ACT Science Tips

Think you need to be a brilliant scientist to get a 36 on ACT Science?  In reality, any intelligent student can score high in this section of the ACT if they take the right approach.

Once you understand the passage types, the timing demands, and the core data interpretation skills being assessed, it becomes highly manageable. This guide brings together the most effective ACT Science tips, along with practical advice on preparation and strategy.

But before we dive into the tips, let’s quickly recap what the ACT Science section is and how it works.

How long is the Science section on the ACT?

The ACT Science section lasts 35 minutes, since the format of the test was updated in 2025. It consists of 40 questions split over 6 or 7 passages. That means you have 52 seconds per question – or more pertinently, 5-6 minutes per passage.

What Science is on the ACT?

There are three different passage types in the ACT Science section:

• Research Summary (typically 3 passages per test) – presents a series of experiments and their results

• Data Representation (typically 2 passages) – presents information on a topic in charts and graphs
• Conflicting Viewpoints (typically 1 passage) – discusses multiple theories about a single topic

A vital ACT Science tip is understanding that each of these passage types needs to be treated differently – more on that later.

You’ll be asked 4-8 questions about the content of each passage. All questions are multiple-choice with a single correct answer.

Science you need to know

A common misconception is that you don’t need any prior scientific knowledge to take the Science section.

While this points towards a useful insight – that most of what’s tested is reading comprehension plus data interpretation – it isn’t quite true. Some questions will require you to bring some basic high school science knowledge into the test.

Here is an overview of the Science content that could be tested on the ACT:

Biology

• Cell Biology
• DNA, RNA, and Ribosomes
• Natural Selection
• Greenhouse Gases
• Photosynthesis and Respiration
• Taxonomic Rank
• Genetics

Chemistry

• Basic Molecule Structure
• Freezing/Boiling Point of Water in Celsius
• pH Scale
• Molar Mass Concepts
• How Charges Interact
• Phase Changes
• Physics
• Gravity
• Density Formula
• Density Rules
• Kinetic vs Potential Energy

Math

• Basic Math Skills

You can see the full Science content here.

ACT Science Tips

Students who score a 36 on ACT Science don’t know more chemistry or biology than anyone else in the room. They score highly because they understand exactly what the section rewards and what it doesn’t.

Having tutored this section for years, we at Dukes Plus can tell you with confidence: ACT Science is a reasoning and data interpretation test disguised as a science test. Once you treat it that way, a high score becomes much more achievable.

These ACT Science tips are not generic study advice. They reflect how the section actually works, and will help you get you score into the mid-30s.

Identify the Passage Type Before You Do Anything

As mentioned above, every ACT Science section contains the same passage types:

• Data Representation
• Research Summaries
• Conflicting Viewpoints

Your first move is to identify which type you’re looking at. The layout makes this obvious within seconds.

• If the page is dominated by graphs and tables, it’s Data Representation.
• If it describes multiple studies or experiments, it’s Research Summaries.
• If it has headings like Scientist 1, Student 1, or Hypothesis 1, it’s Conflicting Viewpoints.

Why does this matter?

Because each type requires a different opening move. Students who apply the wrong approach waste time immediately, and time is the most valuable currency in ACT Science – much more so than advanced scientific knowledge.

Data Representation

Go Straight to the Questions

These passages are the most mechanical. They require you to locate and interpret data, not understand every word in a long passage.

Correct opening move

Do not read the passage first. Start with the questions.

If the question says “According to Figure 2,” you go directly to Figure 2. Ignore everything else. Most answers in this passage type are literal data retrieval: identify the correct axis, find the relevant value, and match it to the answer choice.

When a question asks about a value that is not explicitly shown, you are being tested on trend recognition. Follow the pattern in the data. If the line is increasing steadily, extend it logically. If two variables move together, recognise that as a direct relationship. Keep it simple and grounded in what you can see.

The most common mistake here is overthinking.

Example Question

Tips

Let’s follow the ACT Science tip for Data Representation questions – go straight to the question. It directs us to look in Figure 1.

There we can see nickel concentration on the x axis and iron or zinc content on the y axis. From the key, we can identify the line denoting iron content for Species M plants – it’s the one with black squares. As the nickel concentration increases (goes from 0 to 15) on the x axis, the line with the black squares steadily falls – from 400 to 250 to 100 to 50.

That means our answer is B – decreased only.

Research Summaries

Understand the Experiment First

This requires a slightly different approach – you need to understand a little background first before you dive into the questions. But you still shouldn’t read the whole passage!

Correct opening move

Before you answer questions, locate the paragraph that explains what the scientists did. This is usually immediately before the results of the experiment.

You need to identify three things:

• What was changed intentionally (independent variable)?
• What was measured (dependent variable)?
• What was kept constant?

Once you’ve understood the experiment, then move onto the questions.

