Fucking ACT test

[NachtSorcier]

I'm going to fail it because I'm an idiot who doesn't know math.

That's all.

[TopHaggardDoll]

I can't do maths either, I totally feel your pain.

[NachtSorcier]

What's maddening here is that math is just a reminder of everything I can't do. I hate not being good at anything.

[(heartofflames)]

One cannot be "not good at anything". For example, you can be good at being bad at something.
But joking aside, standardized tests in general ARE a pain.....

[NachtSorcier]

I think I just gave up on going to college.

[MollyMac]

Dammit, I am going to smack you.

OK, Keep in mind that I don't really know you- but I have the disticnt feeling that you are selling yourself short. I am also one of those damned Pollyanna believers that if you believe you will fail going into soemthing that you will fail at it. YOu aren't giving yourself a fighting chance-

SO

to give yourself a fighting chance, check out on-line ACT math resources, ask youe counselor for tutoring center info. Hell, even my better-than-everything ass needed some math guidance back in the late cretacious and my counselor found a few weekend courses geared towards the SAT that I could take for free. By not selling myself shor ton something, I busted my ass and managed a 28 math and 32 overall ACT and a 1540 for SAT- NEITHER would have happened if I did not make myself do something that I swore that I sucked at.

NOW, Mister "I can;t do anything well"- Yes, you can. You may not acknowlege it yet; you may not be aware of it; or you may not have been exposed to it... but thera re things that you kick ass at. Or that wyou will kick as sit if you give yourself the time before beating yourself up over it.

Now, go out, quit sulking and find them before I smack you.

[(heartofflames)]

man, MollyMac gives a great pep talk...XD

[MollyMac]

I'm a little sauced right now. Hell, two more glasses and I'd give Hitler a pep talk.

(that's a joke)

[NachtSorcier]

I'm 20 years old, I don't have a guidance counselor or any resources at my disposal. Looking up study guides on the Internet is no help because I can't understand them. I have no money to pay a tutor, but it's just as well because I tried having someone tutor me in high school and it was no help. I can't be taught.

And it's true that I'm not good at anything. I have no talents at all. The only reason I'm going to college is to get everyone off my back.

[(heartofflames)]

If you can't understand the study guides, and you want to go to college, then the only thing to do is painstakingly look up every single thing you don't understand.....

[NachtSorcier]

There's the rub - looking it all up doesn't help either. I cannot understand the information provided.

[MollyMac]

There are 1,001 things you can do besides college. It's not for everyone, ya know? That is not saying you are better or worse than anyone, but college is not always a good fit. What do you like to do? What do you feel you could improve?

I am sorry and do not mean to call you a liar, Nacht, but I do think that there are things that you ARE good at or will be good at of you commit to it and give yourself a solid shot. You are obviously not an idiot.

What parts do you not understand? I am not uber math genius anymore save for geometry, but I am willing to help if I can, if you think I could help.

[NachtSorcier]

Originally Posted by MollyMac

What do you like to do? What do you feel you could improve?

Nothing and everything, respectively.

I am sorry and do not mean to call you a liar, Nacht, but I do think that there are things that you ARE good at or will be good at of you commit to it and give yourself a solid shot.

If I'm good at something, I'd like to know what it is because I'm stumped.

What parts do you not understand?

All of them.

[DepthsofSpace]

I suck at math.

I did pretty poorly on the ACT (30 English, 19 Math).

I'm about to enter a highly respected four-year insitution with nearly a full ride.



Don't worry about that stupid test. just start at a community college, excell at what you are good at, then work you way into a four-year insitution. Standardized test are like everything else. It thinks you are some how just part of a mold and you fit neatly inside.

[Nevan]

Originally Posted by NachtSorcier

And it's true that I'm not good at anything. I have no talents at all. The only reason I'm going to college is to get everyone off my back.

aww - Nobody loves me everybody hates me I'm a little worm gonna eat some dust.. grovel grovel...

