ACT Math For Dummies (2011)

Part VI. The Part of Tens

Chapter 20. Ten Items to Check Off before Taking the ACT

In This Chapter

Going through a checklist of items to do before your ACT

You can’t be too organized. (Well, my Great Aunt Ida can. I mean, come on, who really alphabetizes socks?) So if you’re not already the kind of person who keeps argyles on the left side of the drawer and woolies on the on the right, here are ten items to check off as you approach the ACT.

I Received My ACT Admission Ticket, and I Put It in a Safe Place

As with the movies, but with far less entertainment value, the ACT requires a ticket to get in. You should receive your ticket well in advance of the test after you’ve registered and paid. When you receive it, put your ticket in a safe, dry place until the night before the test. The last thing you need the day of your test is a frantic search for a vanished ticket.

I’m 100 Percent Sure about the Date and Time of My ACT

When you receive your ticket, check the date and time of your ACT and put it on a calendar you check regularly. Or, if you keep appointments on your phone, set an alarm a few days before to make sure you don’t miss the test.

If you miss your ACT, you lose the money you spent. You can’t receive a refund or postponement after the fact.

I Know How to Get There, Too

If the test center for your ACT happens to be your school, finding it should be a no-brainer. But if it’s held someplace else, make sure you’re clear on how to get there. Use the Internet (or a trusted friend or family member) to get directions, and then drive the route before the test.

I Purchased the Calculator I Intend to Use

Buy a calculator well in advance of the ACT so you have time to practice with it. At a minimum, this calculator should be able to give you the square root (radical) of a number. I provide a variety of considerations about calculators in Chapter 2.

I Feel Comfortable Using My Calculator

After you’ve picked out and purchased the calculator you intend to use on the ACT, don’t let it just sit there in its hard-to-open plastic shell until the day before the test. Be sure to use it when studying and taking practice tests. All calculator models are slightly different, so using one before you’re under the time pressure of a test is usually the best way to find out all its little quirks. If you have questions about how to work your calculator, check out the manual that comes with it.

I Have a Backpack All Ready to Go by the Door

The night before your ACT, pack a backpack (or some other container to carry stuff in) with everything you need, including the following:

Admission ticket

Identification

Plenty of sharpened #2 pencils

A calculator (with fresh batteries) that you know how to use

Extra batteries for your calculator

Something to eat or drink during your break, which happens just after you finish your math test

I Picked Out My Clothes for the Morning

I know I sound like your mom, but she’s right on this one: If you lay out your clothes the night before your test, you’ll have one less thing to think about the morning of your ACT. Be sure to take a few layers of clothing in case the temperature of the room is too hot or too cold for your liking. You’re stuck in that one room for four or five hours, so you want to be sure you’re comfortable.

I’m Having a Relaxing Night before the Test

The night before the ACT is yours to do with as you choose. If you work, get the night off well in advance so you have plenty of time to relax and get a good night’s sleep. Then spend this time in whatever way you enjoy — with friends or alone, watching a movie or shopping at the mall, walking on the beach or biking around your neighborhood, playing with your dog or feeding your fish. Do whatever makes you feel calm and rested.

I don’t recommend studying the night before. And, most important, don’t take a practice test! If you must study, limit the time to half an hour — just enough to review a few formulas or look over some practice problems.

The Alarm Is Set for an Early Rise

Set your alarm early enough to allow plenty of time to get ready, eat breakfast, and get out the door and on the road. Better to arrive early and wait around for a few minutes than arrive late and run in the door panicked, out of breath, and unfocused.

I’m Focusing on My Breathing

Take nice deep breaths (but not too many — you don’t want to hyperventilate). Deep breaths give you oxygen, which is always a good thing. Oxygen helps to move adrenalin — the hormone that accounts for that shaky feeling you get when scared or nervous — out of your bloodstream. Breathe as you sit down to begin the test. Breathe as you begin the test. And along the way, if you notice anxiety beginning to creep in, take some more deep breaths.