Scores for the ACT Test
How can I see my scores?
Whenavailable, your scores are posted online and accessed using your MyACT account.
ACT Customer Support cannotprovide your scores by phone, email, chat, or fax.
- Multiple choice scoresare normally available two weeks after each national test date, but it can sometimes take up to eight weeks.
- Writing scoresare normally available about two weeks after
your multiple-choice scores.
If you took the writing test, your overall scores are not officially reported until your writing scores have been added.Viewing
your scores online does not speed up reporting.
Regarding the October and February test dates only:Scores from these test dates are available within3-8 weeks. During these test dates, ACT performs equating activities in order to ensure that scores reported have a constant meaning across all test forms.
Score reporting dates
Scores are delivered over a window of time after the test date and are processed continuously during business hours. ACT is committed to providing your scores as quickly as possible but cannot guarantee a specific date for your scores to be reported.
National test date | Reporting Timeframe |
September 11 | September 21 - November 5 |
October 23 | November 9 - December 17 |
December 11 | December 21 - February 4 |
February 12 | March 1 - April 8 |
April 2 | April 12 - May 27 |
June 11 | June 21 - August 5 |
July 16 | July 26 - September 9 |
If your scores are not yet available, while during the posted timeframe, ACT is unable to provide a status or timeline about a specific score.
Occasionallywe are unable to post scores when expected. If yours are not available yet, it may be due to one of these issues:
- Answer documents from your test center arrived late or your test date was rescheduled.
- The "Matching Information" you provided on the answer document (name, date of birth, and Match Number) is not consistent with the Matching Information on your admission ticket.Scores cannot be reported until they can be accurately matched to the correct person. You provided incomplete or inaccurate test form information on the answer document, or the answer document has not cleared all other scoring accuracy checks.
- An irregularity is reported at your test center.
- You owe any registration fees.
Delivery timelines
ACT sends score report data to the recipients you provided during registration; these include your high school and any institutions with college codes you provided. ACT also provides your scores through your web account.
Type of report | Where it's delivered | When it's delivered | What it reports |
Student report | Your online ACT web account | About 2–8 weeks after the test date | ACT scores, college and career planning information |
High school report | Your high schoolvia online reporting | About 2–8 weeks after the test date | ACT scores, college and career planning information |
College report | Each valid college code you listed and paid for when you registered or tested (up to six) | Varies based on college and when ordered | Everything on the Student and High School Report, plus the grades you reported in up to 30 high school courses; it may also include predictions about your performance in specific college programs and courses |
Your scores in MyACT
MyACT now delivers dynamic score reports for National testing events.MyACT is mobile-accessible and friendly and all results can be accessed on a PC, tablet, or mobile device.
When you select score recipients, you’ll have the option of sending either score reports from the specific test event or you can choose to send your superscore.
You may print an unofficial copy of your ACT test score by using your browser’s print option.A PDF student report is currently unavailable.
Additional Services
Request a Copy of the Questions and Answers
Certain national test dates and centers give you the opportunity to order a copy of your questions, your answers, the answer key, and scoring instructions—plus the writing prompt, scoring rubric, and scores assigned to the optional writing test.
Request a Copy
Back to Top
Score Verification Service
You can ask ACT to verify your multiple-choice and/or your writing test scores up to 12 months after your test date. Please download theRequest for Score Verification (PDF). You will need to print the completed form and mail to:
ACT Customer Care
PO Box 414
Iowa City, IA 52243-0414, USA
Include your name as given at the time of testing, address, and date of birth, as well as your ACT ID, test date (month and year), and test location from your score report. Enclose a check payable to ACT Customer Care for the applicable fee:
- $55.00 multiple-choice tests
- $55.00 writing test essay
- $110.00 both the multiple-choice tests and writing test essay
For multiple-choice tests, ACT will verify that your responses were checked against the correct score key.
For writing tests, ACT will verify that your essay was scored by at least two independent, qualified readers and by a third reader in the event that the two scores differed by more than one point in any domain. ACT will also verify that your essay was properly captured and displayed to readers. If errors are discovered during score verification, ACT will rescore your essay.
ACT will inform you by letter of the results of the score verification about three to five weeks after receiving your request.
If a scoring error is discovered, your scores will be changed and corrected reports will be released to you and all previous score report recipients at no charge. In addition, your score verification fee will be refunded.
