ACT Prep Guide

The American College Testing (ACT) exam is a standardized test that college and university admissions officers use to measure the academic achievements of current applicants. First offered in 1959, the ACT was originally created as an alternative to College Board’s Scholastic Aptitude Test (now known as the SAT exam).

The ACT is offered six times per year in testing locations across the country. It is comprised of four required sections — English, mathematics, reading and science — and one optional writing section. Each required section of the test is scored out of a possible 36 points, and a test-taker’s final score represents a ‘composite score’ of the four sections.

The optional writing section is graded separately, and scored using a different method (see below). The exam is designed to measure ‘college readiness’ in high school graduates by testing their reading comprehension, scientific reasoning skills and ability to form logical arguments.

The ACT is now available online. While not all school districts offer the online ACT — after all, it requires computers, special software, and proctor caching capabilities — most are actively working toward it. Students should expect this version to become the preferred format for standardized testing as it provides increased security, convenience, and accuracy. It also reduces costs associated with test administration and delivers scores immediately upon completion.

The sections of the online ACT — English, reading, science, math, and (optional) essay — are the same as in the paper version. Also like the paper test, students are given pencils and scratch paper for notetaking, and regular breaks are provided. There are slight differences between the two versions: The online ACT includes a countdown clock, unanswered questions are marked with an orange dot, and students can virtually “cross-off” answers.

Within a controlled setting, schools provide equipment for the online ACT. Each student is given a school-supplied laptop, Chromebook, or computer, as personal laptops are not permitted. The school’s local server is also used to give the exams and collect responses, which are then electronically delivered to the main server of Pearson Assessment. At that point, exams are instantly removed from the school’s computers and local server, ensuring student data is encrypted and free from hacking.

The online and paper versions of the ACT cost the same. And as with the paper version, the optional writing section requires an additional fee. Other fees, like late registration, may apply.

Students can visit TestNav to review the online ACT and take a timed or untimed practice test. Test preparation materials, including study guides and best practices, are available on ACT’s website.

The ACT test is comprised of four timed multiple-choice sections in English, math, reading and science. Students who elect to take the optional writing test will also be asked to answer a writing prompt. Each of the four required sections includes subdivisions designed to test a specific competencies in that particular subject. Our section-by-section ACT exam breakdown is found below.

The English section of the ACT test is comprised of 75 multiple-choice questions that must be completed within 45 minutes. The section covers usage and mechanics of the English language, as well as rhetorical skills.

Your first step with each question should be to eliminate all answers you know to be incorrect. The process of elimination will help you narrow down the list of possible answers, thereby increasing your chances of choosing the correct one if a guess is required.

The math section of the ACT features 60 questions that must be completed within 60 minutes. The section covers various mathematical and analytical functions found in arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry. Approved calculators are allowed for the entire section; an extensive list of calculators that are permitted and prohibited can be found here.

Get to know your calculator before the exam; knowing all of its specific functions and shortcuts will save a great deal of time during the testing period.

The reading section includes 40 multiple-choice questions (based on four written passages) that must be completed within 35 minutes. The passages are typically comprised of non-fiction humanities, social science and natural science subjects, as well as one fictional passage. The material is comparable to college freshman-level curriculum, and is designed to assess reading comprehension and evaluation skills, rather than acute vocabulary or memorization techniques.

Read each passage as many times as necessary, and use the process of elimination to narrow down possible answer choices.

The science section includes 40 multiple-choice questions (based on multiple passages) that must be completed within 35 minutes. The section tests scientific reasoning skills related to Earth science, physical science and biology.

Although this section contains science-related material, reading comprehension is equally important for choosing your answers. Read the passage below before answering the questions provided:

The optional writing section of the ACT evaluates logical reasoning and persuasive writing by asking test-takers to compose a compelling writing prompt. You’ll be given 40 minutes to write a cohesive essay that clearly expresses your perspective on the given topic and compares your stance to three other perspectives included below the passage.

This section of the ACT is optional, although some colleges and universities require students to submit a writing score along with scores from the four required sections of the exam. The writing section will not affect the composite score of the exam, but the writing score will add an English Language Arts (ELA) score to your ACT records; an ELA score is a prerequisite for admission to some colleges.

Read the passage a couple of times, making notes beginning on the second read-through, and carefully examine all three perspectives to find the ones that are most relevant to your position.

The Act utilizes a composite scoring system, awarding composite (or average) scores out of a possible 36 points.

Each required section is graded on a scale of one to 36 points. The first step in determining the exam score is tallying the raw scores for all four of the required sections. Each section awards one point for each correct answer, and then the total number of correct answer points is scaled to a score between 1 and 36. The scores of each section are then added together and divided by four to calculate the composite, or average, final score.

For example, let’s say you scored the following: 28 for the math section; 26 for the reading section; 23 for the science section and 24 for the English section. Your composite score would be these four numbers divided by four, or 25.25. This figure is rounded down for a final composite score of 25.

The writing test, like the other sections, is scored on a scale of one to 36 points. Additionally, ACT readers will grade the essay on four domains, or subsections: Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, and Language Use and Conventions. Two readers will grade each domain on a scale of one to six points, for a possible score of two to 12 points in each domain. An image of the essay and the test/domain scores will be included in your ACT records if you choose to participate in this optional section — but the essay will not affect the composite score whatsoever.

ACT multiple-choice scores are released anywhere from 10 days to eight weeks after the exam date. If you opt for the writing test, then your composite score will not be released until the essay has been graded. Writing scores are generally available two weeks after multiple-choice scores have been announced. Reasons for delayed scores include errors on ACT documents or incomplete forms, as well as outstanding exam fees. Scores will be directly sent to schools.

Recent reports place the national average ACT test score at 21, with those in the midwest and upper east coast among the highest-scoring states. While the number of students with a perfect composite score of 36 on the ACT has increased dramatically since 2013, this group is still representative of less than 1% of all students completing the test.

In recent years, certain colleges and universities have adopted a ‘superscoring’ system for entrance exam scores. In this system, only your highest subsection scores out of every time you’ve sat for the ACT exam are considered. For example, if you took the test twice and did better on math the first time but better on reading the second, your superscore will include the highest subscores of the two sections from two different tests for a better overall score.

When you register for the ACT, you will be asked to list all of the schools and scholarship agencies where you would like your scores sent. Your ACT scores will not be sent to these recipients until you have viewed them; if you are dissatisfied with the results, simply log in to your account and delete all of your college recipients from the list. If you would like to include additional schools and agencies after you have sent your scores to the original recipients, then you may submit a request in writing, online or by phone or email.

Understanding the ACT format is crucial to earning a high composite score on the exam. For this reason, extensive pre-exam studying is encouraged. According to PrepScholar, there is no set-in-stone amount of study time that will guarantee success on the ACT. Instead, you should first use ACT prep materials become familiar with the exam format. Then, calculate a reasonable goal for your composite score and take multiple practice tests. Finally, calculate the difference between your scores on the practice tests and your goal score and study additionally as needed. A one point differential may call for an extra 10 hours of study, while six to nine points may require more than 150 hours of additional study.

In order to attain the highest possible composite score, it’s important to utilize a wide range of study resources. ACT prep guidebooks are often seen as the standard studying tool. Additionally, you can use alternative materials such as flashcards, study apps and tutoring services. The following list features our list of ACT test prep resources: