You want to begin studying for ACT exam a month or earlier prior to the actual date of the test. Cramming only wastes precious time before the ACT. You should develop a routine every day that allows you one to two hours of studying solely ACT content. During this time, you want to block out all distractions, such as television or your cell phone, and focus on the study guide. Also in this time, learn the section directions by heart so that you can save time during the test.
There are four categories to the ACT: English, Math, Reading and Science. If you know your strengths are mainly in English, then focus more on Math and Science questions of the study guide questions and practice tests. When a question stumps you, mark it down for reference and continue practicing the concept until you can answer the question without any problems. If you develop issues with advanced topics in any category, consider signing up for a tutor through your school or enrolling in a ACT preparatory class.
There are many online study guides for the ACT, such as StudyZoneGuide.com, which allows you to download the PDF version for free. ACT Online Prep has a prep guide with CD, a PDF guide, practice test questions and tips on their website as well. Testinfo.net offers self tests and free study guides from their website as well. In addition, you can find ACT booklets and study guides at local bookstores or through Amazon.com.
You want to constantly test yourself. This is why starting early is very important. However, for longer practice test that simulate the actual ACT, you want to buy the ACT test booklets with the long practice test inside, such as McGraw-Hill's 10 ACT Practice Tests. These practice tests simulate the sections and questions you find on the actual exam. As you take the practice test, also exercise test taking tactics such as answering all the easy questions first, marking skipping questions that you can return to later.
If you have no idea how to answer a question, skip it. You do not lose points for not answering. You want to always check to make sure that you are placing the right answer in the correction and number on the answer sheet since if you skip one, the rest are off, and you lose a lot of points. When approaching a question, read all parts of the question first, then the answer. If you do not know the answer immediately, try to eliminate the others, then guess on an answer if you must.