It used to be that students would simply take the ACT test and hope for a high score.
Nowadays, students will regularly retake the ACT test two, three and even four times hoping to get the highest score possible.
While all that "hard work" is very admirable, there are many students who do not increase their score by retaking the test.
This is because they are substituting working hard for working smart.
One of the main benefits to taking the ACT test more than once is that the second time you take it, you may be less nervous, having done it once already.
However, the impact of this benefit is really small.
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting a different result.
This can be the case with retaking the ACT.
Simply "studying harder" the second time won't give you the results you need unless you are doing it very intelligently: working smart instead of just working hard.
Rule 1: Be Strategic You should go into your Junior year with a plan to take the ACT the first time in the Fall and the second time in the Spring.
This will give you plenty of time to work on the areas you are weak in before the Spring test.
Don't simply think that you can take the test when you feel like it and then retake it the next month.
That makes little sense.
There should be a few months between the two tests.
Rule 2: Be Smart The first time you take the ACT test, take it at a National Testing Center in December, so that you can request a "TIR" (Test Information Report) for a small additional charge.
This will give you all the questions you got wrong so that you will know exactly what you need to work on for the next test! That is working smart.
Another way to work smart is to study a little at a time each day instead of killer, marathon study sessions, which are demoralizing and not very effective.
Watch free YouTube videos each day that will help you with one tip or one type of question.
At the end of a month, you've put in a couple of hours of studying and it was just a couple minutes at a time.