Most questions in this passage type boil down to one of three tasks: interpreting how a change affected results, identifying which study matches a condition, or predicting what would happen if something were modified.

Example Question

Question 1

In Experiment 1, 26 cycles were needed to complete the reaction at 450C when which catalyst was used?

F. Catalyst W

G. Catalyst X

H. Catalyst Y

J. Catalyst Z

Tips

First, we need to understand the experiment. That means reading from ‘Two experiments were done…’ just above the diagram up until the description of Experiment 1. We understand that we’re using a range of different catalysts to catalyse a reaction between H₂ and N₂ which produces NH₃, and also that multiple cycles may be needed to use up all the H₂ and N₂.

Then we read the question – it directs us to look at Experiment 1.

The chart shows the temperature on the x axis and the number of cycles on the y axis. We’re looking for a line that intersects at 26 on the y axis and 450C on the x axis.

There is one – it’s the line with the black triangles. The key tells us that that is Catalyst X. So our answer is G.

We may have been able to get this answer without understanding the experiment. But subsequent questions are likely to require you to understand the background, so taking 30 seconds here is still time well spent.

Conflicting Viewpoints

Read the Set-Up, Then Let the Questions Guide You

There is always one Conflicting Viewpoints passage, and it behaves differently from the others.

Correct opening move

First, read the short introduction that explains the issue being debated.

Do not read all the viewpoints in full and hope you remember them.

Instead, go to the questions and use them to direct your reading. When a question references Scientist 2, go directly to that section. As you work, actively notice where the viewpoints agree and where they disagree. Many students find it helpful to take notes to do this.

On nearly every test, there is a question asking what one scientist would dispute or agree with in another’s claim. If you have noted the points of agreement and disagreement, those questions become straightforward.

Because this passage is the most reading-heavy, many strong students complete it first while they are mentally fresh.

Example Question

In a particular playa (relatively flat, dry desert basin), evidence shows that some large rocks have moved along the surface, leaving shallow trails in the clay sediment, some up to several hundred meters long. Three scientists provided explanations for how these rocks moved.

Scientist 1

In the spring, snowmelt from surrounding mountains runs downhill and collects in the playa. At night, cold temperatures cause this water to freeze around the rocks. When temperatures rise again, the ice begins to melt, leaving a layer of mud on the surface and ice “rafts” around the rocks. The buoyancy of the ice rafts floats the rocks on top of the mud such that even light winds can then push the rocks along the surface. Evidence of this lifting is seen in that the trails left by rocks are both shallow and only about 2/3 as wide as the rocks themselves. Due to the combination of ice, mud, and light winds, the rocks are able to move several hundred meters in a few days.

Scientist 2

Snowmelt from surrounding mountains does collect in the playa during the spring. However, the temperature in the playa does not get cold enough for ice to form. When the playa’s surface gets wet, the top layer of clay transforms into a slick, muddy film. In addition, dormant algae present in the dry clay begin to grow rapidly when the clay becomes wet. The presence of mud and algae reduces friction between the rocks and the clay. Even so, relatively strong winds are required to push the rocks along the wet surface, forming trails. Due to the combination of mud, algae, and strong winds, the rocks are able to move several hundred meters in a few hours.

Scientist 3

Water does collect in the playa, producing mud and ice. However, neither mud nor ice is responsible for the rocks’ movements. The playa is located along a fault line between tectonic plates. Minor vertical shifts in the plates cause the rocks to move downhill, leaving trails. Due to the combination of tectonic plate movement and strong winds, the rocks are able to move only a few meters over several years.

Question 1

According to Scientist 2, friction between the rocks and the clay is reduced by which of the following?

A. Ice only

B. Algae only

C. Ice and mud only

D. Mud and algae only

Tips

The ACT Science tip for Conflicting Viewpoints questions is to start by reading the set-up and then move onto the questions. By reading the set-up, we learn that the debate is over why some rocks have moved.

The question directs us to Scientist 2. They state that ‘The presence of mud and algae reduces friction between the rocks and the clay.’ Our answer is therefore D.

The Two ACT Science Tips That Apply Everywhere

Across all three passage types, two principles drive high scores.

First, the answer is usually on the page. Roughly three-quarters of the section requires no outside knowledge. If you find yourself relying on something you learned in class, pause and check whether the data already gives you what you need. On ACT Science, what’s true in the real world is usually irrelevant. What counts is what is supported by the evidence in the test.

Second, don’t overcomplicate it. ACT Science rewards literal interpretation. If the graph shows an increase, the relationship increases. If the table lists a number, you read that number. The test is not trying to trick you with advanced theory; it is testing your ability to extract information accurately under time pressure.

Time Management Is a Scoring Skill

One of the most underrated ACT Science tips is taking the passages and questions in a strategic order.