Score Verification Request (PDF)
Back to Top
Correcting Errors in Your Score Report
Student errors
If, after you receive your score report, you find that you made a significant error in the information you supplied to us about yourself, or if you want to change your address, you may ask us to correct your record. Write to:
ACT Customer Care
P.O. Box 414
Iowa City, IA 52243-0414 USA
Write within three months of receiving your score report.Enclose a photocopy or printed pdf of your Student Report describing the error and the change you are requesting.
There is no fee for making the correction, but you must pay the applicable fee for each corrected report you wish sent to a college, agency, or high school.
Other errors
If you think there is an error (on any information other than your test scores), write to ACT Customer Care—Score Reports at the above address within three months of receiving your score report. Enclose a photocopy or printed pdf of your Student Report describing the error and the change you are requesting.
If an error is our responsibility and requires you to retest, there will be no fee. If the error does not involve retesting, corrected score reports will be released to you and all previous score recipients at no charge.
If an error is not to be found to be made by ACTand you wish to send corrected reports, you must request and pay for Additional Score Reports.
Back to Top
Changing Score Recipients
If you need to change a score recipient, you have until Thursday noon after the regularly scheduled test date.
Back to Top
Need to send more scores?
In addition to the four institutions you selected upon registering, you can send your scores to others, even after you test. Requests are processed after all scores for your test option—the ACT or the ACT with writing—are ready.
Find College Codes
How to Send Scores
Can scores be cancelled?
ACT reserves the right to cancel test scores when there is reason to believe the scores are invalid. See theCompromises/Disruptions in the Testing Process—Limitation of Remediessection of the ACT Terms and Conditions (PDF)for details.
Outside of state testing and district testing, you may request to cancel scores for a particular test date. Contact us online and we will provide you a form to complete and return to us. We will then permanently cancel that score record for the indicated test date and send
cancellation notices to any score recipients.
Understanding Your Scores
What does it all mean?
There's a lot of information provided in the ACT score report.
Follow the link below to learn why we show individual reporting categories, how we arrived at your Composite score—and more!
Understanding Scores
National ranks
How do you compare?
Your national ranks tell you how your scores compare to those earned by recent high school graduates who took the ACT. Colleges use this information to help make admissions decisions, and scholarship agencies may base awards on it.
National Ranks
How schools use results
Your current and future schools want to learn more about you.
Just as you can use national ranks to get a sense of your strengths and weaknesses, so can your high school and potential colleges.A high rank in a content area may suggest a good chance of success in related college majors and careers. A low rank may indicate that you need to develop your skills more by taking additional coursework in that area. This information is helpful for you as well as your current and future schools.
How Schools Use Results
Should I retest?
43% of ACT test takers chose to take the test more than once last year, and more than half of them improved their scores.
View Infographic
Why every point matters on the ACT test
Did you know improving by just a single test point can be worth thousands of dollars in financial aid for your college education? The ACT® test is important to your future—and can open up new opportunities for college and career.
What scores are reported if I test more than once?
You determine which set of scores is sent to colleges or scholarship programs. We will release only the scores from the test date (month and year) and test location (e.g., National, State, School) you designate.
Can I combine scores from different test dates to create a new Composite score?
Yes - superscoring enables you to combine scores from different test dates.
Can I report only my writing scores or only my multiple-choice scores from a test date?
No. All scores from a test date will be reported together.
Can I combine my writing scores from one test date with my multiple-choice scores from another?
Yes - superscoring enables you to combine writing scores from one test date with multiple-choice scores from another test date.
Test Security Hotline
Cheating hurts everyone – if you see it, report it. You can make an anonymous report by using the Test Security Hotline.Discussing test content—including on social media—is not permitted.Students who don't do their own work put honest students at a disadvantage. If you suspect that someone is trying to take unfair advantages or encounter anything else out of the ordinary, please report it to ACT.
Compromises and disruptions
See theCompromises/Disruptions in the Testing Process—Limitation of Remedies section of ACT's Terms and Conditionsfor remedies available to examinees affected by compromises or disruptions in the testing process.
FAQs
What is a good score on the ACT test? ›
A score of 24 means you've scored better than about 74% of students. A 28 means you've scored better than 88% of students, and a 30 means you've scored better than 93% of them! Anything 34 or above is in the 99th percentile—a truly phenomenal score.
