Why Getting a Perfect 36 on the ACT is Simpler Than You Think
I wasted over 100 hours studying for the ACT.
My score didn't budge.
I was a straight-A student with a 4.0 GPA. I started with a 31 on the ACT—respectable, but not enough for the Ivy League schools I wanted. Not enough for maximum scholarships.
So I did what everyone told me to do. I bought the big ACT prep booklet and got to work. Drilled geometry concepts. Reviewed algebra. Studied grammar rules. Practiced reading comprehension.
Take a practice test. Review the solutions for questions I missed. Take another practice test. Review solutions again.
Over and over. Hoping that when I graded the next test, my score would magically go up.
After 100+ hours of this? Still a 31.
I felt frustrated. Confused. Self-doubt crept in—maybe I just wasn't good at standardized tests.
Here's what I didn't realize: I was only working on half the puzzle. And that's the same mistake I see thousands of students making right now in 2025.
The Fatal Mistake Everyone Makes (Including Me)
The ACT tests two completely different things: content and strategy.
Content is what you know—the math formulas, the grammar rules, the reading comprehension skills.
Strategy is how well you can demonstrate what you know under pressure, with a ticking clock, when questions are designed to trick you.
Most students spend all their time drilling content. They review concepts they already learned in school. They take practice tests and look at solutions.
But they never develop the strategy to execute efficiently on test day.
That was my problem. I kept reviewing the same concepts over and over—geometry, algebra, grammar. But I never changed my approach to how I tackled the actual questions.
So my score stayed flat.
This is why straight-A students often struggle on the ACT. School tests reward content knowledge in comfortable conditions. The ACT requires performing under specific constraints that most high school classes never teach.
Ava had the same problem. She was a 4.0 student who couldn't break a 22 on the ACT. Perfect grades. Honors classes. Clearly smart.
But she was studying for the ACT like it was a high school test—just drilling more content.
She already knew Algebra II. She already understood grammar. The content wasn't her problem.
After six weeks of working on strategy instead of content, she scored a 30.
That 8-point jump didn't happen because she suddenly got smarter or crammed more facts into her brain. It happened because we addressed the piece of the puzzle she was missing.
The Breakthrough That Changed Everything
The moment everything clicked for me came from the last place I expected: a baseball practice.
I was working with Gary Sheffield—yes, the Gary Sheffield who hit over 500 home runs in the MLB. One of the greatest hitters of all time. It was an honor to work with him.
My teammates and I were getting warmed up for batting practice one day. One of them asked Gary Sheffield if we should start getting the pitching machine warmed up.
Sheffield's response was emphatic: "Absolutely not. Hands down. We will never use a pitching machine."
His reasoning? Pitching machines create perfect conditions that don't exist in real games. They deliver the exact same pitch every time—perfect placement, perfect velocity, perfect angle.
Real baseball requires recognizing patterns as the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. Adjusting to variables. Reading the situation and reacting.
You can't practice for the game by training in conditions that don't simulate the game.
That's when everything clicked for me.
I was treating ACT prep the same way—drilling concepts in perfect, controlled conditions. But I needed to simulate the actual game: time pressure, question formats, strategic decision-making under stress.
The ACT isn't about knowing more concepts. It's about recognizing patterns.
The Simple Truth Nobody Tells You
There are only 15-20 question types on each section of the ACT.
Not infinite variations. Not hundreds of different concepts to master. Just 15-20 repeating patterns.
Once you master one question type, you can apply that knowledge to every single instance of it.
Distance-rate-time questions appear as easy question #5 and difficult question #60. Same approach, different complexity.
SOHCAHTOA questions show up multiple times—questions 29, 32, 50. Same pattern recognition each time.
Repeating cycle questions—"every 8 seconds," "every 12 seconds"—appear in different contexts but follow the same solving method.
Here's the kicker: most students waste five minutes on question #55 trying to figure out the approach from scratch. They still get it wrong.
Students trained in pattern recognition see "repeating cycle question" and solve it in 30-45 seconds. Correctly.
This is radically different from school tests, which cover different chapters each time. The ACT has a finite, learnable system.
The ACT Hacking System
So if there are only 15-20 question types, how do you actually train yourself to recognize them?
Here's our system:
Step 1: Diagnostic test to identify specific weaknesses by question type.
Not just "you're bad at math." More like "you're missing long word problems and coordinate plane questions specifically."
Step 2: Prioritize high-impact weaknesses.
Not all weaknesses are equal. We focus on question types that appear frequently AND that you're currently missing. That's where the overlap creates maximum improvement.
