The best unofficial prep for the ACT.

Registration for the ACT typically takes place online and costs $65 (for the standard Reading, Math, and English sections), which includes a report for you, your high school, and up to four colleges. You will enter codes for each of these schools when you register. To include the Science section, add $4, and to include the Writing section, add $25. There are also late, change, and non-refundable fees, so it’s best to double check your test date and location before you register.

• Bring an approved photo ID and your printed pre-registration ticket.

• Bring your own sharpened, soft lead No. 2 pencils with good erasers. Other kinds of writing instruments (such as mechanical pens, ink pens, and highlight pens) are not allowed. If you registered for the ACT Plus Writing, you will be required to use a pencil for that, too.

• You may bring a four-function, scientific or graphing calculator to the testing room for your own use, but only for the Math section of the test. Sharing calculators is not allowed. Some types of calculators are prohibited.

• Bringing a watch or timer (without an alarm) is also recommended, so you can keep track of your time.

• Snacks, if desired, can be eaten outside of the testing room during the break.

Your ACT score will fall within a point range between 1 and 36 for each of the three mandatory testing areas. These three scores are averaged together for a composite ACT score. When people ask you for your ACT results, they are usually referring to this composite amount, with the national average being about 21.

If you choose to complete the optional Writing section, you will be given an essay prompt with 40 minutes to compose your essay response. This score appears as a Writing test subscore of between 2 and 12. The ACT imposes no penalty for guessing.

Your ACT score report will contain a number of other informative scores. There are figures that indicate how many correct answers you got out of the highest number possible. Also, your subscores on each section of the test will be placed on a number line that contains a bar labeled ACT Readiness Range. This way, you will be able to tell where your subscore falls in terms of scores that show readiness for college-level study.

Also included in the score report is an estimated STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) benchmark rating. This benchmark is a result of your combined scores on the Math and Science sections of the ACT. It is shown to help students plan their college and career paths.

Even more career-planning information is given to test-takers in the report by the way of Career Connector summaries and Interest-Major Fit data. These scores are established through student responses given during registration about their interests and experience.

In 2021, the ACT introduced superscoring, which gives test-takers the ability to average the best of their subject scores from multiple test attempts.

Here’s an example that shows how superscores work:

Test Attempt 1:

• English = 28
• Reading = 29
• Mathematics = 28
• Science = 28
• Total Score = 113/4 = 28.25 = 28

Test Attempt 2

• English = 31
• Reading = 30
• Mathematics = 25
• Science = 31
• Total Score = 117/4 = 29.25 = 29

Using superscoring, you use your highest scores across both test attempts to calculate your new ACT score:

• English = 31
• Reading = 30
• Mathematics = 28
• Science = 31
• Total Score = 120/4 = 30

Think of taking the ACT as an important step toward your life goal of securing your chosen job. If you score well on test day, your chances of gaining proper college training for that job increase. Employers look for people with the best, most complete training. Having a degree from a college, with a strong program in your chosen field, will be a huge asset. There is no end to the employment opportunities that will be open to you with a specialized college education.

Students of every age and grade level are eligible to take the ACT, but students under the age of 13 cannot register online. They must request a registration packet from the test producers. This request may be made online through the official ACT site.

Many students take the test in April of their junior year, but if you want to allow time to retake the test, it is best to take it earlier. You may only take the ACT a total of 12 times, and this includes any tests that were canceled by you or the ACT testing service. There are very few exceptions to this rule, so check with the ACT organization if you have questions.

Your ACT scores matter because they are part of the total package that decides whether or not you are admitted to the college of your choice. A good test score can mean the difference between getting into the school you want and settling for a lesser one.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has established that the median yearly income for those with a bachelor’s degree is 63% higher than those with only a high school diploma.

The ACT is offered nationally seven times a year: September, October, December, February, April, June, and July. Individual states or areas may eliminate the February and July test dates. For the 2024-2025 school year, the remaining test dates are as follows:

• April 5, 2025

• June 15, 2025

• July 12, 2025

There are strict deadlines for registering, and this must be done about five weeks in advance of the actual test date. You can incur late or change fees, so plan your testing schedule well in advance. Approved testing centers nearest to your location are listed by state—most states having at least a few geographic areas to accommodate test-takers from all regions. Special accommodations are offered for students who have disabilities, students who are homebound, or students who have religious date conflicts.

Time allowed for the test sections is as follows:

• English—35 minutes for 50 questions

• Reading—40 minutes for 36 questions

• Math—50 minutes for 45 questions

• Science—40 minutes for 40 questions

• Writing (optional)—40 minutes to write one essay (no change)

The total time to complete the three core subjects (English, Reading, and Mathematics) will be approximately two hours and five minutes plus short breaks. If the optional Science section is included, the total testing time will increase to about two hours and 45 minutes plus short breaks. Adding the optional Writing section will extend the testing time to approximately three hours and 25 minutes plus short breaks. (A short break is given after each subject test.)