Come on, don't be like that! You can do something in some way that no one else can - you may not know or believe it, but it's true

**Out of A MILLION sperm, YOU got to the egg first! Now doesn't that make you feel special?**

Yes, not everyone understands math, but at least give it a try. Open your mind to the possibility that you might just understand something. If you approach a text-book with the pre-set decision that you're going to fail at it, then you will. Convince yourself before-hand that it is beautiful and interesting - always start with something that you know you can do so to build your esteem before you move to more difficult stuff - even if it's just a couple of 1 + 1 sums.

I don't want to sound preachy but, you know, math is like music - there is a definite pattern and structure and it all makes perfect sense once you see it. Just learn and become comfortable with the basics - you can break even the most advanced problem down to tiny little parts and solve them one at a time.

Don't you have a friend who's good at explaining things? Ask him/her to read the study material and then interpret it for you (note - a person who's good at math is not necessarily good at explaining math).

And if all else goes wrong and you still fail, AT LEAST YOU TRIED. You have far more character if you try something and fail than just to simply give up.

[Steppenwolf]

(What I'm trying here is giving you advice , NachtSorcier , so please don't get me wrong /or feel insulted ...)

I'm one of those lucky bastards who doesn't need to study to get good scores . I just listen what the teacher says , maybe read one or two books about the topic . And it always works .... Until I find Maths on my way ... Then I have to read carefully , one time , two-three-four-N TIMES until I get it ...

Math need another approach , and you don't have to be a genious to understand them . Believe me : When I want , I can do it .
But I'm not different to any fellow-mortal ...

The problem is how do you learn , nothing more , nothing less ...

Don't be so lazy , and stop making an Emo scene here :

JUST TRY IT AGAIN .

YOU CAN . AND YOU KNOW YOU CAN .

[Steppenwolf]

And I wish you luck , of course :-)

[NachtSorcier]

You are all quite right, of course. I feel a bit embarrassed at my little emotional outburst last night, but I am pretty much over it now. I've noticed that a lot of the time, study guides are more difficult than the actual test, so I'm going to take a leap of faith and go into the test room blind (i.e., having not studied) and just do what I can. I know the other sections of the test won't be hard for me; math is the only one I'm really worried about. Then again, I was worried before I took my GED test earlier this year and I, somehow by the grace of God, got a 95% on the math section - my highest score (the lowest one being a 76% in social studies). Maybe I'll be surprised this time too.

[badteccy]

isn't the ACT more focused on English and shit anyway?

[NachtSorcier]

I don't know what it focuses on, if anything, but there are five sections - English, reading, science, math and an optional essay.

[silverbaal]

Go to the library and check out books with practice versions of the ACT. They go over all of the things you need to know.

The ACT ISN'T that bad. It's pretty easy. REALLY. Don't psyche yourself out. I did that the first time I took it and that messed me up. English and Reading will be the easiest. Science and Math will be the hardest but if you work hard at it, you can do it!

College is my only salvation too. *Sighs*.

[NachtSorcier]

The test is tomorrow, I don't have time to study even if I wanted to.

I'm really not that worried about it anymore. I actually feel...optimistic. It feels kind of dirty.

[silverbaal]

Think about it this way...You have 1/2 of the test covered if you've read as much as i'm sure everyone else has on this forum. You have everything you need. A sufficient vocabulary and enough mastery of the English language to get you through the English and Reading. Those sections are a big "duh!". I'm sure you'll do fine.

[silverbaal]

Originally Posted by NachtSorcier

The test is tomorrow, I don't have time to study even if I wanted to.

I'm really not that worried about it anymore. I actually feel...optimistic. It feels kind of dirty.

Good. Good luck!

[NachtSorcier]

I'm probably not as well-read as most of the people here, but I'm no dummy when it comes to the English language.

From what I've seen the English, reading, science and essay sections are just like those on high school proficiency and GED tests. I passed those with flying colors, I'm sure this one won't be too much of a problem.

Thanks for the luck.