If you are a high school student planning to attend college in Kentucky, you will most likely have to take the ACT. These tips may help you bring home a better score.

The most important thing you can do to help yourself on the ACT, of course, is to take care of business in your regular classes. Studying, doing your homework and retaining what you’ve learned longer than you need it for the next test in class are essential.

Beyond that, there are other things that can help:

·         Take practice tests. ACT offers sample tests at www.actstudent.org, and practice tests are included in the ACT booklet guidance counselors receive each year. If those aren’t enough, you can buy larger practice books at any bookstore.

·         Take advantage of ACT classes. Many high schools and colleges offer such classes for a small fee.

·         Answer the questions you’re sure about first, then go back and tackle the others. But don’t spend too much time on any one question.

·         Go with your gut. Remember your first instinct is more often right than wrong.

·         Rule out wrong answers. If you can eliminate one answer, you have a one-in-three chance of guessing the right answer. If you can eliminate two, you have a 50-50 chance. The ACT doesn’t count off for wrong answers, so you haven’t hurt yourself if you guess wrong.

·         Leave no question unanswered. If you’ve answered the questions you’re sure of and made educated guesses on others but have no clue about the rest, fill in any circle. Remember, wrong answers don’t hurt your score.

·         Get plenty of sleep. Make sure you get a good night’s rest the night before and you leave home early enough to get to the test site on time. And don’t forget to bring some ID.

These tips are brought to you by The Student Loan People^sm and the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA), which have helped thousands of Kentuckians pay for college. For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602-0798; or call (800) 928-8926, extension 7381. For more information about student loans, visit studentloanpeople.com; write The Student Loan People, P.O. Box 24328, Louisville, KY 40224-0328; or call (888) 678-4625.

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