Is a 7 good on the ACT? ›7 ACT Score Standings
You can apply to 3 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted. You have a very low chance of getting into 1496 schools with this score.
Is a 21 ACT Score (50th Percentile) Good? A 21 ACT score is a little bit better than the average score of 20.8. Because of this, a 21 is a commonly accepted score at many schools, but it may not make you competitive at selective schools.
Is a 23 in ACT good? ›A score of 23 on the ACT is above the current national average and will make you a strong applicant at many universities, but it may fall below the average score for accepted students at more selective colleges. The higher your ACT score, the more options are open to you.
Is 14 a good ACT score? ›Is a 14 a good ACT score? A score of 14 is definitely low. It places you in the bottom 13th percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam. The score indicates you've done a very poor job answering the questions on the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the test.
What is a bad ACT score? ›In other words, to be above average nationally, you need at least a 21 ACT composite score. Any composite 16 or lower is in the bottom 25%. If you score below 16 or lower on the ACT, your score is definitely in the very low range nationwide.
Is a 12 on ACT good? ›12 ACT Score Standings
Out of the 1.91 million test-takers, 1838217 scored the same or higher than you. You can apply to 4 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted. You have a very low chance of getting into 1495 schools with this score.
What Is a Good ACT Score Overall? A good ACT score ranks you higher than the majority of test-takers. As such, any composite score above the 50th percentile, or 19-20, can be considered a solid score. That said, a 20 won't cut it at many competitive colleges.
Is a 31 ACT good? ›A 31 ACT score makes you eligible to apply to the vast majority of schools as a competitive applicant, as well as makes you eligible for merit aid. All of that considered, a 31 is definitely a good ACT score.
Is a 27 on the ACT good? ›Let's first answer your question – Is 27 a good ACT score? Yes, it is. With a 27 ACT score, you can get into very good schools. It equals 85%, which is quite higher than the average score, so, if you have got a 27 ACT, good job!
Is a 29 good on the ACT? ›
A 29 ACT score puts you in the 91st percentile — that means you scored higher than 91% of all test takers. That's a brilliant accomplishment and you should be proud!
Is a 28 on ACT good? ›Looking at this from that percentage angle, an ACT score of 28 puts you at the 88th percentile — that means you scored higher than 88% of all test takers, of which there are nearly 2 million. All that considered, a 28 is definitely a good score!
Is a 30 on ACT good? ›Because of all this, a 30 ACT score is definitely considered good! To help you understand your standing within all test takers, a score of 30 on the ACT puts you at the 93rd percentile, meaning you scored higher than 93% of all test takers.
Is a 32 on the ACT good? ›As the national average ACT is estimated at around 20, students who want to know – 'is a 32 ACT score good? ', can rest assured that it is a great score. With a 32 ACT score in your application, you can get admission to some of the most selective colleges.
Is a 25 good on the ACT? ›So is 25 a good ACT score? We know that a 20 on the ACT is the average score for students in the 50th percentile. You outperformed 74% of your classmates on the ACT with a score of 24. A 25 ACT score adds you to the 78th percentile, which puts you ahead of three-quarters of test-takers.
Is 22 a good ACT score? ›A score of 22 is a good score and is better than average. It puts you in the top 62nd percentile of the applicants for the test. You have a chance of getting admissions into some good colleges with 22 on the ACT.
Is a 33 ACT good? ›If you are wondering is 33 a good ACT score, yes, it is. With a 33 ACT score, you're now in the top 1% of the population. It puts you in the highest 98th percentile of the 2 million people who took the ACT admission exam nationwide.
What does a 34 on the ACT mean? ›A 34 ACT puts you at the 99th percentile, meaning you scored higher than 99% of all test takers.
What ACT scores are needed for college? ›That said, for the country's most selective colleges and universities, you should be aiming to get an ACT composite score of 30 or higher. The tables below show the middle 50 percent range of ACT scores for different schools. The middle 50 percent of admitted students fell within these numbers.
What is a perfect ACT score 2021? ›Students can take the test up to 12 times to achieve the highest score possible. So what is a perfect ACT score? The perfect composite score is 36. This score is an average of your four section scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science.
