{"id":29789,"date":"2021-11-30T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-30T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=29789"},"modified":"2021-11-30T19:05:36","modified_gmt":"2021-11-30T19:05:36","slug":"how-to-study-for-the-act-in-3-months","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/how-to-study-for-the-act-in-3-months\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Study for the ACT in 3 Months"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Three months is a solid amount of time to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/act\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prep for the ACT<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. With 3 months, you will be able to spread out your studying and have ample time to work to master concepts tested on the ACT that may be unfamiliar at the start.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studying for the ACT can be a daunting task. The key is finding the right resources, getting organized, and sticking to your plan. Keep reading for an ACT 3 Month Study Plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/1-month-act-study-plan\/\"><strong>RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>ACT 1-Month Study Plan<\/a> ]<br \/>\n<div  style=' margin-top:30px; margin-bottom:4px;'  class='hr hr-custom hr-center hr-icon-no  0  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_heading  avia-builder-el-first '><span class='hr-inner  inner-border-av-border-none' style=' width:50px;' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h2    avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_heading  '><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT Study Resources<\/h2><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you get started studying, you\u2019ll want to make sure that you equip yourself with the resources you need. As you consider your choices, assess your learning style\u2014will you be able to stay on track independently or do you prefer to be motivated by an expert teacher or tutor?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_iconlist  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >T<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">op picks for ACT prep<\/span><\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><div  class='avia-icon-list-container   avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading '><ul class='avia-icon-list avia-icon-list-left av-iconlist-big avia_animate_when_almost_visible avia-iconlist-animate'>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Prep Books<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Kaplan\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/ACT-Prep-2021-Practice-Strategies\/dp\/1506262473\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ACT Prep 2021<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/ACT-Prep-Plus-2021-Strategies\/dp\/150626249X\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ACT Prep Plus 2021<\/a> give you essential strategies, realistic practice, and expert advice. Both come with practice tests and online resources.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Take a Class<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaplan has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/act\/courses\/act-live-online\">ACT Live Online classes<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0to get you ready for the ACT in one month. Come to class from anywhere you have wifi. Expert teachers will keep you motivated\u2014interactive learning lets you engage with a teacher for better results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternatively, you can learn strategies and review foundational concepts from teacher-led videos in a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/act\/courses\/act-prep-self-paced\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-Paced ACT Course<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Get a Tutor<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>For the most personalized experience, work with an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/act\/courses\/act-tutoring\">expert ACT tutor<\/a> who will get to know your specific needs and learning style. A tutor will work with you 1-1 to guide your prep, assessing how you can improve your performance with the time that you have.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_iconlist  el_before_av_promobox  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT Study Calendar<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you dive in and actually start your ACT prep, you\u2019ll want to sit down and sketch out a study calendar. Taking the time to do this at the beginning will ensure that you cover all of the material in time for your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/act\/test-dates\">ACT test date<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At a minimum, plan to spend about one hour a week on ACT prep, though it\u2019s recommended that you carve out 2-3 hours per week. In the weeks that you take an ACT practice test (there are 4 total in this 3 Month Study Plan), plan to spend at least 6 hours on ACT prep. Err on the side of caution in the early stages\u2014block out extra time for your prep. If you find that you are progressing towards your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/whats-good-act-score\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">score goal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sooner than anticipated, you can decrease the amount of studying you have planned later on in your calendar.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When crafting your study calendar, be sure to take into account all of your commitments, including classes, homework, extracurricular activities, jobs, and any trips or family vacations you may have planned. Plan to prep at least once a week for the entirety of the three months, or 2-3 times a week if you want to spread out the work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t<div   class='av_promobox  avia-button-yes   avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><p>\n<em><strong>Get your own copy of Kaplan&#8217;s Free Study Guide for the ACT<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><div  class='avia-button-wrap avia-button-right ' ><a href='https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/college-prep\/free\/sat-act-study-guide'  class='avia-button  avia-color-theme-color   avia-icon_select-no avia-size-large avia-position-right '   ><span class='avia_iconbox_title' >DOWNLOAD<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h2    avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_heading  '><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT 3 Month Study Plan: Week One<\/h2><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Week 1 is all about assessing your baseline score to get a sense of where you stand and how far you need to go to reach your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/whats-good-act-score\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">score goal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Begin by taking a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/act\/free\/act-practice-test-options\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">full-length ACT practice test<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in a single sitting. The ACT runs 2 hours and 55-minutes (plus an additional 40 minutes for the optional <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/what-to-expect-on-the-act-essay\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing section<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). You\u2019ll want to build your stamina, so resist the temptation to split up your practice tests over more than one session\u2014treat them like the real thing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After you\u2019ve finished the practice test, score it. Your results from your first practice test will help you plan your studying. If you are further from your score goal than you anticipated, you may want to add some more days of ACT prep to your study calendar.