When applying to colleges, you’re certainly aware of the significance of having a high GPA and writing an outstanding personal statement. Did you realize, however, that your ACT (American College Testing) exam score may potentially make or break your application?

What constitutes a good ACT score varies based on the college to which you are applying. To make matters even more complicated, the ACT exam is divided into four sections. In addition, there is an additional writing portion that is labeled differently than the remainder of the exam.

What Constitutes a Good ACT Score?

An ACT exam cannot be failed since there is no official pass grade. However, the higher the ACT score you should aim for, the more prestigious the college you’re applying to.

The ACT exam is divided into four sections: science, mathematics, reading, and English. Each segment is worth 36 points, and your Composite score is calculated by averaging the four sections’ mean average scores.

In reality, any ACT score above the national average is a strong ACT score. Every year, the national average varies.

The national average Composite score for the 2020-2021 term was 19-20 out of 36. Based on this, students should aim for a score of about 20 on each area of the ACT exam for their score to be regarded as acceptable. Follow this link for assistance in achieving the highest possible ACT score.

What are colleges looking for in a test score?

As previously said, it is dependent on the college to which you are applying, as ACT score requirements might vary greatly.

For example, if your ACT score is less than 30, more prominent colleges are more likely to reject your application. Less renowned colleges, on the other hand, may consider a score of 20-30 points to be an outstanding ACT score.

Checking the facts and numbers page on the institution’s website or just Googling the institution’s name followed by ‘ACT score range’ is one approach to find out what ACT score your prospective college looks for.

Writing Section of the ACT

This component of the test is optional, and it is graded from 1 to 12 rather than out of 36. If the college you’re applying to requires an entrance essay, taking the ACT writing part is an excellent option.

This component is completely independent of the rest of your ACT exam and is not factored toward your overall Composite score. The essay receives a grade out of 12 based on its strength in four sections: language use and conventions, organization, ideas and analysis, and development and support.

Finally, consider the following:

Please return to this post in the future if you have any questions about the ACT exam.