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If you don’t have the time to go to a college and get a degree, there are many options for you to work while studying simultaneously. You can earn money while you are studying, so don’t let the need for working keep you from getting a degree because a degree can increase your chances of getting an amazing job opportunity in the future
Ethnically Diverse Universities in the US
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how i got a 29 the first time i took the act
i just wanted to give you guys some tips! not all of these work for everyone though so keep that in mind. also, i am going to take the test again in april for those interestedin knowing
to preface: i took the test while pretty sick and it was the morning after the opening night for a Christmas dinner i do each year, so i got maybe 6 hours of sleep. not the best conditions
my scores
composite score of 29
english score of 31
mathematics score of 26
reading score of 31
science score of 29
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) score of 28
understanding complex texts of “above proficient”
progress toward career readiness of “progress toward gold level NCRC”
some general tips
choose a test center close to you. you will not want to wake up for the test. you will not want to drive there. it doesnt matter if youre unfamiliar with the place, people will be there to help you. but bring your own pencils and an eraser, they probably wont help you with those.
try to get as much sleep as possible. i didnt get much so to force myself awake i took a cold shower, but no caffeine because i feared crashing.
my breakfast that day was just some poptarts while i drove to the testing center, but i started to get hungry during the break. for the next test, im going to plan better and eat some cereal or toast.
take advantage of all leftover time. for me this meant going back to the questions i was super unsure of and making sure im satisfied with my answer choice as well as making sure all bubbles on my answer sheet were filled in enough. it also meant taking 5 minute naps where i drooled on the test booklet a little. oops?
use your break wisely. the testing center i was at had vending machines so i borrow a dollar from my friend and ate some m&m’s as a pick me up. i also put a bunch of cough drops in my jacket pocket. after i did this in the span of like 3 minutes i went back to my room and took a nap.
take advantage of the fact that everything is multiple choice (except the essay portion, obviously) because it reallycomes in handy.
i didnt really struggle with nerves because i went into the test with the mindset “i get what i get”. i had done what i felt was necessary to prepare and i knew this wouldnt be my last time. realistically, my act or sat score could be the thing that keeps me from entering my dream college (a school with a 7% admission rate and average act score of 34) but i am happy with my other choices of colleges. i have done all that i can do (which in this case was like.. 3 days of studying).
my biggest overall tip: know what the test will be like. know the order of the tests, the number of questions, and the time limits. this will leave no surprises. i was really glad i did this because i always knew what was coming.
tips for individual portions
english portion
75 multiple choice questions with four possible answers in 45 minutes.
dont read the entirety of the passage! read the first paragraph and the last paragraph before you read the questions then for each question skim for the info you need to properly answer the question. this allows you to spend more time with each question and to focus only on whats necessary.
brush up on word groups like there/their/they’re, it’s/its, and two/too/to. a lot of these questions are about following grammatical rules.
math portion
60 multiple choice questions with five possible answers in 60 minutes.
do what you know first. i almost ran out of time because i couldnt remember some things and spent too long on them so when i got to questions i knew at the end i was rushing and panicking and probably got some wrong.
if youre not sure how to do a problem, guess and check to the best of your abilities. guess and check works wonders.
reading portion
40 multiple choice questions with four possible answers in 35 minutes.
tbh i thought this was really similar to the english part so similar tips. but if the passage is on the short side, just read the whole thing.
science portion
40 multiple choice questions with four possible answers in 35 minutes.
real talk, i thought i bombed this portion like i walked out thinkin it was the reason id do so badly.
do NOT treat this like the english and reading portions! read the entirety of everything! redraw, rewrite, and rename things if you need to!
this part really focuses on graph interpretation and they will try to screw you over so hard with names of things. make sure you know how to interpret graphs well.
this was the only section where i rechecked every single answer. i was so used to the sat that i didnt know how to handle a science portion. it freaked me out.
essay portion
1 essay based on a promot in 40 minutes.
i didnt actually take this part because the only college on my list that says anything about it just recommends it and that school happens is my safety college. if youre really confident it will help your composite score, then take it. i chose not to mainly because im lazy and i didnt want to take the risk of it hurting my score even though i thought it could help since i write pretty strong essays, even under time constraints like id experience on the test.
some final tips
the act company sells a book. buy the book. its genuinely super helpful and im so glad i chose to buy it. i know some people use ones from outside sources, but i dont trust those as much. the official book is actually where i got a lot of my tips from.
take the test multiple times. i took the test in december because i knew i was unfamiliar with the formatting and wanted to have a basis for comparing my april score too. if i still am not happy with my april score, i plan on retaking it during the summer.
pay the extra $20 dollars to get your answers sent to you. it is quite literally the easiest and fastest way to see what you need to focus and improve on.
if you know youre taking the test, sign up as soon as possible. at the very least, sign up before youd have to pay the late fee.
