THE MASTER KEY TO ACT SCIENCE: A crystal-clear roadmap to achieving your top ACT science score

I can't say enough good thinks about this book. Science was one of my daughter's weaker scores and she came out of previous test saying she didn't understand anything and was very frustrated. I bought this book and went over Chapters 1, 2 and 4 and she did one chapter practice test. I actually did the review with her and I can personally attest to the quality of the tips and strategies. She came out of her last test saying she felt much more comfortable in the Science section but I wanted to wait for her scores before posting a review. She went up 5 points from a 20 to 25! She's very pleased. We only went over the "easier" or more common patterns and there was much more to review in this book if you're shooting for 30+ scores.

I've been an ACT tutor for eight years, and I'm very confident in my ability to teach the science section. However, I've always done so by using my own explanations and real ACTs, and largely avoided 3rd party materials because they usually fall short. In fact, I advise most students not to practice with science sections from third party sources, including the big names (Princeton review, barron's) because bad questions in those books can undermine confidence or teach bad habits.A few years ago I worked with the company Private Prep and was required to use their book For The Love of ACT Science. I was pleasantly surprised that the book provided a very good start, and for years it was what I recommended to students self-studying, but it was still not 100% of what I like to teach my students.This book, however, has changed everything. While I do wish the author had better graphic design skills (the layout of many pages is cluttered and visually overwhelming), the content is almost exactly how I already teach my students, and the problem sets are the ONLY third party ACT science materials I will give to my students. I've been contemplating writing my own science section book for years, and this book coming out has convinced me not to do so.ACT tutors, if you are using any purchased materials other than real ACT tests in your science instruction, throw it out and get this book instead.Self-studying students: get this book if you need help with the science section.

I don't usually write reviews for the all the test prep books I read for the ACT and SAT. I have been a tutor for over 12 years and, frankly, most of the books I see are mediocre, to be kind. When one comes along and delivers on its claims, I will take the time to write it up.But first the TLDR: This is the best ACT Science book, by a long shot. Helped one of my students go from a 22 to 30 on the ACT Science section, and I'm seeing similar results with my other students.For those of you that want to read further, I will explain why I recommend this book so highly. The most important skill for doing well on the ACT Science section is quickly locating the info that tells you the answer to a question. Most materials tangentially assist with this, or give you a couple of helpful tips to get you on your way before you practice. But this book breaks down:1. How to read a question for the keywords you'll need2. How to find those keywords quickly in a sea of text and data3. How to sort through answer choices to find the correct oneSome books do a solid job of #3, but this is by far the best book for #1 and #2.If you are looking for big gains in your ACT Science section, get this book and work through it!P.S. I will give some advice for getting the most out of this book. Don't rush, work through it methodically. Make sure you understand the "how to" you are being shown. Getting the right answers is not the only measure of this. Make sure you understand the diagrams and thought processes used to get answers, and you will be seeing through the tricks of the ACT Science section in no time.

I work with students, many of whom take the ACT. I find that about 1/3 of them find the section easy, while 2/3's find the section totally indecipherable, especially since it comes after three other sections.As someone who hasn't taken a science class in decades, I fell into the latter category. I would look at the science section, my eyes would cross, and I'd have an overwhelming urge to do anything but that test. About a year ago, I decided to conquer the section. Every morning I pushed myself to take one science section, and I improved significantly. It didn't take long before I started to see patterns, and my brain figured out a few short cuts. By the end of the month, I could answer most questions correctly though there were still a handful of questions I struggled with, whether the "outside knowledge" questions or those dense "yes yes no no" ones. I read a handful of books and sections of ACT prep books, but nothing helped.Then, I discovered the Master Key to ACT Science when another parent forwarded the link to me and asked what I thought. I ordered a copy and started by using the solutions key in the book. Each time I made an error, I went to the question type and read the section / practiced the problem type.My facility with the Science section grew quickly. The book articulated the patterns I'd started to recognize on my own ... and then went many steps further. I now feel so much more comfortable than I ever thought imaginable.I highly recommend the book for anyone looking to master the ACT Science section.