need a refresher. Spend the next couple of days learning or re-acquainting yourself with these topics. Spending time on this is crucial to build a good foundation in studying for the ACT. Doing hundreds of practice problems will be useless if you do not understand the underlying concept.
Lastly, make sure to quickly review concepts that you feel confident on. You do not have to spend as much time with them, but the last thing you want is to think you are confident on something like fractions, then have a curveball fraction question on the test that you did not prepare for.
Week 2
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 3 hours: Full-length practice test | 3 hours: Review practice test answers and explanations | 1-2 hours: Learn strategies and do practice problems – English | 1-2 hours: Learn strategies and do practice problems – Reading | 1-2 hours: Learn strategies and do practice problems – Math | 1-2 hours: Learn strategies and do practice problems – Science | Day off |
Study time: 10 to 14 hours
Objectives:
- Take 1 full-length practice test in one sitting
- Score the test to get your baseline score
- Review answers you got right and wrong
- Reflect on your strength and weaknesses, and areas that need extra attention
- Learn test-taking strategies and methods for each section
- Apply those strategies by doing practice problems in each section
You’ll start the week off with another practice test and review. Do not worry too much if your score stays the same or even decreases! The brain sometimes slows down when it’s processing a lot of information, and it might be getting used to the large amount of studying and new concepts it is being exposed to.
After reviewing the practice test, reflect on your strengths and weaknesses once again. You should be doing this every week so that you can slightly tweak your study plan ahead and focus in on areas that you think need the most help. Many students may not realize this, but a good amount of reflection is necessary for effective studying!
In this week, focus on learning test-taking strategies for each section. This includes time management strategies, answer strategies like the process of elimination, annotation techniques for Reading, and shortcuts and quick formulas for Math. Try out different strategies with different practice problems and see which ones stick for you. For example, skimming is often a hit-or-miss strategy among students – some can do it well, but it just confuses other students. Find what works for you and practice with it moving forward.
Week 3
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 3 hours: Full-length practice test | 3 hours: Review practice test answers and explanations | 2 hours: Practice Problems – English and Reading | 2 hours: Practice Problems: Math and Science | 1-2 hours: Practice and review tricky concepts | 1-2 hours: Practice and review tricky concepts | Day off |
Study time: 12 to 16 hours
Objectives:
- Take 1 full-length practice test in one sitting
- Score the test to get your baseline score
- Review answers you got right and wrong
- Reflect on your strength and weaknesses, and areas that need extra attention
- Continue doing practice problems and applying test-taking strategies in each section
- Focus extra on topics and types of questions that are the most difficult and challenging for you
This is the most intense week of studying yet. You are about 2 weeks away from test day, and it is the final time period where you can make any serious preparations or improvements. The next week should just be focused on review, resting, and mentally preparing for the test.
In this week, you’ll start off with another full-length practice test. Score and review it like before, and pay attention to your score, strengths, and weaknesses. Spend two sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday doing practice problems and applying strategies in each section. The next two sessions on Thursday and Friday are dedicated to purely focusing on topics or questions that you’ve had consistent trouble with in the past. Maybe you’ve only been getting about 20% of geometry questions right, or the historic passage in Reading always slows you down. This is the chance to hone in on these components of the test and try to improve on them.
Week 4
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 3 hours: Full-length practice test | 3 hours: Review practice test answers and explanations | 1-2 hours: Review final problems and concepts | 1-2 hours: Review final problems and concepts | Light studying / Day off | Day off, and getting ready for test day! | Test day! |
Study time: 8 to 10 hours
Objectives:
- Take 1 full-length practice test in one sitting
- Score the test to get your baseline score
- Review answers you got right and wrong
- Reflect on what areas need your last-minute attention
- Review and practice last-minute topics and types of questions that are challenging for you
- Prepare for test day
- Learn and practice mental health test-taking strategies
- Get enough sleep and stay hydrated
- Gather all of your materials and know where you are taking the test
- Do your best on test day!
You made it to test week! While you can still study lightly this week, it should be mainly dedicated to resting and preparing a confident mindset to take the ACT. Since one week is such a short amount of time, you do not want to be learning any new concepts so close to the test. So, start the week of by taking your last practice test, scoring, and reviewing it. The score you get should be very near (or even above) your target score. After reviewing the test, identify 2-3 topics that need your last minute attention, and in the remaining study sessions, try to work out these topics without stressing yourself out too much.
When you have two days to test day, start winding down and focusing on your mental health. You can still lightly study, but this means just reviewing your study guides and formulas and maybe doing one or two practice problems. Don’t overdo it!
In the day leading up to the test, do not study at all. Refer to this article on what to do the day before the ACT. Take a break from the test and focus on gathering everything you need on the day. Make sure you know where the testing center is, you have the right calculator, pencil, and eraser, and that you have your entry ticket on hand. Test day is already super stressful, and you don’t want to be even more stressed if you forgot your pencil! Take this day to also learn and practice some mental strategies for test-taking. This could include controlled breathing and meditation.
Make sure you get enough sleep before the test, and walk into the testing room feeling confident and prepared! You put in the work. Now, do your best!