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On a separate day or two this week, set aside about 3 hours total to review your practice test. The ACT is a standardized test, which means it is always the same. The more familiar you get with the types of questions asked, the more prepared you will be on Test Day. Taking the time to thoroughly review your practice tests will help you get familiarized with the different question types\u2014you\u2019re bound to see the same types of questions asked in a slightly different way or with different numbers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start with the questions you got wrong, guessed on, or didn\u2019t answer. One by one, review each question by studying the explanation and comparing it to your own work. Where did you go wrong? Did you make a calculation error or is this a concept that you need to flag for in-depth review? Be organized in your review and for each ACT section, take notes on the concepts that you did well on and the question types that you repeatedly got wrong. This will help you assess which areas of the test you need to focus on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, review the questions that you got right. This is the step that most students don\u2019t bother doing, but it is essential if you want to be as efficient as possible on Test Day. For each of these questions, read the explanation and compare it to the steps that you took. Is there a quicker way to get to the right answer? Make notes of any strategies that are recommended so you can begin incorporating them into your prep.<\/span><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h2    avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT 3 Month Study Plan: Weeks 2-4<\/h2><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start your prep by studying any foundational concepts that you repeatedly missed on your practice test. For example, if you got most of the Functions questions wrong, it\u2019s a sign that you need to delve deep into learning that content. Prioritize that work early on as it\u2019ll take some time and practice to master.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mix in a review of topics that you got right at least 50% of the time and be sure to spend some time these weeks learning test-taking strategies and methods for each of the sections.<\/span><\/p>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  ><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Top subjects to cover for ACT prep in Weeks 2-4:<\/span><\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Test-Taking Strategies and Methods for each section of the ACT<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Math: Essential Skills, Functions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT English: Sentence Structure and Formation, Punctuation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Reading: Global &amp; Inference Questions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Science: Data Representation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h2    avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT 3 Month Study Plan: Week 5<\/h2><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take another practice test this week in a single sitting. Then, score your practice test and set aside a day or two to review the test as you did in Week 1.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What changed? Don\u2019t get discouraged if your score didn\u2019t increase. It\u2019s actually not unusual for students to see a dip in their scores. As your brain takes on new information, it can sometimes feel overloaded and will slow down a bit to process what it\u2019s learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take notes of any patterns you are seeing in this practice test, flagging question types or topics for review in the next 3 weeks.<\/span><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h2    avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT 3 Month Study Plan: Weeks 6-8<\/h2><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use your results from your last practice test to guide what you study these next three weeks. Be sure to cover all sections of the ACT and to make time in this chunk to study templates for ACT Writing, if you are planning on taking it. If you are still getting questions wrong in the topics you flagged in Week 1, be sure to spend some time reviewing those question types and brushing up on foundational concepts.<\/span><\/p>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-11  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  ><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Top subjects to cover for ACT prep in Weeks 6-8 weeks:<\/span><\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Math: Number and Quantity, Algebra<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT English: Organization, Unity, and Cohesion &amp; Usage<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Reading: Function and Writer\u2019s View Questions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Science: Research Summaries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Writing: Templates and Scoring Guidelines<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h2    avia-builder-el-12  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT 3 Month Study Plan: Week 9<\/h2><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time for another practice test! As you did with the first two, complete this one in a single sitting, mimicking the conditions of the real ACT.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Later this week, spend at least 3 hours reviewing your practice test. Rework problems you got wrong until you really grasp the steps taken to get to the right answer. For questions you got right, make a note of any strategies you can employ for those question types to get to the right answer quicker. <\/span><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-13  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT 3 Month Study Plan: Weeks 10-11<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These two weeks are your last chance to study foundational concepts. Prioritize that work early on, and then make sure to cover all remaining ACT topics\u2014even those that you get consistently correct.<\/span><\/p>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-14  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  ><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Top subjects to cover for ACT prep in Weeks 10-11:<\/span><\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Math: Statistics and Probability &amp; Geometry<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT English: Topic Development and Knowledge of Language<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Reading: Detail and Vocab-in-Context Questions &amp; Paired Passages<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACT Science: Conflicting Viewpoints<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Review any test-taking strategies and methods you learned over the course of your ACT prep\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h2    avia-builder-el-15  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_sidebar  '><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT 3 Month Study Plan: Week 12<\/h2><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s the week of the ACT! With at least one week to Test Day, take one last practice test. Then, spend a day or two reviewing the practice test. You should be a pro at doing this by now. Take notes of any missteps you may have taken and lightly brush up on foundational concepts as needed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, take some time off. Be sure to block off 1-3 days before Test Day. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do not cram<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Instead, take some time to yourself to rest and recharge. In the days leading up to the test, do not change up your routine\u2014go to bed when you usually do, eat the same breakfast, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>On the day of the ACT, wake up with confidence in your preparation. You\u2019ve worked hard these past three months and you are <i>ready<\/i>. Walk into that room and crush it!<br \/>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three months is a solid amount of time to prep for the ACT. With 3 months, you will be able to spread out your studying and have ample time to work to master concepts tested on the ACT that may be unfamiliar at the start. Studying for the ACT can be a daunting task. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39565,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[58],"tags":[60,203],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29789"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29789"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29789\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39572,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29789\/revisions\/39572"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}