The ACT is a college entrance exam that is used by the majority of colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. ACT, Inc. administers a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper exam.

The ACT test is designed to assess a high school student’s college readiness and provide colleges with a single point of comparison for all applicants. College admissions officers will look at your standardised test scores, high school GPA, classes you took in high school, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays. The importance of ACT scores in the college application process varies by school.

What is Assessed on the ACT Exam?

The ACT is divided into four sections: English, Reading, Math, and Science.

The ACT also includes a 40-minute optional Writing Test. The ACT Writing Test may be required by some colleges. The admissions policies of each college can be found on the school’s website or in our school profiles.

The ACT lasts 2 hours and 55 minutes. If you take the ACT with Essay, the test will last 3 hours and 35 minutes.

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