Catch up
All 9 weeks
Every session in order. Weekdays only, with Saturdays and Sundays off. Tap a week to open it. Checkboxes here stay in sync with the Today and Week tabs.
Every day at a glance
Green is done, red is missed, striped squares are your weekends off, and dots mark practice test and test days. Tap any square to open that day.
Time by section
Score path
The dashed line is the pace toward 33. Enter each section's scale score on its practice test day; the composite fills in once all three are in.
Move progress to another device
ACT progress is saved in this browser, separately from your GMAT progress. To use another phone or computer, copy the code here and restore it there. ACT codes start with ACT32: and only restore on this page.
What 60 minutes a weekday buys you
Your real starting point is a 31 (English 29, Math 29, Reading 34). The composite is the average of the three, rounded, so the target is a section total: 95 or more gives a 32 (31.67 rounds up) and 98 or more gives a 33. You need 3 more section points for 32 and 6 for 33.
That's realistic on about 45 hours if the hours go where the points are. Practice tests vary from form to form, so read each checkpoint as a range rather than a verdict.
Your Oct 8 practice test, rescored
Official Practice Test 1 marks some questions as unscored field-test items: English 41 to 50, Math 7, 16, 29 and 40, and Reading 1 to 9. Only scored questions count toward the raw score. Counting all of them is why you had a 32. Scoring key
| Section | Right, all Qs | Raw (scored) | Scale | Time used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 43 / 50 | 35 / 40 | 29 | 34:27 of 35 |
| Math | 34 / 45 | 31 / 41 | 29 | 49:25 of 50 |
| Reading | 32 / 36 | 25 / 27 | 34 | 32 of 40 |
| Composite | 31 | 92 ÷ 3 = 30.67 |
| # | Math miss | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Matrix with a scalar | Your answer added 5 to every entry. Relearn scalar multiplication and matrix addition, then rework it against the key (D). |
| 18 | Complex numbers | √9 + √−16 = 3 + 4i. You answered 7i, treating √9 as imaginary too. |
| 21 | Right triangles, multi-step | You found AE = 10. The question asked for BC = AE + ED = 17. Stopped one step early. |
| 23 | Exponential estimate | 7e15 + 1 is about 2.3 × 107. One Desmos entry settles it. |
| 26 | Rearranging a formula | From ½ab² + c = d, b = √(2(d − c)/a). The ½ went into the denominator instead of the numerator. |
| 28 | Regular hexagon in a circle | The side equals the radius, 9, so the perimeter is 54. |
| 33 | Quadrilateral angle sum | 2(3x + 5) + 2(x + 3) = 360, so x = 43. |
| 34 | Recursive sequence | a₅ = 32 and a₆ = 57. You gave a₅. Stopped one step early. |
| 43 | Cylinder volume | Use the radius, 9: π · 9² · 2 = 162π. |
| 44 | Function composition from a table | Work from the outside in: h(2) = 1, f(1) = 2, g(5) = 1, so a = 5. You gave the first step, 2. Stopped one step early. |
| 16* | Ratio | 180 × 2/10 = 36. You gave 18, which is one part. Stopped one step early. (*Unscored, but the habit is real.) |
| # | English and Reading misses | Category |
|---|---|---|
| E15 | Writer's goal: which detail shows each epic covered different subject matter | Production of Writing |
| E22 | Chose "whom have" (pronoun case: who is a subject) | Conventions |
| E35 | Where to place an added sentence for logic and cohesion | Production of Writing |
| E38 | Chose No Change on a grammar question | Conventions |
| E39 | Chose No Change on "least redundant" | Knowledge of Language |
| E43*, E50* | Keep or delete a sentence; which sentence connects to the ending (unscored, same skill as E15 and E35) | Production of Writing |
| R18 | Word in context ("abandon") | Craft and Structure |
| R28 | How evidence relates to a theory (you said it supports it) | Integration of Ideas |
Where the points are, and where the hours go
English is the cheapest points on the test. On Test 1's conversion table, raw 35 is a 29, 36 is a 31 and 37 is a 33. Two more right answers are worth 4 scale points. Four of your seven English misses were the same question family (the writer's goal: add, delete, or place a sentence), and two were No Change picks. Those are learnable rules, so English gets 8 hours of rule sessions plus two timed sets.
