Why 90 Days Is the Sweet Spot for ACT Preparation
Not 30 days. Not 6 months. Ninety days.
After coaching hundreds of Singapore students, we’ve found that 90 days — roughly 12 weeks — hits the perfect balance between urgency and depth. Shorter timelines create panic and superficial learning. Longer timelines lead to burnout and procrastination.
Within 90 days of structured ACT preparation, the average Singapore student improves 4–6 composite points. Top performers improve 7–8 points.
But here’s the catch — “90 days of preparation” doesn’t mean 90 days of casually flipping through a prep book. It means a strategic, week-by-week roadmap where every study session has a clear purpose.
That’s exactly what this guide delivers. A complete ACT preparation roadmap built for Singapore students — from diagnostic day to test morning.
Let’s build your plan.
Before Day 1: The Pre-Preparation Checklist
Don’t start studying until you’ve completed these five steps. Skipping them is like driving without GPS — you’ll move, but probably in circles.
✅ Confirm your test date. Register at act.org. Know exactly when your 90 days end.
✅ Take a full diagnostic test. Use an official ACT practice test (available free at act.org). Simulate real conditions — timed, no breaks between sections, no phone.
✅ Score your diagnostic honestly. Record your section scores and composite. This is your starting point.
✅ Identify your two weakest sections. These become your primary focus areas for the next 90 days.
✅ Gather your materials. Official ACT practice tests, a prep book (we recommend Princeton Review or Barron’s), a notebook for error tracking, and a timer.
Sample Diagnostic Score Analysis
Meet Jun Wei, a JC1 student from Hwa Chong Institution. Here’s his diagnostic breakdown:
| Section | Diagnostic Score | National Percentile | Priority Level |
| English | 24 | 55th | 🔴 High Priority |
| Math | 32 | 91st | 🟢 Low Priority |
| Reading | 22 | 48th | 🔴 High Priority |
| Science | 28 | 73rd | 🟡 Medium Priority |
| Composite | 26.5 → 27 | 65th | — |
Jun Wei’s goal: 31+ composite (top 5%)
His strategy: Allocate 70% of study time to English and Reading, 20% to Science, 10% to Math maintenance.
This analysis takes 30 minutes but shapes your entire 90-day ACT preparation journey. Don’t skip it.
Phase 1: Foundation Building (Weeks 1–3)
Goal: Understand every section deeply. Build core skills. Establish daily study habits.
Week 1: Deep Dive Into Format and Fundamentals
Daily commitment: 60–90 minutes
| Day | Focus | Activity |
| Monday | English | Learn 7 core grammar rules (commas, semicolons, apostrophes) |
| Tuesday | Reading | Read one ACT-style passage untimed. Analyse question types. |
| Wednesday | Math | Review formula sheet. Identify unfamiliar topics. |
| Thursday | Science | Complete one Data Representation passage. Learn “questions first” technique. |
| Friday | English | Learn 7 more grammar rules (subject-verb agreement, pronoun clarity) |
| Saturday | Full review | Review all notes. Create flashcards for grammar rules. |
| Sunday | Rest | Complete rest. No studying. Mental recovery matters. |
Week 2: Skill-Specific Drills
Daily commitment: 75–90 minutes
This week focuses on your two weakest sections with intense, targeted practice.
For English improvement:
- Complete 2 full English passages daily (timed at 9 minutes each)
- After each passage, review every wrong answer
- Write down the grammar rule you missed in your error log
- Pattern you’ll notice: the same 15–20 rules repeat across every test
For Reading improvement:
- Practise the 3-Pass Method on one passage daily
- Pass 1: Skim (2 min) → Pass 2: Answer questions (5 min) → Pass 3: Review tough questions (1.5 min)
- Start with Natural Science passages (most structured, easiest for Singapore students)
- Track your time per passage — your target is 8 minutes 45 seconds or less
Week 3: Science Strategy + Math Maintenance
Daily commitment: 75–90 minutes
Science focus:
- Complete 2 Science passages daily
- Practise reading data from graphs before reading passage text
- Learn to identify trends: direct relationships, inverse relationships, no relationship
- Tackle one Conflicting Viewpoints passage — this type requires careful reading
Math maintenance (if scoring 28+):
- Complete 15 problems daily from weak topic areas only
- Focus on: probability, statistics, matrices, and word problem interpretation
- Time yourself: aim for under 60 seconds per problem
End of Phase 1 Checkpoint
Take a mini diagnostic — one full timed section from each of your two weakest areas.
Expected improvement by now: 1–2 points per section
If you’re not seeing movement, adjust your approach. More drilling of the same mistakes won’t help — you need to understand why you’re getting questions wrong.
Phase 2: Intensive Practice (Weeks 4–8)
Goal: Build speed. Increase accuracy. Take full practice tests weekly. Refine strategies.
