The Real ACT Prep Guide: The Only Official Prep Guide From The Makers Of The ACT

Comment: The book arrived in a timely manner and looked new. We are very happy with it.

Comment: If you're looking for practice tests (not an 'ACT strategies' book), then this book will pretty much do it for you. It's got three REAL ACT Practice tests that have been used in years past for the REAL ACT.This is no doubt the best way to improve on the ACT. By taking these tests you can get really accurate information on how you are going to do on the REAL test. However, if you are going to take these tests, I would advise taking them in REAL ACT conditions by giving yourself three hours at once to sit down and take one test after another with a fifteen minute break in between the first and last two tests just like they do on the REAL ACT. This will give you the most accurate predictions.

For an example of how accurate it is, I got a 30 on my first practice test from this book, and a 29 on my first REAL ACT. Not an exact match, but pretty darn close.

The 'strategies' given in the front of the book are completely useless, so if you're looking for that kind of book I would buy Barron's ACT 36: Aiming for the Perfect Score, especially if you're aiming for anything higher than a 25.

However, just like many of you are probably thinking, when I saw this book I thought: "Only three? But I'm planning on taking the REAL ACT three or four times and I want more practice!". Well, you've got a couple of different options if you're on the same page as I was:

1. Find a testing program/class/tutor that can provide you with REAL ACT tests (I took a class at my high school that gave me another three REAL ACT test)
2. Buy McGraw-Hill's 10 ACT Practice Tests, Second Edition (McGraw-Hill's 10 Practice Acts) and use those. They're pretty decent, but look at my review on them for more information about that.

Overall, this book is going to give you 3 REAL ACT Practice Tests, and that is the sole reason you should buy it. Only a REAL test that has been used before is going to give you the most accurate information that you can get. It doesn't matter if you're aiming for the 'teens' , 'twenties' , or even 'thirties' , 3 REAL practice tests are the best studying you can do.

Comment: This is only book that has real tests from the people who make the real tests. Nothing improves your scores more that practice with the real thing. The explanations are also excellent. You must get this book for the real practice.

If you want a good summary of what concepts are frequently tested, you will not find it this book. The strategies in to book are not practical. If you follow the advice in the book, you will never finish the real ACT test on time. For concepts and strategies get, DISSECTING THE ACT 2.0: ACT TEST PREPARATION ADVICE OF A PERFECT SCORER or ACT TEST PREP WITH REAL ACT QUESTIONS This nice little book fills in the weakness of the official book.

Comment: I tutor students in ACT prep and this is the only workbook I use. I like it because it has real ACT tests from the past, so my students feel confident walking into the test for real. But if you're looking to learn good strategies, this is not the resource for you. I would go with Princeton Review's smaller book, I forget the exact title, but it outlines ten survival tips for acing the ACT. That book is very good for those purposes.

Comment: I really like the product. I think it will help a lot on the ACT test.