What Is A Good ACT Score?- Requirements And Tips.

It’s normal to hear that high school students are preparing for the SATs, but what about the ACT? 

Why should you write an ACT and what is a good ACT score?

We will find out in the course of this post.

ACT was initially abbreviated as American College Testing. It is an additional source of entrance exams aside from the SAT.

ACT is a multiple-choice exam that enables admissions committees to determine if a high school student is prepared to handle the demands of college at their specific institution.

A picture of your academic prowess will be created using this exam along with your high school GPA, transcripts, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and personal writings. 

How do you make the most out of this exam?

Stay with me…

Also check What Is A Good PSAT Score?- Everything You Need To Know.

What Is ACT?

ACT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. 

It is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test administered by ACT, Inc.

The ACT test is designed to assess a high school student’s preparation for college and to give universities a single piece of comparable data with which to evaluate all candidates. 

The standardized test results will be compared to your high school GPA, courses you took, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays by college admissions officers. 

It varies from school to school how significant ACT scores are in the college admission process.

Overall, you will have more alternatives for attending and funding college if you have higher ACT and/or SAT scores.

SAT vs. ACT, Which Should I Take?

What test should you take to get into college? 

The majority of schools and universities accept scores from either test, despite the SAT’s difficulty and greater popularity than the ACT.

Prepare for both examinations and take them if you want to play your cards well. 

You can take both tests again until you get a good result, and then you can submit any or both of the results to the college or institution of your choice.

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Why Should I Take ACT?

ACT offers a college admissions test, college course placement, and a career planning component for a reasonable price, making it a good value. 

By taking the ACT, you can make yourself known to colleges and scholarship organizations all around the nation.

But you need to get a good score for a higher opportunity that comes with the exam.

What is a good ACT score?

Keep reading to find out.

Who Is Eligible For The ACT Exam?

There are no official prerequisites for taking the ACT exam according to ACT. 

As a result, there are no minimum criteria for age or grade to take the exam. 

But it has been estimated that a high percentage of high school students take the test every year.

Ultimately, ACT should be taken by high school students who are interested in applying to a college that requires the test. 

It is designed for students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.

How Do I Register For The ACT Exam?

Each ACT exam date has a registration deadline that is five weeks out. 

You can register online at the ACT website or pick up registration materials from your school counselor.

Follow these steps to register:

• Create an account on the official ACT website.
• Choose a test day and location that is convenient for you.
• Create your profile, fill out the application request, upload the needed papers, and confirm your registration.
• To finish your registration, pay the exam fee. You can pay the cost with a debit or credit card, or you can pay online.
• Registration deadlines are normally three to four weeks before the test date.

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What Is The Requirement For The ACT Exam?

The requirements for the ACT exam are simple.

• A computer or laptop with an internet connection
• Details about high school courses
• Credit/debit card
• Headshot photo
• The entire registration process will take approximately 40 – 50 minutes.

Why Do I Need A Good ACT Score?

Your chances of getting into elite institutions can increase if you earn a high ACT score.

What Is A Good ACT Score?

The typical ACT rating is 20.8. 

This is the composite score, which combines the results from the four sections: science, math, reading, and English. 

Therefore, if you have a composite score of 21, you will be in the middle of the field. 

A 24 or more is typically considered to be an excellent score. 

This is because you will be in the 74th percentile, which will make you more exceptional in terms of ACT score percentiles. 

What Score Should I Aim For?

36 is the benchmark composite score. Your composite score typically has to be in the 30s if you’re applying for admission to an Ivy League school. 

An institution like Princeton wants to see test scores in the 32–35 range with a 6 percent acceptance rate. 

Similar ACT score ranges are desired by Yale, MIT, Columbia, Harvard, and Columbia.

A score in the 25th percentile indicates that 25% of the admitted students received that score or a lower one. 

A score of 32 would be below average for Harvard while placing you in the top 25% for a school like Penn State. 

Therefore, you should think about what a good ACT score is in relation to your individual goals when aiming for a high score.

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When Does The ACT Exam Happen?

The ACT, SAT, or both are typically taken by high school students in the spring of their junior year or the fall of their senior year. 

If you need to improve your score before submitting a college application, make sure you give yourself enough time to retake the test. 

