ACT® Basics

Overview

The ACT was originally conceived in 1959 as an alternative to the SAT.
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Like the SAT, the ACT is a multiple-choice test that measures a high school student's readiness for college. It is a pen-and-paper test in the U.S., but since 2019 international administrations have been on a computer. Most students first take the test in their Junior year of high school, but we recommend preparation begin Sophomore year.

SAT/ACT scores are the second most important factor in admissions. They can help Admissions Boards sieve through thousands of applications and identify the most qualified applicants.

However, a great SAT/ACT score does not guarantee admission, just like a very low score does not mean an automatic rejection. Colleges also look at your high school GPA, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays. Still, it is fair to say that the higher you score on one of these tests, the better you will stand out from the rest of the application pile.
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Length

2 hrs
55 mins

plus 40 minutes if taking ACT with writing. Alternative arrangements are available for students qualifying for extra time.

Cost

$50

$67 if taking ACT with writing

International

$150

$166 if taking ACT with writing

Scores

36

Highest Score

21

Average Score

Sections

English
Math
Reading
Science
Essay (optional)

2019 - 2020 Dates

Upcoming ACT® dates are listed below.

Registration

June

12

June

22

Common Questions

When should I start preparing for the ACT?

Ideally, you should start preparation in the spring semester of 10th grade. You should at least take a first pass at the test at that point, to understand where your knowledge gaps are and explore how you can improve over the coming year. Many students wait to start prep until halfway through 11th grade, but that can be a bit stressful to balance with school work and leaves them in trouble if unanticipated scenarios arise (we're look at you, 2020). Take it from us: the earlier you look at this, the better.

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We sometimes work with students who come to the process very late. For example, students who decide to apply to US colleges at the start of their senior year. While this is very far from ideal, it is not impossible to tackle. We are always open to discussing with you about your circumstances, to advise on what would be best for you.

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How do I register for the ACT?

Registration deadlines fall approximately five weeks before each ACT test date. You can get registration materials from your school counselor, or you can register online on the ACT website.

How is the ACT scored?

Each section of the ACT is scored on a 1 to 36 point scale. Your composite ACT score is the average of your four section scores, also on a scale from 1 to 36. If you take the ACT with Writing Test, you will receive a separate score on the Writing Test.

How long is the ACT?

The ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes long. If you choose to take the ACT with Essay, the test will be 3 hours and 35 minutes long.

What is on the ACT?

There are four ACT sections:

English
Reading
Math
Science

The ACT also includes an optional 40-minute Writing Test. Some colleges may require that you complete the ACT Writing Test. You can confirm each college's admissions policies on the school website or on our school profiles.

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When should I take the ACT?

Most high school students take the ACT or SAT—or both—during the spring of their junior year or fall of their senior year. It's important to leave time to re-take the test if you need to further increaseyour score before you apply to college.

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The ACT exam is offered nationally every year in September, October, December, February*, April, June, and July*. View all upcoming ACT test dates.

*No test centers are scheduled in New York for the February or July test dates. No test centers are scheduled in California for the July test date.

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Visit our help center to get answers to all your questions.

SAT or ACT?

Find out which test is right for you.

Most universities will accept scores from either the SAT or ACT. Choosing the right test for you is an important first step in the preparation process. While we recommend taking a full-length diagnostic exam to compare the two, this breakdown will help you decide between the SAT and ACT.

SAT

ACT

Format

Pen-and-paper in the US and internationally

Paper-and paper in the US. Computer-based internationally

Reading

65 minutes for 52 questions

35 minutes for 40 questions

Writing & Language/English

(No Calculator)

35 minutes for 44 questions

45 minutes for 75 questions

Math

(No Calculator)

25 minutes for 20 questions

–

Math

(Calculator)

55 minutes for 38 questions

60 minutes for 60 questions

Essay

(Optional) Essays are scored separately and don’t heavily factor into admissions decisions, so they should not factor into your testing decision.

50 minutes

40 minutes

Writing & Language/English

Tests knowledge of grammar rules and sentence structure, as well as the ability to edit passage and logically sequence information.
Includes ~2 questions related to information in a chart or graph.
Writing & Language Scale is VERY harsh for high-scoring students.

Rules and concepts tested are functionally identical to SAT.
Has 31 more questions than SAT Writing & Language, which allows for a less harsh scale.
No questions relating to charts or graphs.

Math

Less time restrictive, but less straightforward.
Requires a deeper conceptual knowledge of the foundations of Algebra.
Fewer questions on geometry & trigonometry (~6).
Has 13 “Grid-In” (no multiple choice) questions.
Calculator allowed on 38 of 58 questions.
Math Score Scale can be harsh for high-scoring students.

Faster paced, but more straightforward.
Contains more “difficult” Algebra II concepts (matrices, conic sections, logarithms).
More heavily tests geometry & trigonometry.
Calculator allowed on entire test.

