The ACT Science section tests your ability to interpret data, graphs, and scientific reasoning—not memorized science facts. You'll encounter 40 questions in 35 minutes across biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science passages. The key challenge isn't knowing science content; it's quickly extracting information from tables, charts, and experimental designs under tight time pressure.

Most Charleston juniors benefit from starting ACT prep in the spring of junior year, giving 4-6 months before summer or fall test dates. This timeline allows for diagnostic testing, targeted skill-building, and multiple practice tests. If you're aiming for a competitive score (28+), starting earlier gives you flexibility to retake if needed before college applications.

Students typically see 2-4 point composite improvements with focused, personalized instruction—though improvement varies based on starting score and effort. A student scoring 24 might reach 27-28 with dedicated prep, while a student at 30 might push to 32-33. The biggest gains come from addressing specific weak sections (like the Science section, which trips up many students) rather than trying to improve everything at once.

The ACT moves quickly—you have roughly 45 seconds per English question, 1 minute per Math question, and under 1 minute per Reading question. Effective pacing strategies include practicing with timers, learning to skip difficult questions and return to them, and developing section-specific shortcuts. Many Charleston students find that pacing practice is just as important as content review when preparing for the ACT.

Unlike the SAT, most colleges do not superscore the ACT—they use your single highest composite score. This means if you take the ACT multiple times, schools will consider your best overall score, not a combination of your best section scores from different test dates. This is an important distinction when planning retakes, especially for competitive South Carolina universities.

Most colleges no longer require or heavily weight the ACT Writing section, so the standard ACT (without Writing) is sufficient for most students. However, check your target schools' requirements—some competitive programs may still value it. The Writing section adds 40 minutes and costs extra, so unless your target schools specifically request it, skipping it lets you focus energy on the four main sections.

South Carolina has seen growing ACT adoption, though both tests are widely accepted. The ACT tends to appeal to students who prefer straightforward questions and faster pacing, while the SAT suits those who want more time per question. Most South Carolina colleges accept both equally, so choose based on which test format plays to your strengths—or take a diagnostic practice test for each to see which suits you better.