The ACT exam is taken nationwide every year in September, October, December, February, April, June, and July.

When Is The Best Time To Take ACT?

The spring of your junior year of high school or the fall of your senior year is the ideal times to take the ACT. 

Ultimately, your junior year might be the best time to go in because if you want to repeat the exam and get a better score, you will have enough time to do so. 

The test can be taken again as often as you’d like.

How Is ACT Scored?

There is an optional 40-minute writing test even though the test consists primarily of multiple-choice questions. 

In addition to the writing portion, there are four major sections:

• English
• Reading
• Math
• Science

The examination lasts 2 hours, and 55 minutes. 

The Writing Test will add 40 minutes to the total time, bringing it to 3 hours and 35 minutes, if you choose to take it.

A total of 36 points are awarded for each of the four sections. 

A composite score that compares your performance to that of the other test-takers is created by adding the scores you earn in each section.

The ACT Writing test

A different scoring system is used for the writing test. 

This 40-minute essay will test your ability to organize your thoughts into a logical piece of writing where you will be asked to give your opinion on a particular subject.

You can select your position using the prompt provided or come up with your own. 

Your ability to create a strong thesis statement that is supported by evidence will be scored, not your viewpoint.

Also read How To Check PSAT Scores

What Is A Good ACT Score?: How The Scoring And Calculation Is Done

Your raw ACT score is transformed into a scaled score for every section. 

The scale has a range of 1 to 36 points. 

To determine your composite ACT score, which runs from 1 to 36, your scaled scores for each part are then averaged. 

The number of questions you successfully answer in each segment determines your raw score.

This is the simplest method of scoring because it requires no additional calculations or time-wasting activities; it simply involves counting the correct answers. 

Nevertheless, there is a little issue with using raw ACT scores. 

The issue is that the ACT test questions vary depending on the test date because there can be tougher or simpler questions on some exam days. 

The scores are scaled to guarantee that they meet the same standards.

Scale scores are generated from your raw scores for each section. 

For instance, you receive a scale score of 5 for the English part if you correctly respond to 9 to 10 questions.

But keep in mind that the conversion from raw to scaled scores may vary depending on the ACT exam date. 

This is due to the fact that the scale is adjusted depending on how challenging the ACT test will be on a certain date.

ACT composite score

Your composite score, also known as your final score, is obtained by averaging the scaled points for each part. 

For the composite score of 36, you must obviously get every question correct, with the exception of the math, which allows for one error.

What Is A Good ACT Score?: How To Get A Good ACT Score

You won’t have a hard time getting a good ACT score if you study hard and follow certain tips.

Some of these tips are listed below:

1. Practice with quality materials.

ACT practice exams help you develop your skills and become more comfortable with the test’s format. 

Additionally, it identifies your areas for development.

2. Use an ACT study guide

Find an ACT study guide that provides you with a test overview and the subjects you need to cover. 

A study guide will indicate where to start and stop because you don’t need to review every subject you covered in high school.

3. Get everything you need ready before the exam day

Make sure that the test’s requirements are complete and ready before the exam date.

4. Get a rest

Your brain needs all the energy it can generate for the challenging exam, so you don’t want it to become fatigued the night before. 

There’s no need for further reading the day before the exam.

5. Go to the test venue at least 30 minutes before the exam

This provides you with just a few minutes to rest before the test.

6. During the exam, start with the ones you know

Study the questions completely. 

After responding to all of the simple questions, go on to the more challenging ones.

7. Tackle all the questions as best as you can

Give every question your best shot.

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Where Do I Get Materials To Prepare For The ACT Exam?

There are numerous resources available to you, both offline and online, to aid with your ACT exam preparation. 

These include the tools that ACT, Inc. has specially created. 

Visit the resources of ACT, Inc. to learn more about the test preparation options.

Conclusion

One of the SAT or ACT exams will almost certainly be required if you’re applying to a regular four-year university in America. 

Always prepare for the exam and give it your best shot.

You can organize study groups or enroll in specialized tutoring programs.

Always keep in mind that you have the option of retaking the test, but you should schedule your first attempt early enough to obtain your results before the deadline for college applications.

What Is A Good ACT Score?: Frequently Asked Questions