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Here are more Calculus notes from this year! I’ve been trying to work hard these days and I hope everyone is doing alright.
-Kyle [March 30, 2020]
ACT Guide Part 3:
Hello! As promised, I'm going to continue my ACT advice posts. Just to remind you, I highly recommend taking the ACT if you can because it is a great way to boost your academics since most schools are test optional this season.
Before I list my strategies, I want to go over the material the ACT math section covers. As far as I know, this section can test on topics all the way up to precalculus. In other words, you need a solid understanding of Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and Precalculus. However, the ACT focuses more on Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry.
Now that I've addressed the topics, I'll get into my strategies:
1. Your calculator is your best friend: I highly recommend getting a graphing calculator that is approved by the ACT. Getting a good calculator will make things much easier as you'll be solving problems much quicker.
2. Pace yourself: despite having a lot of time for this section, you have to make sure that you're going at a good pace. From my experience, the questions get harder as the test progresses, and the last ten are usually the hardest ones. Keep in mind that you'll need more time for the second half of the test than the first half.
3. Get familiar with the type of problems: if you're struggling on this section, try to identify the types of problems the ACT tests on. Although each test has different problems, the concepts that they use are the same for each one. Sure, there may be a few questions on each test that throw a curveball, but most questions are extremely similar to ones on other tests.
4. If you're aiming for a high score, know your Precalculus: to get a 36, you can usually afford to miss 1-2 questions, leaving little room for error. Every point counts, so you need to know every concept well. Here are a few precalculus topics that I have seen on previous tests: matrices (adding, multiplying, multiplying by a scalar finding the determinant), vectors (adding and subtracting), series (simple arithmetic and geometric ones), rational polynomials (graphing, oblique asymptotes), advanced trigonometry (trig identities, double angle), and logarithms (basic properties, change of base).
5. If you don't know, then don't worry about it: the ACT provides one minute per question in the math section. Although this is a generous amount of time, the second half of the test will definitely take longer than the first. If you don't know the answer, skip it and come back to it later. It's for your own good.
Resources: I personally did not use any prep books, but I heard the College Panda's ACT Math book was very useful. However, the best resources anyone can use are actual tests, which can be found on Crack ACT online.
Thanks for reading this post! I still have to address the Reading and Essay section, so stay tuned for more posts in the future.
-Kyle [August 16, 2020]
I hope everyone had a lovely Tuesday! Here is a picture of my old AP Biology notes from my freshman year, I really like this clean aesthetic.
- Kyle [June 18, 2019]
ACT Guide Part 2:
A while back, I made a post on the ACT English section. Now that many schools are going test-optional for this college application season, taking the ACT is a good way to boost your academics (if your local test centers don’t cancel them). Today, I'll be debriefing the science section.
Before we start, I want to clear up one thing: you don't need much prior science knowledge. Of course, it's helpful to know Biology, Chemistry, and Physics beforehand, but its definitely not necessary. You only need to know a few basic things. I'll list some common topics you should know below:
1. Freezing, Melting, and Boiling Point
2. Erosion
3. Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes
4. Calculating Percent Error
5. Protons, Electrons, Neutrons
6. General Biology (mainly stuff on DNA, Genetics, and Ecology)
Now, I'll be going over some tips that I used when I took the test:
1. Do not read the passages: go straight to the questions and look what they're asking for. If the question talks about Table 1, then go to Table 1. However, you HAVE TO read the passage if you are doing the Conflicting Viewpoints passage (where multiple students/scientists talk about their hypotheses and theories). But you can ignore the text for all the other passages. TIMING IS KEY for the science section, so don't waste it by reading large chunks of text.
2. If you don't know, then you don't know: if you're stuck on a question, please don't stay on it for more than a minute. Just move on and come back to it after you finish the remaining questions. You have to solve 40 questions in 35 minutes, so you have less than a minute for each question. Remember, TIMING IS KEY.
3. Don't be intimidated by foreign topics: I remember being very nervous whenever I saw a passage about physics because I did not learn it in school yet. Don't have that mentality because all the information you need to answer the questions is provided. Have the mentality of treating each passage the same and don't let your nerves get to you.
4. Understand that questions get harder at the end of each passage: for each science passage, the last 1-2 questions usually end up being the most difficult. When you are practicing, make sure to get used to the questions at the end of each passage because most students make errors there.
5. Read each question carefully: I can't even count how many dumb mistakes I've made on practice tests because I didn't read the question carefully. I know that it is difficult to pay attention when you literally have no time to think, but every point is important on this section. The curves on science tests usually aren't too generous, so minimize your small mistakes.
Resources: I heard "For the love of ACT science" is decent, but I personally didn't use any books for the science section. I simply took multiple practice tests to improve my score. There are a lot of REAL practice tests on crackact (the best resource ever).
I'll most likely continue posting more content about the ACT. I still have to address the Reading, Math, and Essay Portion, so look out for those next!
-Kyle (July 28, 2020)
Today is my last day of summer break, I can’t wait to start school tomorrow. Kind of nervous though because I’m finally a junior in high school now?
- Kyle (August 12, 2019)
ACT Guide Part 4:
Hello! I’m back with my second to last ACT section post: the reading section. For some people, this section is extremely easy because it naturally comes to them. However, if you are just like me, this section is the hardest one. Here are the tips I suggest if you are having trouble with improving your score:
1. Understand the format: you must understand how this section works. In the reading section, there are four passages and each passage has 10 questions. You have 35 minutes to complete all four passages, which doesn’t leave much breathing room - “if you notice yourself breathing, you’re not going fast enough.”
2. Practice the passage type you struggle with most: in the reading section, the four types of passages are literary/prose fiction narrative, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences, in that exact order. You have to take a few tests to figure out which ones you struggle with most. For me, literary/prose fiction narrative was the most difficult so I really honed in on it.
3. You can practice by reading anything: the great thing about this section is that you can practice with any material. Whether you read the New Yorker or a fictional story, you’re still practicing for this section by doing so. If you want to improve your score, get into the habit of reading more often, even if it’s only for 20 minutes a day.
4. Know what strategies work for you: some people read the entire passage, while others just go straight to the questions and look for evidence. For me, reading the entire passage was much more effective than skimming through it. At the same time, you can only figure out what works for you by taking tests.
5. The questions are very straightforward: for the most part, the answers to the reading questions are directly supported by evidence in the passage (almost word for word). This section is all about finding that evidence, almost like you’re playing “Where’s Waldo?” In other words, you don’t need a deep understanding of each passage. You just need an idea of the general message behind it and specific details provided in the passage.
Resources: Erica Meltzer has an ACT book for the reading section as well, but I’ve never used it in the past. Once again, I fully recommend just taking practice tests on crackact.
Thank you for reading my post and stay tuned for a possible post on the essay section!
-Kyle [September 19, 2020]
More notes from Physics that I thought looked nice! I hope everyone is doing okay these days?
-Kyle [April 18, 2020]
I took a picture of my Physics notes from the beginning of the year. Time sure has flown by this school year.
-Kyle [April 5, 2020]
