United States Test Preparation

ACT

 
 

The ACT test was developed in the United States in 1959 by an American non-profit organization by the same name. In September 2015, ACT revised its multiple-choice question (MCQ) format to become more student-friendly. MCQs are now much more predictable. Though ACT makes the challenging ACT Writing Test optional, many undergraduate schools still require the ACT Writing Test for admissions. High school students are encouraged to complete our free ACT Diagnostic Test (DT) to get started!


Format

The ACT contains four (4) multiple-choice question (MCQ) tests and one (1) optional essay test:

  • English Test (45 Minutes; 75 Questions; Scale Score Range 1-36)

  • Mathematics Test (60 Minutes; 60 Questions; Scale Score Range 1-36)

  • Reading Test (35 Minutes; 40 Questions; Scale Score Range 1-36)

  • Science Test (35 Minutes; 40 Questions; Scale Score Range 1-36)

  • ACT Multiple-Choice Scale Score Range 1-36

  • Writing Test (40 Minutes; Four [4] Writing Test Scoring Rubric Categories: Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, and Language Use; Score Range 2-12)

Dates and Deadlines

Tips for Students

The ACT was revised in September 2015:

  • English Test contains five (5) passages with four (4) answer choices

  • Mathematics Test contains five (5) answer choices and allows calculators

  • Reading Test contains four (4) passages (Literary Narrative, Social Science, Humanities, Natural Science), including one paired passage and four (4) answer choices

  • Science Test contains supplementary material and four (4) answer choices

  • No penalty for incorrect MCQ answers

  • Writing Test contains three perspectives to be argued


 

ACT National Average Scores

Year English Test Math Test Reading Test Science Test Composite Score Number of Students
2023 18.0 19.0 20.1 19.6 19.5 1,386,335
2022 19.0 19.3 20.4 19.9 19.8 1,349,644
2021 19.6 19.9 20.9 20.4 20.4 1,295,349
2020 19.9 20.2 21.2 20.6 20.6 1,670,497
2019 20.1 20.4 21.2 20.6 20.7 1,782,820
2018 20.2 20.5 21.3 20.7 20.8 1,914,817
2017 20.3 20.7 21.4 21.0 21.0 2,030,038
2016 20.1 20.6 21.3 20.8 20.8 2,090,342
2015 20.4 20.8 21.4 20.9 21.0 1,924,436
2014 20.3 20.9 21.3 20.8 21.0 1,845,787
2013 20.2 20.9 21.1 20.7 20.9 1,799,243
2012 20.5 21.1 21.3 20.9 21.1 1,666,017
Source: ACT 2012-2023
 

 

ACT National Distributions of Cumulative Percents for ACT Scores (2023-2024)

Score English Test Math Test Reading Test Science Test Composite Score
36 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
35 99% 99% 98% 99% 99%
34 97% 99% 96% 99% 99%
33 95% 98% 94% 97% 98%
32 94% 97% 92% 96% 97%
31 92% 96% 90% 95% 95%
30 91% 95% 88% 94% 94%
29 90% 94% 86% 93% 92%
28 88% 92% 84% 91% 90%
27 87% 90% 81% 89% 8%
26 85% 87% 79% 87% 85%
25 82% 83% 76% 84% 81%
24 79% 79% 74% 80% 78%
23 75% 75% 6% 74% 74%
22 71% 71% 6% 67% 69%
21 66% 68% 59% 62% 64%
20 60% 65% 53% 56% 59%
19 55% 61% 48% 50% 53%
18 51% 56% 43% 44% 47%
17 47% 50% 39% 37% 41%
16 43% 41% 34% 30% 35%
15 38% 29% 30% 24% 28%
14 31% 17% 25% 18% 22%
13 25% 8% 19% 13% 14%
12 20% 3% 14% 9% 8%
11 16% 2% 8% 6% 3%
10 10% 1% 4% 3% 1%
9 5% 1% 2% 1% 1%
8 2% 1% 1% 1% 1%
7 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
6 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
5 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
4 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
3 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
2 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
1 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
Source: ACT 2023