You are not required to complete passages in order. At the start of the section, take a few seconds to scan the test. Decide whether you want to secure quick points from Data Representation passages first or tackle Conflicting Viewpoints while your concentration is strongest.

Within each passage, prioritise questions that clearly reference a specific figure or study. Those are usually the fastest points. If a question stalls you for more than half a minute, eliminate what you can, guess strategically, and move on. Protecting your time protects your score.

Remember – if there are 6 passages, you have just under 6 minutes per passage. No one question is worth more than the others, so don’t waste time on a particularly tricky question.

How to improve your ACT Science score

One of the most effective ACT Science tips we give students is this: stop guessing why your score is stuck and diagnose it properly.

Most students say, “I just need more practice.” That’s too vague. Improvement in ACT Science comes from identifying whether your issue is timing or content and technique – and then fixing the right one.

Diagnose your problem

Take one full ACT Science section under strict timed conditions (35 minutes). The next day, take another section completely untimed. Then compare the scores.

If your score jumps significantly in the untimed sitting, your core data interpretation ability is strong, so your issue is pacing. You are capable of getting the questions right, but you are running out of time or rushing.

If your score stays roughly the same even without time pressure, the issue is not speed. It is either content knowledge or exam technique.

The right solution depends entirely on which category you fall into.

If timing is the problem

The good news is that timing is easy to improve, but it still takes work.

First, apply the ACT Science tips covered earlier: identify the passage type quickly, use the correct opening move for each type, and avoid unnecessary reading. These strategies alone can save several minutes per section.

Second, practise in smaller units. Instead of always doing full sections, try one passage in six minutes. This builds pace without the fatigue of a full 35-minute stretch. Short, focused drills are often more effective than marathon sessions.

Finally, track how long each passage type takes you. If you consistently spend ten minutes on Conflicting Viewpoints, make this a focus area for your drills.

If Content or Technique Is the Problem

If your untimed score is still low, then slowing down is not enough. You need to work on your content knowledge of exam technique.

Start by categorising your mistakes. ACT Science errors are rarely random. Unless you identify the reasons for all of your mistakes and eradicate them, you’ll make the same mistakes again.

For every incorrect question, write down the specific reason you missed it. If knowing the Science content is an issue, create flashcards for any topics you don’t know and drill them. If you make exam technique errors (like misreading graphs), drill the same question types until you’re sick of them. Once you’re bored of how easily you can get them right, then you know you’re to improve your ACT Science score.

Here is a bonus ACT Science tip that most students skip: when you review a question you got wrong, do not read the explanation immediately. First, go back to the passage and try to solve it again correctly. This forces you to rebuild the reasoning process rather than passively recognising the right answer.

Get Help from Dukes Plus

If you’re struggling to make progress on your own, consider seeking extra help.

At Dukes Plus, our expert ACT preparation has helped students improve their scores for more than 20 years. Our ACT prep course offers an intensive guide to the content and key test strategies to excel, while our ACT test tutoring helps students increase their score by 7 points on average.

Book a free consultation to learn more.

Should I Take the ACT with Science?

Before 2025, every ACT included the Science section as standard. Now that it is optional, the question has become more strategic:

Do you benefit from sitting ACT Science – or is your time better spent elsewhere?

Here’s how I advise students after years of tutoring this section and seeing how scores are interpreted by admissions teams.

You Should Take the ACT with Science If…

Your chosen universities require it

Some institutions still expect or prefer the full ACT with Science. Always check the most up-to-date admissions policies for your chosen colleges.

You’re applying for a STEM major

If you intend to major in biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, computer science, or another quantitative discipline, a strong Science score strengthens your academic profile.

Admissions officers at technical institutions – particularly places like Massachusetts Institute of Technology or California Institute of Technology – are paying attention to evidence of analytical and quantitative reasoning. A high ACT Science score signals exactly that.

Even outside highly selective technical universities, a strong Science performance supports a STEM application.

You’re strong at data interpretation

ACT Science is fundamentally about reading charts, spotting trends, and drawing logical conclusions under time pressure. If you’re naturally comfortable with this, then you have high potential in the Science section and could score highly without overly onerous preparation.

You Might Skip the ACT with Science If…

You need to prioritise the core sections

If your English, Maths, or Reading scores are currently below your target range, your preparation time will be better invested there. Remember that Science doesn’t count towards your Composite Score, so if you need to spend a long time prepping for the other sections to get your scores up, then give Science a miss.

You’re not applying for a STEM major

If you’re applying for humanities, social sciences, arts, or other non-quantitative courses, a Science score may not add significant value – particularly if it would require substantial preparation time to reach a competitive level.

Data interpretation is not your strength

If repeated practice shows that ACT Science consistently underperforms relative to your other sections – and your target universities do not require it – it’s probably worth skipping it.