Math has the most raw room. You missed 10 scored questions, and every one is a specific, fixable concept from your list. On Test 1's table, raw 34 is a 31 and 36 is a 33. Math gets the largest share, 12 hours of topic sessions plus two timed sets, because that's where most of the missing questions are and it's the section you're least sure of. Four of eleven misses were stopping one step early, which costs nothing to fix: reread the question before you click.
Reading is near the ceiling. You missed 2 of 27 scored, with 8 minutes to spare. There's little to gain and one bad passage can cost 2 points (raw 24 is a 32), so Reading gets just enough to hold the 34: one session in week 4, one block in the taper week, and the three timed practice test sections.
The plan's arithmetic: English 33 + Math 31 + Reading 34 = 98, a 33. If Math reaches 32, English only needs 32.
The weekly shape
Five sessions, Monday to Friday. Practice test weeks swap in one section per day, then two review days.
Pacing targets
Per-question times come from the official section lengths. Your Oct 8 times are shown for comparison.
English
50 questions · 35 min · 42 sec each- Checkpoints: question 25 by 17 minutes, question 50 by 32 minutes.
- Spend the last 3 minutes on flagged questions.
- You used 34:27, so there was almost no buffer. Speed up on the grammar questions to buy time for the writer's-goal ones.
Math
45 questions · 50 min · about 67 sec each- Checkpoints: question 15 by 13 minutes, question 30 by 30 minutes, question 45 by 47 minutes.
- The early questions are faster, so bank time there for the later ones.
- No plan after 90 seconds: guess, flag, and move on. There's no penalty for guessing.
- Before clicking, reread the last line of the question.
Reading
36 questions · 40 min · about 67 sec each, reading included- Checkpoint: half the questions done by 20 minutes.
- You finished in 32 minutes. Keep that pace and use the spare time on inference questions.
- On word-in-context questions, plug your choice back into the sentence.
ACT's own guide suggests practicing with a timer set 5 minutes under the section limit. Try that on the Friday timed sets once your accuracy holds. Preparing for the ACT, p. 12
Checkpoints and what to do with them
Each practice test is split across three weekdays, one section per day in one timed sitting, because your weekends are off. You lose the stamina of a full sitting, so the taper week includes one longer session. Score each test with its own scoring key, counting only scored questions.
- On track: hit the composite target, or miss it by 1 with Math or English up from the last test.
- Off track at Checkpoint 1 (under 31, or Math raw not above 31): drop the second English session in weeks 4 and 5 and give it to Math.
- Off track at Checkpoint 3 (under 32): you can still test on Dec 12 and keep it as a first sitting. The next national date is Feb 27, 2027 (regular registration deadline Jan 22). A test date change costs $49. This is only an option. You said you have no backup date.
Key dates
These are national dates and apply in Utah. Deadlines are 11:59 pm Central Time, which is 10:59 pm in Provo. ACT test dates · score release dates
Session rules
- Run a timer for every block. Timed blocks mean real test pace (see Pacing targets).
- Keep an error log (a note or a sheet): date, source, section, topic, why you missed it, and the fix. Use four causes: concept, careless, stopped early, and timing. Warm-ups run off this log.
- Review your guesses the same way as your misses.
- Keep Practice Tests 2, 3 and 4 unseen until their checkpoint days. Their questions are the only official full tests you have left.
- Check a block off only when you've finished it. If you miss a day, make it up and check it off from Catch up on the Today tab.
Test rules worth knowing
Verified on act.org on Oct 9, 2026. Sources are linked on each line.
