The Real ACT Prep Guide (The only guide to include 3 Real ACT tests) [Paperback]

ACT (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0768919754 | ISBN-13: 978-0768919752 | Publication Date: August 7, 2005 | Edition: 1st

There’s no better way to learn a test’s structure than from the inside—and the 1.2 million students taking the ACT need look no further than this official guide! Packed with tips, strategies, and plenty of subject review, it’s the only real guide to the ACT

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

* The only ACT guide written by the test makers

* An all-new update to Getting into the ACT

* The only guide that lets students practice with 3 real ACTs

* Advice for students who want to ace the new, optional essay test

* Essential English, math, reading, and science review

* An in-depth look at the test’s format

Product Details

• Paperback: 621 pages
• Publisher: Thomson - Peterson's; 1st edition (August 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0768919754
• ISBN-13: 978-0768919752
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Education & Reference > Education > Test Guides - College & University > ACT (American College Tests)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best guide to practice ACT tests, but not on how to crack the ACT, February 6, 2006

By 

Gaetan Lion - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Real ACT Prep Guide (The only guide to include 3 Real ACT tests) (Paperback)

This guide is essential for a simple reason. It is the only one that provides authentic ACT questions. When preparing for the ACT, it is critical that you practice with test samples using true ACT questions. All the other companies (Barron's, Kaplan, Princeton Review, etc...) provide imitations of such questions. Some are criticized for being too hard, or too easy. Don't waste your time and use the real stuff.

However, you can't trust the test makers to give insightful strategies about how to handle their own test. That would be like a conflict of interest. Use this book strictly to practice the test. For strategies, you'll have to look elsewhere. Some of the best sources are from books on sale on the web by companies founded by students who have been extremely successful ACT test takers. One of these companies is Lazy Student's Way. If you want to spend less money, use the Kaplan ACT guide. It is much richer and better in terms of providing strategies than this one. Either way, you will be well armed to ace the ACT.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book Out There, May 17, 2005

By 

RD (IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Real ACT Prep Guide (The only guide to include 3 Real ACT tests) (Paperback)

Everyone studies for the ACT in a different way but the one thing that everyone needs to do is practice. This book offers 3 practice tests published by the College Board. Getting into the ACT offers 2. My advice is get both of them. When I did 2 practice tests before this book I got 28's on both. Then I worked through the 3 tests in it and saw significant improvements each time. When I finally took the ACT I got a 31 on it so from personal experience I recommend this book.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great for practice tests, but the rest of the stuff is nothing new., July 20, 2006

By 

Carol S. Jackson (WV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Real ACT Prep Guide (The only guide to include 3 Real ACT tests) (Paperback)

I bought this book along with the ACT for Dummies, and I only use this book for the practice tests. Whether you want to improve your score or just get a feel for the test, this book's 3 practice tests can't be beat. After all, they are the real ACT tests.

The answers after each test offer some explanation if you missed the question, but since this book doesn't tend to brush you up on any skills in the beginning, it won't do it in the answer, either. If you miss a hard math problem, the answer won't offer as much explanation as other books do.

If you're planning on using this book to review for the ACT a few nights before, don't bother. The information is organized as if you were taking the real test, question by question. It tells you what type of question it was, and how you should have answered it. The night before the test, I would find it more helpful to go straight to your math notebook and brush up on your geometry instead of trying to memorize types of questions.

Overall, this book really does seem like it was written by "the Makers of the ACT." Explanations and directions on how to approach a question sound like they come right out of the test its self. This can be helpful if you haven't taken the test before, but for those of us who have and simply want to improve our scores, this information is just repetetive.

In conclusion, if you want to buy this book for it's practice tests, you'll be satisfied with it. I suggest also picking up a sample practice test along with your registration packet if this is your intent. But if you want to buy this book to help you better understand sine, cosine, and tangent, and cram information right before the test, don't bother with it.