People don't often mention motivation when talking about test prep, but in my view this is one

of the most important pieces that differentiate successful people from not, in all aspects of
life. It's much more important than just being smart.
Make a list of all the reasons you want to get a perfect score. Write them down. Stare at them
when you lose energy or motivation.
Want to get into Harvard or an Ivy League school? Want to make up for a bad GPA? Want to
prove to your parents that you can beat their expectations? Want to compete with your friends?
Want to show up your 3rd grade teacher who said you would never amount to anything?
That's all good. Anything that drives you from within is a valid reason to work hard.
In my personal case, beyond the academic benefits, I thought the ACT was a dumb test that was
impeding my life. I was angry at test writers who devised tricks to fool students. I approached it
like a video game - the ACT was a boss that I needed to dominate. Plus, my brother had a near-
perfect score, and I wanted to one-up him.
Write down all the reasons you want a perfect score and use it to motivate yourself every
study session.