- The enhanced ACT is English (50 questions, 35 min), Math (45 questions, 50 min) and Reading (36 questions, 40 min). Science (40 questions, 40 min) and Writing are optional add-ons. ACT enhancements
- Each section includes unscored field-test questions, and they aren't labeled: English has 40 scored, Math 41, and Reading 27. Preparing for the ACT, p. 3
- The composite is the average of the English, Math and Reading scale scores (each 1 to 36), rounded to the nearest whole number with halves rounding up. Science doesn't count toward it. Skipping Science costs you nothing on the composite. Scoring key, p. 9 · enhancements
- Math questions have 4 answer choices. There's no penalty for guessing, so answer every question. ACT Industry Insights · Preparing for the ACT, p. 4
- Calculators are allowed only in Math. The online test has the Desmos graphing calculator built in. Paper testers bring their own permitted calculator. Calculator policy
- Superscore: English + Math + Reading, using your best score in each across test dates, divided by 3 and rounded. ACT calculates it automatically once you've tested more than once, and you request superscore reports from MyACT. Whether a school or employer accepts a superscore is up to them. Superscore FAQs · Sending scores
- Fees: $70 for the base test, $5 for the Science add-on, $25 for Writing, $42 for late registration, $49 to change dates, and $20 for each additional score report. Registration includes reports to you, your high school, and up to 4 colleges if you list codes when you register. ACT fees
- Unverified The ACT sending-scores page also shows an unlabeled $32 fee. The fees page says $20 per additional report.
- Unverified How McKinsey and BCG treat an ACT superscore versus a single sitting. I found no official statement. Ask a recruiter or your career center, and plan on one strong single sitting.
- Check yourself Whether your Dec 12 registration is online or paper, and whether you added Science. If you registered for Science, you can remove it through the late deadline (Nov 29). Online scores post Dec 17 and paper scores Dec 22.
What to use (all free)
Checked Oct 9, 2026. "Official" means made by ACT. Third-party questions aren't calibrated to the real test, so they're used for drilling, never for scoring.
ACT Practice Tests 2, 3 and 4
Full-length practice tests in the current format, each with a timed digital version, a PDF and a scoring key. These are your three checkpoints. You've already used Test 1. ACT lists answer keys but no written explanations, so use Claude for those.
Sample sets for each section, plus QuizMe (answers included) and the Question of the Day in MyACT. Use them for warm-ups and the taper week. Unverified ACT doesn't say how many questions each set has.
OnePrep ACT question bank
About 1,300 questions in the enhanced format with explanations, filterable by topic and difficulty. You need a free account. This is your main drill source for English and Math. Unverified I couldn't confirm that every feature is free, or that its difficulty matches the real test.
Short lessons and practice exercises for rebuilding 8th grade and later math: Geometry, Algebra 2 (complex numbers, exponentials, sequences), Precalculus (matrices) and Statistics. Khan has no ACT course, so use its search to find the lesson named in each session.
Punctuation, pronouns, verbs and syntax lessons for the English rule days.
Free ACT sample classes (Kaplan)
Free recorded classes for English, Math and Reading, linked from ACT's counselor blog. Watch the English one in week 1 for strategy.
The same calculator the online test has built in. Practice with it on every Math drill so test day feels familiar. If you test on paper, practice with the calculator you'll bring.
Claude as your tutor
Use Claude to explain misses, reteach a rule, and find patterns in your error log. Two rules: try every problem yourself first, and check its math against the answer key, because AI can make arithmetic mistakes. Don't use AI-written questions for timed practice, since they aren't calibrated to the ACT.
I'm studying for the ACT. Here's a question I got wrong: [paste]. I answered [X]; the key says [Y]. Don't give me the solution yet. Ask me one guiding question at a time until I find my mistake, then show the fastest valid method and a Desmos shortcut if there is one.
I last studied [topic] in 8th grade. Teach it for the ACT in 10 minutes: the key rules, one worked example, and common traps. Then give me 5 problems of rising difficulty, one at a time, and wait for my answer before checking it.
Here's an ACT English question I missed: [paste with choices]. Name the rule or question type being tested, explain why the right answer wins and why mine loses, and give me a one-line test I can use on the next one.
Here is my ACT error log from this practice test: [paste]. Group the misses by topic and by cause (concept, careless, stopped early, timing). Name the 2 Math and 2 English topics costing me the most points and say what to drill next.
Sources
- ACT: The ACT Test for Students (enhancements)
- ACT: Preparing for the ACT Test (2025 to 2026)
- ACT: Online Practice Test 1 scoring key and Test 2 scoring key
- ACT: 2026 to 2027 test dates and deadlines
- ACT: score release dates
- ACT: Superscore FAQs
- ACT: Sending your scores
- ACT: Current fees
- ACT: Calculator policy
- ACT Industry Insights: The enhanced ACT
- ACT: Free practice tests and prep