Step 3: Drill each question type until it becomes second nature.
Not scattered practice. Concentrated repetition on one question type at a time. If you struggle with long word problems, you do 15-20 long word problems in a row.
This builds pattern recognition far faster than random practice.
Step 4: Build muscle memory through organized, targeted practice.
By test day, you should be able to read the first half of a question and already know what the second half will ask. You shouldn't have to think about which strategy to use—it should feel instinctive.
Like typing on a keyboard. You don't consciously think about where each letter is. Your fingers just go there.
That's what we're building for the ACT.
The Burnout Trap Most Families Fall Into
Here's where most families make another critical mistake—one I made myself as a tutor.
Years ago, I worked with a student named Vikram. He and his dad wanted intensive prep: 14 hours per week for six months.
I was charging hourly at the time, so I agreed. Big mistake.
Vikram started strong. First 4-6 weeks, he made solid progress. Started at 25, practice tests came back 30-31.
Then months three through six hit. Complete burnout.
He couldn't sustain 14 hours per week for half a year. Practice scores started declining. By the time he took the actual test after six months, he scored a 27—worse than his practice tests.
He had nothing left. Couldn't bring himself to retake it.
At the exact same time, I worked with Carter.
Carter started at a 23. He committed to one hour per day for six weeks. Seven hours per week total—half as much as Vikram.
He had a defined finish line. Stayed motivated. Took the test after six weeks and scored a 30.
Let me break this down:
Vikram: 14 hours/week × 6 months, 25→27, burned out
Carter: 7 hours/week × 6 weeks, 23→30, finished strong
Carter worked half as much total time and got better results.
The difference? Intensity with a defined endpoint beats endless grinding every time.
Most ACT prep drags on for 6-12 months. This doesn't produce better results—it creates burnout and declining performance.
The ideal timeline: 5-10 hours per week for 4-6 weeks. That short sprint with a visible finish line keeps motivation high.
The $950 Per Hour Motivation
For students hesitant about even a 4-6 week sprint, here's how I reframe it.
Conservative calculation: 4 points improvement = $40,000 in scholarships over four years. (Based on the Granite Education study showing each ACT point worth approximately $10,000.)
Six weeks × 7 hours/week = 42 total hours.
$40,000 ÷ 42 hours = $950 per hour.
That's the worst-case scenario. Many students gain 6-9 points, far exceeding this.
When I phrase it like that to students: "You're going to work for 42 hours over the next six weeks, and your time will be valued at $950 per hour."
Suddenly the work feels worthwhile.
Why This Matters Even More With the Enhanced ACT
In September 2025, the ACT rolled out a completely new test format—the Enhanced ACT.
Most families think the changes make it harder. Actually, they make pattern recognition more critical.
The test is shorter now. Less margin for error. You can't miss as many questions and still hit high scores.
Students who recognize question types immediately have a massive advantage. You need to see the first part of a question and already know what the second part will ask—plus how to solve it.
Our system works even better on the Enhanced ACT.
Recent results from the October 18th test:
MaKayla: 21→30 in five weeks. Her September test got canceled due to HVAC failure—students had to test outside on picnic benches. October was her only shot before college applications were due. Nine-point improvement under pressure.
Mary: 24→30
Sarah: 25→33 on her first test with us. She's still a junior, potentially heading for 34-36.
Meredith: 30→35
Kylee: 22→25 in just 10 days of work. Joined October 8th, tested October 18th. Thought she had no time to improve. Three points in 10 days.
These aren't outliers. This is what happens when students focus on pattern recognition instead of endless content drilling.
Getting a great ACT score isn't about being naturally gifted at tests. It's not about working harder or grinding for six months.
It's about three things:
Recognizing that the test is a pattern recognition game with only 15-20 question types per section. Focusing on your specific weaknesses rather than scattered practice. Building a practice plan you can actually follow—4-6 week sprints, not marathons.
Your student can waste 6 months drilling content and hoping for improvement. Or they can spend 4-6 weeks learning pattern recognition and strategy and actually get results.
The Enhanced ACT makes this approach even more valuable. Get ahead of the curve before other students catch up.
If you want us to handle this entire process for your student—the diagnostic, the personalized plan, the targeted drills, the accountability—book a free ACT Game Plan call with one of our planning advisors.
We'll review your child's situation, identify their biggest opportunities for improvement, and show you exactly what working with us would look like. No pressure. Just a clear roadmap for getting results.
Once you understand that the ACT is a pattern recognition game, you can't unsee it. And that's when scores jump.
Talk soon,
Carson
P.S. You're only one great ACT score away from changing your life forever.
