How to Study for the Act Subject Test in Chemistry

ACT subjects like Chemistry can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can excel. If you want to ace your ACT Chemistry Subject Test, you should start preparing early and practice effectively. In this guide, you’ll find useful study tips, common question types, and practice advice to help boost your score.

Practice questions

One of the best ways to prepare for the ACT subject test in chemistry—a core part of many students’ ACT subjects strategy—is to do plenty of chemistry practice questions. These questions help you become familiar with the test format and how to approach multiple-choice items efficiently. While the questions may not seem overly difficult, they do require practice and timing.

Because ACT subjects are timed, it’s crucial to practice under test-like conditions. A good approach is to solve practice questions from different tests that mirror the real ACT subject test format. This helps you not only sharpen your knowledge but also get used to the time pressure.

The Chemistry Subject Test includes 59 questions. For students focused on science-heavy ACT subjects, it’s important to go through each question carefully and take notes on any incorrect answers or misunderstood topics. Mastering practice questions is key to success in science-related ACT subjects.

Common questions on the test

Many common questions in ACT subjects like Chemistry focus on the subject’s foundational concepts. These include chemical reactions, periodic table trends, thermodynamics, and molecular structure. To do well, you need to use both common sense and a solid grasp of the basics.

The Science section of the ACT contains 40 questions designed to test your ability to interpret data, analyze experiments, and evaluate results—essential skills across all ACT subjects involving science.

You might encounter questions that refer to the periodic table or require you to interpret graphs or chemical equations. These are consistent with other ACT subjects in science, which focus heavily on application and reasoning rather than memorization alone.

Studying for the test

A good way to study for the Act subject test chemistry is to review your notes and practice questions that mimic the test’s format. This way, you won’t waste time on memorizing facts, or trying to solve complex practice problems. As a high school student, you probably already have a good understanding of the concepts and jargon that you’ll encounter on the test. Here are some tips for studying for this important subject.

Take the Subject Test as early as you can, in June. The test is best taken within two years of completing the subject. The best time to take the subject is right before your senior year, as the test is usually given in June. You can take it as early as your sophomore year if you’ve taken honors chemistry. It’s not a good idea to take the Subject Test a year later, though.

During high school, you should take the SAT Chemistry Subject Test as soon as possible after you’ve taken a related class. It is also a good idea to take the test once you’ve finished a high school chemistry course, as this will demonstrate that you’re dedicated to the subject. In addition, you can present your goals and interests to colleges by taking the SAT Chemistry Subject Test in the fall.