dont add your picture until its like almost the last day. im the kind of person who changes uo my appearance often, specifically my hair color. if i uploaded a picture for the april date now, id be blonde in the picture even though ill probably have brown hair when i take the test.
a reminder
dont peace your self worth on this test. could it impact what college you go to? sure. but whether or not you did student council could too. im very proud of my score, but its not my end all be all. im more proud of the way i fold clothes or how organized my closet is than my act score.
good luck on all your tests everyone ❤️💕
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Hello! I am also in 11th grade and was wondering how to study for the ACT and more importantly the SAT...? I haven't started studying yet, but I need to ASAP. :)
hi! sadly, i don’t take the ACT or SAT in my country!! here are some links that might help:
1. act tips, tricks, and strategies
2. free standardized test prep
3. how i self study for the act
have a nice day!!!
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friendly reminder for the SAT
collegereadiness.collegeboard.org literally outlines every skill and concept tested on the SAT. it also has tons of resources and access to practice problems. Khan Academy has also partnered with College Board to provide FREE personalized SAT prep. they have also given Khan Academy eight original unreleased exams for practice tests!!
Biochemistry
Update: Pictures are working!
Atoms
There are a few basic chemistry concepts that are essential to understand. For starters, understanding what an atom is and its basic properties.
Atoms are the building block of all matter. They have a positive nucleus, with positive protons, and neutral neutrons. In a large area surrounding the nucleus, is the electron cloud, made of negatively charged electrons.
An atom in its elemental state is always neutral.
When an element has a charge, it is because it has an unequal number of protons an electrons, making it an ion. Sometimes an element’s nucleus has an unequal number of neutrons and protons, making it an isotope. Carbon-14, for example, has 8 neutrons, instead of the 6 that Carbon-12 has. Carbon-14 is also a radioisotope, meaning it emits particles and decays at a rate called a half-life, making it useful for fossil dating. Along with that, radioactive carbon can be used as a tracer. This means it is incorporated in CO2 molecules and used to track metabolic pathways.
The location of the electron affects how the atom will react with other elements. When electrons are in the lowest available energy level, they are in the ground state. When they absorb energy, they move to a higher energy level, entering the excited state. For instance, when chlorophyll absorbs light energy, electrons within it are boosted to higher energy levels. This provides the energy necessary to produce sugar when they return to their ground state level as they release the energy they absorbed.
Bonding
Elements bond when two nuclei are attracted to each other. Energy is released when a bond is formed. All atoms want to either get rid of all their electrons on their outer shell or fill their outer shell with 8 (or in hydrogen’s case, 2) electrons, which makes them stable. There are 3 kinds of bonds, but for biochemistry, Ionic and covalent bonds are what is relevant.
Ionic bonds form ions (hence the name.) They occur when electrons are transferred. The atom that gains electrons becomes a negatively charged anion. The atom that loses electrons becomes a positively charged cation.
Covalent bonds are made when electrons are shared. This occurs when the two atoms have electronegativities that are closer together than in an ionic bond. Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to pull electrons towards it. These bonds can be polar if the electronegativity is high enough. A polar molecule is a molecule with a partial charge. For example, water is a polar molecule, as oxygen is extremely electronegative, and water is partially electronegative.
Hydrogen Bonding
Hydrogen bonding is a specific kind of intermolecular force that is essential to life. It is what keeps the 2 strands of DNA bonded together, and gives water its unique characteristics. Since oxygen has a partial negative charge, and hydrogen has a partial positive charge, they are naturally drawn to each other.
Hydrophobic vs Hydrophilic
Polar molecules are hydrophilic. This is because they are attracted to the partially charged ends of water. Hydrophilic means they are attracted to water. (Not in that way… sick) NaCl or table salt is hydrophilic. This is why salt dissolves in water.
Non-polar molecules are hydrophobic. This means they are repelled by water. (They’re filthy water haters.) Lipids are hydrophobic, which is why fats and oils do not dissolve in water.
The cell membrane is a phospholipid bilayer, only allowing nonpolar substances to dissolve through it. Large polar molecules have to use specific hydrophilic channels.
Characteristics of Water
Water is a unique molecule, and without its unique properties, life on earth would not exist as it does, or even at all.
Water has a high specific heat: Because hydrogen bonds are so strong, it requires a lot of heat energy to break them. This is why large bodies of water remain the same temperature, and why coastal cities have a consistent temperature because the water absorbs all the heat energy before it can warm up.
Water has a high heat of vaporisation: A large amount of energy is needed for water to vaporise, which is why sweating is such an effective cooling method.
Water has high adhesion properties: Adhesion is when one substance clings to another. Adhesion causes capillary action, which occurs in the xylem of plants, and is used to bring water up from the roots without expending energy.
Water is a universal solvent: Due to its high polarity, water makes an excellent solvent.