Reading

Tests ability to determine main idea, draw inferences and find supporting evidence.
More time per passage, but passages use more sophisticated language and are more difficult to comprehend.
Has 14-18 “evidence pair” questions.
Contains either a U.S. Founding Document or passage in the Great Global Conversation, which are very hard to get through.

Tests ability to determine main ideas, draw inferences and locate details in the passage.
Extremely fast-paced, but requires a more cursory knowledge of the passage.

Science

Does not have a science section, but “Analysis in Science” skills are tested throughout all sections of the test.

Tests a student’s ability to read and analyze tables, graphs, diagrams and evaluate different scientific viewpoints.
5-6 questions per test require outside scientific knowledge.

Scoring

The entire test (without essay) is scored out of 1600.
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) Score: Raw scores from the Reading and Writing & Language tests are combined and given a scaled score out of 800.
Math Score: Raw scores from both Math tests are combined and given a scaled score out of 800.
Scoring scales from test to test are very unpredictable, which is maddening for students.

Each test (English, Math, Reading, Science) is given a score on a 36-point scale.
The composite score is the average of all four test scores and rounds up (ex. a composite of 31.5 will be displayed as a 32).
ACT scoring scales are much more predictable from test to test than SAT scoring scales.

Superscoring

More colleges and universities superscore the SAT than they do the ACT.

Many colleges and universities superscore the ACT, though less schools do so than they superscore the SAT.
In September 2020, students can purchase a Superscore report from the ACT.

Score Release

Scores (excluding the essay) are typically released 13 days after each test date.
The QAS (Question-and-Answer Service)—which allows students to review the entire test and identify the questions they answered correctly/incorrectly—is typically available for the October, March, and May tests.
The SAS (Student Answer Service)—which allows students to see their answers, but not the actual test—is available on all other test dates.
Both the QAS and SAS are available online at the same time scores are available.

Scores (excluding the essay) are typically released 10 days after each test date in the US.
Scores (excluding the essay) are typically released 2 days after each test date outside the US.
TIR (Test Information Release) is available for the December, April, and June test dates.
If students purchase the TIR, they will receive a physical copy of the test and a copy of their answers and the answer key in the mail a few weeks after the test date.
In the past, it has taken nearly two months to receive the TIR (making it rather ineffective). More recently, however, it has taken less than 3 weeks for students to receive it.

Accomodations

Accommodations are available for students who require them.
Students with accommodations receive their scores at the same time as students who do not have accommodations.

Accommodations are available for students who require them.
Students who receive accommodations typically have the ability to take the test on paper.
The ACT is a bit stricter when it comes to obtaining extra-time accommodations. For example, it requires a longer recorded history for students with diagnosed ADHD or other attention-deficit disorders.
Students with accommodations usually receive their scores later than students who do not have accommodations.

Scheduling

Offered the same day as SAT Subject Tests, which limits testing opportunities for students that want or need to take those tests in order to apply to top-tier U.S. colleges and universities.

ACT dates do not overlap with SAT Subject Test dates.

Study Resources

The SAT has officially released 12 full-length practice tests, 8 of which have been officially given to students.
17 official tests can be found online.
The SAT Official Study Guide has 10 official exams.
The College Board has officially partnered with Khan Academy to provide free lessons and study resources for students.

The ACT has released 6-8 full-length practice tests.
Over 30 previously administered tests can be found online.
The ACT Official Guide has 5 official exams.

*Superscoring is when a college or university takes the highest section scores across all test dates to form a higher score than a student might have obtained on any single test date. Each school’s superscoring policy can be found on its admissions website.

"With your help Katie was able to improve her ACT scores. That improvement was enough to get her in the #1 ranked film and production school in the world, USC."

That's ESM.

Featured Mentor

Meet Katerina Baruffi.
The theater major.

Learn more about Katerina.

2019 - 2020
SAT Dates

Upcoming SAT® dates are listed below. To register, visit College Board or call 866-756-7346. Students with learning differences should call 609-771-7137 for testing accommodations and requirements.

Registration

Test Day

2020

*Date not available for International testing, only for US-based tests

Important ACT News

Higher Scores. Greater Possibilities.

ACT® Basics

2 hrs55 mins

$50

$150

36

21

3

12

22

3

13

-

3

19

-

3

10

-

3

17

-

3

24

3

3

25

-

3

12

3

8

6

16

12

10

20

7

12

22

Find out which test is right for you.

SAT

ACT

Format

Reading

Writing & Language/English

Math

Math

Essay

Writing & Language/English

Math

Reading

Science

Scoring

Superscoring

Score Release

Accomodations

Scheduling

Study Resources

"With your help Katie was able to improve her ACT scores. That improvement was enough to get her in the #1 ranked film and production school in the world, USC."

That's ESM.

Meet Katerina Baruffi. The theater major.

2019 - 2020SAT Dates

31

29

00

4

3

00

9

7

00

6

5

00

Higher Scores.
Greater Possibilities.

2 hrs
55 mins

Meet Katerina Baruffi.
The theater major.

2019 - 2020
SAT Dates