ACT Study Plan: 6 Months
Preparing 6 months ahead of your test date is ideal if you feel like you need more time to study for the ACT, if you have a busy schedule that limits the hours in a week that you can dedicated to the test, or if you are a high-achieving high school sophomore who wants to start preparing to take the ACT in their junior fall. In this plan, it is important to pace yourself. You don’t want to get burnt out halfway and still have 3 months until your actual test date.
Month 1
| Week 1 | Determine your baseline score: – Take a full-length practice test in one sitting – Score the test and adjust your target score / goal – Review the test (re-solve questions you got wrong, look at explanations for the ones you got right) to determine your strengths and weaknesses – Familiarize yourself with the ACT format |
| Week 2 | Understand the ACT format: Part 1 – Learn the English test format – Learn the Reading test format |
| Week 3 | Understand the ACT format: Part 2 – Learn the Math test format – Learn the Science test format |
| Week 4 | Choose test-taking strategies: – Experiment with test-taking strategies for the English, Reading, Science. This includes strategies like the graf-by-graf strategy for English, the summarizing strategy for Reading, and the topic sentence strategy for Science. – Choose which strategies work best for you and your learning style – Learn general test-taking strategies – Try general test-taking strategies, like the process of elimination and time management. |
Month 2
| Week 1 | Learn foundational content: Math – Review basic concepts (ie. algebra, geometry), learn ones you are not familiar with or that you are rusty on – Memorize important formulas – Solve a few Math practice problems to solidify your understanding |
| Week 2 | Learn foundational content: English and Reading – Review basic concepts (ie. grammar and punctuation rules), learn ones you are not familiar with or that you are rusty on – Study vocabulary – Solve a few English and Reading practice problems to solidify your understanding |
| Week 3 | Learn foundational content: Science – Review basic concepts (ie. mass and volume, experimental format), learn topics you are not familiar with or that you are rusty on – Solve a few Science practice problems to solidify your understanding |
| Week 4 | Take another full-length practice test in one sitting – Score it, review your answers, and determine your strengths and weaknesses – Adjust your study plan according to your results |
Month 3
| Week 1 | Practice problems: English and Reading |
| Week 2 | Practice problems: Math and Science |
| Week 3 | Practice problems: All sections |
| Week 4 | Take another full-length practice test in one sitting – Score it, review your answers, and determine your strengths and weaknesses – Adjust your study plan according to your results |
Month 4
| Week 1 | Writing section (optional) – Learn the Writing section (essay) format – Practice Writing timed essays to past official prompts |
| Week 2 | Practice problems and review concepts: English and Reading |
| Week 3 | Practice problems and review concepts: Math and Science |
| Week 4 | Take another full-length practice test in one sitting – Score it, review your answers, and determine your strengths and weaknesses – Adjust your study plan according to your results |
Month 5
| Week 1 | Focus on challenging topics and questions: English and Reading |
| Week 2 | Focus on challenging topics and questions: Math and Science |
| Week 3 | Focus on challenging topics and questions: All sections |
| Week 4 | Take another full-length practice test in one sitting – Score it, review your answers, and determine your strengths and weaknesses – Adjust your study plan according to your results |
Month 6
| Week 1 | Focus on challenging topics and questions: All sections |
| Week 2 | Focus on challenging topics and questions: All sections |
| Week 3 | Take another full-length practice test in one sitting – Score it, review your answers, and determine your strengths and weaknesses – Your score should be near or above your target score – Review all topics and questions, and make sure all important formulas are memorized |
| Week 4 | Test week! – Study very lightly, and stop studying 1-2 days before the actual test date4 – Prepare mental test-taking strategies (ie. breath control, meditation) and put forth a confident mindset – Get enough sleep and stay hydrated before test day – Gather all your testing materials (ie. calculator, pencils) and know where your testing center is – Do your best on test day! |
How To Pick The Best ACT Prep Schedule
Ultimately, you have to decide what ACT prep schedule is best for you. You should take a variety of factors into account, including:
- Your target score
- Your test date
- Your study style
- Your weekly time commitments and schedule
Your schedule should serve your needs and be tailored to you, specifically. There is no blanket study schedule that will work for everyone. As you prepare for the ACT and follow your study schedule, make sure you remain flexible and open to changing it as needed! If a certain component isn’t working for you, change it! These templates are not set in stone and are meant to serve as a start. If you need additional guidance, don’t forget that you can reach out to family, friends, or a tutor. You are not alone in your ACT study journey!
Follow A Study Plan And Prepare For The ACT With SoFlo Tutors
Want some help creating a good ACT study plan? SoFlo Tutors can help you out. Our tutors create tailored study plans for all of their students based on their target score, strengths and weaknesses identified from a diagnostic test, and testing date. They work one-on-one with each student to provide time-tested strategies and skills that have allowed hundreds of previous students reach their target scores and get into their dream colleges. All of our tutors attend top universities around the nation and scored in the 99th percentile on their ACT. Our tutors schedule to sessions to your availability and our costs start at $60/hour. Check out our tutoring services to book a session today!
About The Author
Andie Pinga is an expert SoFlo tutor and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Anthropology. She scored a 35 on her ACT and enjoys rock climbing and playing the guitar.