This is where the real transformation happens. Phase 2 is the engine of your ACT preparation plan.
The Weekly Schedule Template
Every week during Phase 2 follows this rhythm:
| Day | Activity | Time |
| Monday | Section drill: Weakest section | 60 min |
| Tuesday | Section drill: Second weakest section | 60 min |
| Wednesday | Mixed practice: 2 sections combined | 75 min |
| Thursday | Error log review + flashcard revision | 45 min |
| Friday | Section drill: Moderate section | 60 min |
| Saturday | Full-length timed practice test | 3 hours |
| Sunday | Score review + error analysis | 60 min |
The Saturday Practice Test Ritual
This is the most important element of Phase 2. Here’s how to maximise every practice test:
Before the test:
- Clear your desk completely
- Set a timer for each section — no extra time, no pauses
- Put your phone in another room
- Have your admission-ticket-style setup: pencils, calculator, water
During the test:
- Simulate real conditions exactly
- No bathroom breaks between sections (unless the real test allows it)
- If you finish early, review flagged answers — don’t sit idle
After the test (Sunday analysis):
- Score every section
- For every wrong answer, categorise the error:
| Error Type | Meaning | Action |
| Content gap | You didn’t know the concept | Study that topic this week |
| Careless error | You knew it but made a mistake | Slow down; double-check similar questions |
| Timing error | You ran out of time | Practise speed on that section |
| Misread question | You answered something different | Read questions twice before answering |
Jun Wei’s Phase 2 Progress
Remember Jun Wei from our diagnostic analysis? Here’s his weekly practice test trajectory:
| Week | English | Math | Reading | Science | Composite |
| Week 4 | 26 | 32 | 24 | 29 | 28 |
| Week 5 | 27 | 33 | 24 | 29 | 28 |
| Week 6 | 28 | 32 | 26 | 30 | 29 |
| Week 7 | 29 | 33 | 27 | 31 | 30 |
| Week 8 | 30 | 33 | 28 | 31 | 30.5 → 31 |
Key observations:
- English improved steadily through grammar rule mastery
- Reading was slowest to improve but made the biggest jump in weeks 6–8
- Math stayed consistent with minimal study time — exactly as planned
- Science improved quickly once strategy clicked
At Test prep online with The Princeton Review Singapore, this trajectory is typical. The biggest jumps happen in weeks 6–8 when pattern recognition kicks in.
Phase 3: Peak Performance (Weeks 9–12)
Goal: Sharpen timing. Eliminate careless errors. Build test-day mental stamina. Peak on exam day.
Week 9–10: Precision Mode
By now, you know the content. The focus shifts entirely to execution under pressure.
Daily focus areas:
🎯 Speed drills. Set timers 10% shorter than actual test time. If a section gives you 35 minutes, practise completing it in 31 minutes. This builds a buffer for test day.
🎯 Careless error elimination. Review your error log. Identify your top 5 most frequent careless mistakes. Write them on a card and read it before every practice session.
🎯 Weak question types. By now, you should know exactly which question types trip you up. Drill 20–30 of those specific question types daily.
Week 11: Final Full-Length Tests
Take two full practice tests this week — one on Wednesday evening and one on Saturday morning.
Wednesday test purpose: Identify any remaining weak spots
Saturday test purpose: Final dress rehearsal under exact test-day conditions
After Saturday’s test, stop taking full practice tests. Continuing to test this close to exam day increases anxiety without improving scores.
Week 12: The Taper
Athletes taper before competitions. ACT students should too.
| Day | Activity |
| Monday | Light review of grammar rules and math formulas (30 min) |
| Tuesday | Review error log one final time. Focus on patterns, not details. |
| Wednesday | Light reading practice — one passage only (20 min) |
| Thursday | Review Science strategy notes. Quick data interpretation drill. (20 min) |
| Friday | No studying. Pack your test day bag. Do something relaxing. |
| Saturday | TEST DAY |
The Night Before and Morning Of
Night Before Checklist
✅ Bag packed: admission ticket, passport, pencils, eraser, calculator, watch, snack, water
✅ Outfit chosen (dress in layers — test rooms vary in temperature)
✅ Two alarms set (phone + backup alarm clock)
✅ Dinner: something familiar and filling — not the time to try a new restaurant
✅ Bedtime: Normal time. Don’t go to bed at 8 PM if you usually sleep at 11 PM — you’ll just lie awake stressing.
Test Morning Routine
- Wake up at your normal time (or slightly earlier)
- Eat a proper breakfast: protein + complex carbs (eggs on toast, oatmeal with fruit)
- Avoid excessive caffeine — one cup is fine, three cups will make you jittery
- Arrive at the test centre by 7:30 AM
- Use the bathroom before testing begins
- Take 5 deep breaths before Section 1 starts
Section-Specific ACT Preparation Hacks
English: The 5-Second Rule
If you read an underlined portion and it sounds correct immediately, check the shortest answer option. On the ACT, the most concise correct answer is almost always right.