Water is extremely cohesive: Molecules of water tend to stick to each other. This is observed in surface tension and allows for small insects to run across the surface of the water. Cohesion is also necessary to bring water up from the roots, by transpirational-pull cohesion tension.
Ice is less dense than water: Instead of freezing all the way through, ice crystallises, leaving large amounts of space, causing ice to float. This is essential for the survival of marine life during the winter, as they can live beneath the ice.
pH
pH is calculated by taking the -log of the chance of finding hydronium (H30+) ions within a certain amount of water. Hydronium is made in rare circumstances, where a hydrogen ion breaks off from a water molecule. Normally, there is a 1 in 10 million chance of there being a hydronium ion. This is the equivalent of 1x10^-7. The -log of this number is 7, the neutral pH.
Any pH below 7 is acidic. Any pH above 7 is basic. Stomach acid has a pH of 2, while bleach has a pH of 11. Human blood has a pH of around 7.4
Most living cells need to have an internal environment with a pH of around 7. Buffers exist to regulate pH by either absorbing excess hydrogen ions or donating missing hydrogen ions. In human blood, the bicarbonate ion (HCO3) is essential.
Macromolecules
There are 4 types of macromolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They supply quick and easy energy. 1 gram of all carbohydrates will release 4 calories of energy. In our diet, they can be found almost everywhere in foods such as rice, pasta, bread, cookies, etc.
There are 3 kinds of carbohydrates: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides
All monosaccharides have a chemical formula of C6H12O6. It is the placement of the carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen that determines its properties. Glucose, fructose, and galactose are all examples. They are isomers, meaning they have the same chemical formula, but a different structure.
Disaccharides
When 2 monosaccharides join together, they create disaccharides. They all have the chemical formula C12H22O11. Dehydration synthesis is the process that creates them. This process releases 1 molecule of water, hence the name. Lactose, maltose, and sucrose are all examples.
Hydrolysis is the exact opposite of dehydration synthesis. It is used during digestion. One molecule of water is used to breakdown polymers into monomers.
Polysaccharides Polysaccharides are long polymers of carbohydrates. Cellulose (plant cell wall), chitin (exoskeleton, fungi cell wall), glycogen (how animals store carbohydrates) and starch (how plants store carbohydrates) are all examples.
Lipids
Lipids include fats, oils, and waxes. Most contain 1 glycerol and 3 fatty acids. Glycerol is alcohol.
Fatty acids are the building blocks of lipids and are hydrocarbon chains with carboxyl groups at the end. There are 2 varieties; saturated and unsaturated. (3 if you count trans-fats when extra hydrogen is added to the fat to make the lipid solid)
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature, and are famously unhealthy as they are linked to heart disease.
Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and are good dietary fats.
Lipids store much more energy than carbohydrates. 1 gram of any lipid will release 9 calories of heat per gram. They can be structural, as in the phospholipids of the cell membrane, or they can be hormones.
Proteins
Proteins are polymers of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds.
Amino acids are identifiable by their carboxyl group, amine group, and variable R, attached to a central carbon atom.
Proteins are complex and perform a vast array of duties, such as growth and repair, being enzymes, membrane channels, and hormones.
1 gram of protein releases 4 calories of heat.
Proteins contain the elements C H O N P S
There are only 20 amino acids coding for the thousands of proteins in the human body.
Protein Structure
There are 4 levels to the structure of a protein.
The primary structure results from the sequence of amino acids making up the polypeptide
The secondary structure results from hydrogen bonding within the molecule. This causes a helical structure
The tertiary structure is an intricate 3-dimensional shape or conformation of a protein and most directly decides the function of the protein. Enzymes denature in high temperatures or in the wrong pH because the tertiary structure is compromised.
The quaternary structure is only found in proteins that have more than 1 polypeptide chain, such as in haemoglobin.
Enzymes
Enzymes are large proteins
Enzymes lower the energy of activation, speeding up the reaction, as it lowers the amount of energy needed to start the reaction.
The chemical an enzyme works on is known as a substrate
Enzymes are specifically designed for specific substrates. For example, lactase only works on lactose. Notice the naming pattern for enzymes and their substrates.
The induced fit model is an explanation for how they work. When the substrate enters the active site, it induces the enzyme to change its shape to fit the substrate.
Enzymes can be reused as they do not degrade during a reaction
Enzymes are assisted by cofactors (minerals) or coenzymes (vitamins)
Prions
Prions are proteins that cause diseases. Mad cow disease is an example. It is a misformed protein able to influence other proteins to fold in the same way.
Nucleic Acids
There are 2 kinds of nucleic acids: RNA and DNA. They are necessary for carrying genetic information.
Nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides
The nucleotides are the two purines: Adenine and Guanine, and the 3 pyrimidines, Thymine, Uracil, and Cytosine. Uracil is only found in RNA, and thymine is only found in DNA. Adenine connects with thymine/uracil, and guanine connects with cytosine.