What is a good ACT score for 2021? ›
ACT Section | 2021–2022 Average Score |
---|---|
English | 19.9 |
Math | 20.2 |
Reading | 21.1 |
Science | 20.5 |
If you ask us, “is a 24 on the ACT good? We will say 'Yes' because it places you in the 73rd percentile of the country's 2 million ACT takers. Your score indicates above-average performance in English, math, reading, and science.
Is a 26 ACT score good? ›Students who have 26 on the ACT scale can take admission to many colleges. Of 2 million test-takers, 26 ACT scores place an applicant in the top 82nd percentile nationally. This score highlights that the applicant has prepared well and has a good knowledge of all the sections.
What is a 15 on the ACT? ›Is a 15 a good ACT score? A score of 15 isn't very competitive. It places you in the bottom 19th percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam. The score indicates you've done a very poor job answering the questions on the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the test.
Is 35 a good ACT score? ›If you have attained a 35 ACT or your college is asking for one, it means they are asking for an above-average score. 35 on the ACT is equal to 99%. So, this means you need to be a topper in the class to have a 35 on the ACT. 36 ACT is considered as 100% or full marks in all subjects.
Is a 10 on the ACT good? ›An average score on the current ACT Writing Exam is a a 6.5. For highly selective colleges, you'll want a score of 8 or higher. Scores of 10, 11, and 12 truly stand out and highlight strong writing skills.
Is a 18 ACT score good? ›Earning an 18 on the ACT puts you at the 38th percentile, meaning that you scored higher than 38% of all test takers.
Can I get into an Ivy League with a 31 ACT? ›The middle 50% for most Ivy League schools spans in the 32-35 score range. Although Ivy League schools prefer to accept students with slightly higher scores than 31, that doesn't mean that a 31 is an automatic rejection from a top tier university.
Can I get into Yale with a 31 ACT? ›The middle 50 percent of students admitted to Yale score between 31 and 35 on the ACT. This is the composite score, or the average of all four sections. For comparison, the highest possible score on the ACT is a 36.
Is a 30 on the ACT good enough for Ivy League? ›Admission to any of the eight Ivy League schools is highly selective, and ACT scores are an important piece of the admissions equation. Generally applicants will need a composite score of 30 or higher to be competitive although some applicants are admitted with lower scores.
Can I get into Harvard with a 27 ACT? ›
A score that means you scored better than 80% of test takers. While that's good, it's still not admission worthy for elite colleges like Harvard and MIT.
Is 17 a good ACT score? ›Is a 17 a good ACT score? A score of 17 is pretty low. It places you in the bottom 31st percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam. The score indicates you've done a well below average job answering the questions on the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the test.
Can you get scholarships with a 27 ACT? ›As your SAT score goes up, the required class rank goes down—students with a 1200+ SAT score or 25+ ACT score may receive a scholarship at a top 30% class ranking, and students with a 1400+ SAT or 31+ ACT score may receive a scholarship at a top 40% class ranking.
Can you get into Harvard with a 29 ACT? ›The 25th percentile ACT score is 33, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 35. In other words, a 33 places you below average, while a 35 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute ACT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 33 to have a chance at being considered.
How do you get a 32 on the ACT? ›Here are some ways you could get a composite ACT score of 30: 30s on all four sections. 30s on two sections and 29s on the other two. 32s on two sections and 28s on the other two.
Can I get into Harvard with a 28 ACT? ›ACT Scores needed to get accepted
Admission data indicates that Harvard regularly accepts students with ACT's of 33 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 2 percent nationally.
With a 28 ACT score, you're already strongly competitive for these schools. You're very likely to get admitted if you apply. If you improve your ACT score, your Safety Schools will get better and better.
Is a 19 on the ACT good? ›Is a 19 a good ACT score? A score of 19 is a little worse than average. It places you in the bottom 44th percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam.
Is it hard to get a 36 on the ACT? ›The odds of getting a perfect score on the ACT (a 36 composite) in 2017 were 0.14%. Put differently, approximately one in every 735 students who took the ACT got a 36. The odds are roughly equivalent to guessing correctly two letters of the alphabet one after the other.
What does it take to get a 36 on the ACT? ›Based on the ACT practice tests, most sections require you to miss 0 questions to receive a score of 36. However, in the Math section, you might be able to miss 1 question and still receive a 36. Receiving a score of 35 most often entails missing 1–3 questions in each section.