Math: The Backsolving Technique
When a problem feels complex, plug in each answer choice and see which one works. This is often faster than solving algebraically — especially on geometry and word problems.
Reading: The Evidence Anchor
For every answer you choose, point to the specific line in the passage that supports it. If you can’t find textual evidence, your answer is probably wrong.
Science: The 10-Second Scan
Before reading anything, spend 10 seconds scanning all graphs and tables in the passage. Note what’s on each axis. This mental map saves enormous time when answering questions.
Common ACT Preparation Mistakes That Sabotage Scores
🚫 Studying without a plan. Random practice is better than nothing — but barely. Follow a structured roadmap.
🚫 Taking practice tests without reviewing them. The review is where learning happens. A practice test without analysis is just a waste of 3 hours.
🚫 Focusing only on strengths. Scoring 35 in Math instead of 33 adds 0.5 to your composite. Scoring 28 in Reading instead of 24 adds 1.0. Improve weaknesses first.
🚫 Cramming the week before. Your brain needs rest to consolidate learning. The taper week exists for a reason.
🚫 Ignoring mental health. Burnout is real. Students who study 4 hours daily for 12 weeks straight perform worse than students who study 90 minutes daily with proper rest.
🚫 Comparing yourself to others. Your classmate’s 34 doesn’t make your 30 less impressive. Focus on YOUR trajectory.
How to Adjust When Your ACT Preparation Isn’t Working
Sometimes your scores plateau despite consistent effort. Here’s a troubleshooting framework:
Plateau in English?
→ You’ve likely learned the rules but aren’t applying them in context. Switch to full-passage practice instead of isolated grammar exercises.
Plateau in Math?
→ Focus on the last 15 questions of the section (hardest ones). These differentiate between a 30 and a 34.
Plateau in Reading?
→ Your pacing strategy might be wrong. Try different passage orders. Experiment with spending 7 minutes on easy passages to bank time for harder ones.
Plateau in Science?
→ You might be reading too much text. Retrain yourself: questions → data → answer. Skip the written descriptions unless a question specifically references them.
When to Get Professional Help
If you’ve followed a structured plan for 4+ weeks without improvement, consider working with an experienced ACT tutor. Sometimes a fresh perspective identifies blind spots you can’t see yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Hours of ACT Preparation Do I Need Total?
Most Singapore students need 100–150 hours of total preparation spread over 90 days. That’s roughly 75–90 minutes daily on weekdays plus 3–4 hours on weekend practice test days.
Can I Do ACT Preparation While Studying for School Exams?
Yes, but it requires careful scheduling. During heavy school exam periods, reduce ACT preparation to 30–45 minutes daily (maintenance mode) and increase it again once school exams end.
Is Self-Study Enough for ACT Preparation or Do I Need a Tutor?
Self-study works for motivated students with strong discipline. However, students targeting 30+ or struggling with specific sections often benefit significantly from professional guidance that identifies blind spots faster.
What’s the Most Important Phase of This 90-Day ACT Preparation Plan?
Phase 2 (weeks 4–8) drives the most improvement. This is where weekly practice tests, error analysis, and targeted drilling compound into significant score gains.
How Do I Stay Motivated During 90 Days of ACT Preparation?
Track your progress visually. Create a simple chart showing your weekly practice test scores. Seeing the upward trend — even small improvements — provides powerful motivation to continue.
Should I Study Every Day During ACT Preparation?
Six days per week is ideal. Take one full rest day weekly — preferably Sunday. Mental recovery is essential for long-term retention and sustained focus throughout the 90-day period.
What If I Only Have 60 Days Instead of 90 for ACT Preparation?
Compress Phase 1 to 2 weeks instead of 3, and Phase 3 to 1.5 weeks instead of 3. Increase daily study time to 2 hours. The roadmap still works — it’s just more intense.
When Should I Start This 90-Day ACT Preparation Plan?
Count 90 days backwards from your registered test date. If you’re testing in June 2026, start in mid-March 2026. Build in 1 extra week as buffer for unexpected disruptions.
90 Days From Now, You’ll Wish You Started Today
That’s not a motivational poster quote — it’s a statistical reality. Students who follow structured ACT preparation plans outperform unstructured studiers by an average of 3–5 composite points.
Three to five points might not sound dramatic on paper. But the difference between a 27 and a 32 is the difference between “competitive applicant” and “strong contender” at top US universities.
You now have a complete, day-by-day, week-by-week roadmap. You know what to study, when to study it, how to track your progress, and when to rest.
The only variable left is you.
Open your calendar. Count 90 days back from your test date. Mark Day 1. And start building the score that opens doors to your dream university.
Ninety days. One score. Unlimited possibilities. Let’s go.
