Many students take the ACT for the first time during junior year, often in the winter or spring. It is common not to reach your target score on the first attempt, and many students improve after retaking the test with a more focused preparation plan. Rather than taking the ACT repeatedly without a strategy, students should use their score report to identify the sections, question types, and pacing issues that need the most attention.
According to ACT, 57% of students who retook the ACT increased their Composite score, while 21% saw no change and 22% saw a decrease. Retaking the ACT can be worthwhile, but the best results usually come from targeted preparation rather than simply sitting for the test again.
Know the Current ACT Format (Updated for 2026)
Before building a study plan, make sure you are preparing for the current ACT format. The ACT now includes English, Math, and Reading as the core sections used for the Composite score. Science and Writing are optional and do not affect the Composite score. The current test structure is:
- English: 35 minutes, 50 questions
- Math: 50 minutes, 45 questions
- Reading: 40 minutes, 36 questions
- Science: optional, 40 minutes, 40 questions
- Writing: optional, 40 minutes, 1 prompt
Because of these changes, students should use up-to-date ACT practice materials and avoid relying on older pacing advice from the previous version of the exam.
1. Review ACT Score Report
First, review your ACT score report to identify your strongest and weakest sections. Also check whether pacing caused you to leave questions blank. There is no penalty for guessing on the ACT, so you should answer every question, even if you have to make an educated guess near the end of a section.
2. Focus On What Needs Your Attention
Next, use your score report and practice-test results to identify the academic skills that need the most attention. For example, if you are missing geometry questions, focus your review on lines and angles, triangles, circles, quadrilaterals, solids, and coordinate geometry. If your English score is lower than expected, review grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills. The goal is to study the areas most likely to move your score, not to spend equal time on every topic.
3. Utilize Your Time Wisely
Also, analyze whether your mistakes are caused by content gaps, careless errors, or timing problems. If you tend to get stuck on difficult questions, it may be better to skip them temporarily and return later if time allows. For the optional Science section, students should practice interpreting charts, tables, experiments, and conflicting viewpoints. However, because Science is now optional and does not affect the Composite score, students should decide whether to take it based on their college list, intended major, and testing strengths.
4. Review for Strings of Errors
Finally, check whether your errors cluster near the end of a section. If they do, pacing may be a major issue. This is especially important in Reading and Math, where students often lose points because they spend too much time on earlier questions and rush through the final portion of the section.
For the current ACT Reading section, students have 40 minutes to answer 36 questions. Instead of relying on the old per-passage timing benchmarks, take timed practice sections and track whether you are losing time on passage reading, question analysis, or answer-choice elimination.
On the current ACT Math section, students have 50 minutes to answer 45 questions. You still want to move quickly through easier questions, but the old “first 30 / last 30” pacing strategy no longer fits the current exam. A better approach is to practice identifying questions that are taking too long, skip them temporarily, and return once you have answered the questions you can solve more efficiently.
ACT Suggestion: Practice full, timed Math sections using the current 45-question format. After each practice section, review not only which questions you missed, but also which questions took too long. Your goal is to build a repeatable pacing strategy that allows you to answer every question while still leaving time to revisit the most challenging problems.
Preparing for the ACT is a longer-term process, not something students should cram for in the final few days before the test. If you did not prepare enough before your first attempt, use the time before your retake to complete timed practice, review missed questions, and focus on your weakest skill areas. Many students benefit from studying several hours per week, especially when their preparation is consistent and targeted.
Students who want individualized support can also work with an experienced ACT tutor who can build a study plan around their score report, target colleges, and testing timeline.
Group ACT classes can be helpful for students who need general structure, but they may not address each student’s specific weaknesses. For students seeking meaningful score improvement, one-on-one tutoring or a highly individualized self-study plan is often more effective.
ACT Suggestion: Choose the preparation method that matches your needs. If you know exactly what to study and can stay consistent, self-study may work well. If your score has plateaued, your timing is inconsistent, or you are unsure how to interpret your score report, an experienced one-on-one tutor can help you prepare more efficiently.
Good luck, students! If you’re looking for support with ACT or SAT Test Preparation, why not check out our Test Prep services?
**Originally published in Dec. 2021. Reviewed by a consultant and updated in May 2026.
All of our blog posts are written by Former College Admission Officers who serve as members of our admission consultant team.
