Boost Your ACT Score with Interleaving and Spaced Practice
How the Science of Learning Actually Improves ACT Scores
If you're preparing for the ACT, you've probably spent hours drilling practice problems, working through one subject at a time until you feel like you've got it down. But what if I told you there's a more effective way to study that is backed by decades of cognitive science research?
Enter interleaving and spaced practice: two evidence-based learning strategies that can significantly improve your ACT performance and help you retain information long after test day.
The Science Behind These Strategies
Spaced practice involves spreading your study sessions out over time rather than cramming everything into marathon sessions. When you revisit material at intervals, your brain has to work harder to retrieve the information, which strengthens the neural pathways associated with that knowledge. Research shows this "desirable difficulty" leads to better long-term retention than massed practice.
Interleaving means mixing different types of problems or subjects within a single study session, rather than blocking them into separate chunks. While it might feel less comfortable than practicing one skill repeatedly, interleaving forces your brain to constantly retrieve different strategies and discriminate between problem types, which is exactly what you'll need to do on the ACT.
Neuroscientist studies using fMRI scans have shown that interleaved practice activates different brain regions than blocked practice, particularly areas involved in planning and executive function. Your brain literally learns to be more flexible and adaptive.
Why These Strategies Work for the ACT
The ACT is designed to test your ability to apply knowledge flexibly across different contexts and switch between question types rapidly. Each section throws various problem types at you in mixed order. The Math section alone includes algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics, all jumbled together. Reading passages alternate between informational and narrative texts.
Traditional blocked practice (doing 20 algebra problems in a row, then 20 geometry problems) creates an illusion of competence. You get into a groove and feel like you're mastering the material, but this doesn't prepare you for the cognitive switching required on test day.
Interleaving mimics the actual test format, training you to:
Quickly identify what type of problem you're facing
Select the appropriate strategy from your mental toolkit
Transition smoothly between different skills and subjects
Spaced practice ensures that you're not just temporarily memorizing formulas or strategies. You're building durable knowledge that will be accessible months later when you sit for the actual ACT.
Benefits You'll Experience
Improved discrimination skills: You'll get better at recognizing subtle differences between problem types, reducing careless errors from applying the wrong approach.
Reduced test anxiety: Because you've practiced retrieval under varied conditions, you'll feel more confident that you can access information when you need it.
Better long-term retention: Information sticks around longer, meaning less last-minute cramming before test day.
Enhanced problem-solving flexibility: You'll develop the ability to approach problems from multiple angles, crucial when you encounter unfamiliar question formats.
More realistic practice: Your study sessions will mirror the actual test experience, reducing surprises on test day.
Concrete Examples for ACT Prep
Math Section Interleaving
Instead of doing all your algebra problems on Monday, geometry on Tuesday, and trigonometry on Wednesday, try this approach in a single 45-minute session:
Problem 1: Solve a quadratic equation (algebra)
Problem 2: Find the area of a triangle given coordinates (geometry)
Problem 3: Calculate the sine of an angle (trigonometry)
Problem 4: Interpret a linear graph (algebra)
Problem 5: Find the volume of a cylinder (geometry)
Problem 6: Work a word problem involving ratios (arithmetic)
Rotate through all major content areas multiple times during each session. This mirrors how problems appear on the actual test.
Reading Section Interleaving
Rather than reading three literary narratives in one sitting, alternate passage types:
Monday: Literary narrative, then social science, then natural science
Wednesday: Humanities, then literary narrative, then social science
Friday: Natural science, then humanities, then literary narrative
Also, mix up the skills you're practicing. Don't just answer all the main idea questions, then all the detail questions. Shuffle question types just like they appear on the test.
English Section Interleaving
Create mixed practice sets that include:
A punctuation question
A rhetorical skills question about organization
A grammar question about subject-verb agreement
A style question about word choice
Another punctuation question with a different rule
This trains you to shift gears quickly rather than getting locked into "punctuation mode" or "organization mode."
Science Section Interleaving
Alternate between different types of passages and questions:
Data representation graph interpretation
Research summary experimental design question
Conflicting viewpoints comparison question
Back to data representation with a different graph type
Implementing Spaced Practice
Here's a sample 8-week ACT prep schedule incorporating spacing:
Week 1: Introduce all content areas lightly. Take a diagnostic test.
Weeks 2-3: Study each section, but revisit Week 1 concepts at the start of each session. Spend 15 minutes reviewing before introducing new material.
Weeks 4-5: Continue new material while scheduling review sessions for concepts from Weeks 1-3. Use a rotationin whiche you review material from 1-2 weeks ago, thenfrom 3-4 weeks ago.
Weeks 6-7: Focus on your weakest areas but maintain review of all previously covered material. Every study session should include problems from various weeks.
Week 8: Take full-length practice tests under timed conditions. Review any weak spots using spaced retrieval of related concepts.
Daily Schedule Example
A 90-minute daily session might look like:
0-15 min: Review flashcards or problems from last week
15-30 min: Quick review of material from three weeks ago
30-75 min: Mixed practice of new and recent material (interleaved by subject and problem type)
75-90 min: Preview tomorrow's topics and create retrieval cues
Making It Stick
Use these tactics to maximize the benefits:
Create mixed problem sets: Build your own practice tests that scramble problem types. Many ACT prep books are organized by topic, so you'll need to deliberately mix them up.
Use active recall: Don't just reread your notes. Close the book and try to write down everything you remember. Wait a few days and do it again.
Embrace the struggle: Interleaving and spacing will feel harder than blocked, massed practice. That difficulty is a sign the strategies are working. Don't mistake ease for learning.
Track your progress differently: Instead of asking "Did I get this problem right?" ask "Could I identify what type of problem this was and select the right strategy?" That's the skill interleaving builds.
Use a spacing app or calendar: Set reminders to review specific topics at increasing intervals (1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 30 days).
When students interleave skills and space their practice, they’re no longer preparing for practice questions.
They’re preparing for test day.
The Bottom Line
The ACT rewards students who can think flexibly and apply knowledge adaptively. By structuring your prep around interleaving and spaced practice, you're not just preparing for a test—you're training your brain to learn more effectively. Interleaving and spaced practice aren’t study “hacks.” They’re how the brain actually learns.
And when prep aligns with that science, score growth follows.
