So I finally passed the ACS General Chemistry exam last week after two failed attempts, and I just want to share what actually worked because I spent months searching for good advice and couldn't find much. My first attempt I scored a 58 (passing is 68 at my school) and I basically just re-read my textbook. Second attempt I jumped to 63 but still missed it. I was ready to give up honestly.
What turned things around was finding a decent ACS practice test that actually mimicked the format — multiple choice, no partial credit, that weird way they phrase answer choices to trip you up. I also grabbed an ACS study guide from my university library and went through every single topic outline they list. Thermodynamics and equilibrium were my weak spots, and I drilled those hard.
Has anyone else noticed the real exam leans heavily on conceptual questions vs. calculation-heavy ones? My third attempt I shifted my prep to focus on "why" over "how" and went from 63 to 74. Curious what worked for others, especially if you're retaking it.