ACT (test)

This article is about the college admission test in the United States. For the company which administers this test, see ACT, Inc.

ACT
TypePaper-based and computer-based standardized test
AdministratorACT, Inc.
Skills testedEnglish, math, reading, science (optional), writing (optional).
PurposeUndergraduate admissions (mostly in the US and Canadian universities or colleges).
Year started1959; 65 years ago (1959)
DurationEnglish: 45 minutes,
Math: 60 minutes,
Reading: 35 minutes,
Science: 35 minutes,
Non-Graded Test: 20 minutes,
Optional writing test: 40 minutes.
Total: 3 hours and 55 minutes (excluding breaks).[1]
Score rangeComposite score: 1 to 36,
Subscore (for each of the four subject areas): 1 to 36.
(All in 1-point increments.)[2]
Optional Writing Score: 2 to 12. (Sum of two graders’ scoring from 1-6)
OfferedUS and Canada: 7 times a year.[3]
Other countries: 5 times a year.[4]
RegionsWorldwide[5][6]
LanguagesEnglish
Annual number of test takersIncrease Over 1.38 million high school graduates in the class of 2023[7]
PrerequisitesNo official prerequisite. Intended for high school students. Fluency in English assumed.
FeeWithout writing: US$63.00 as of 2022.
With writing: US$88.00 as of 2022. Outside US: $108.50 surcharge as of 2021 in addition to the above amounts.[8] (Fee waivers are available for 11th or 12th grade students who are US citizens or testing in the US or US territories, and have demonstrated financial need.[9])
Used byColleges or universities offering undergraduate programs (mostly in the US and Canada).
Websitewww.act.org

The ACT (/eɪ siː tiː/; originally an abbreviation of American College Testing)[10] is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. It is administered by ACT, Inc., a for-profit organization of the same name.[10] The ACT test covers four academic skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and scientific reasoning. It also offers an optional direct writing test. It is accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States as well as more than 225 universities outside of the U.S.

The main four ACT test sections are individually scored on a scale of 1–36, and a composite score (the rounded whole number average of the four sections) is provided.[11]

The ACT was first introduced in November 1959 by University of Iowa professor Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).[12] The ACT originally consisted of four tests: English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Natural Sciences. In 1989, however, the Social Studies test was changed into a Reading section (which included a social sciences subsection), and the Natural Sciences test was renamed the Science Reasoning test, with more emphasis on problem-solving skills as opposed to memorizing scientific facts.[13] In February 2005, an optional Writing Test was added to the ACT. By the fall of 2017, computer-based ACT tests were available for school-day testing in limited school districts of the US, with greater availability expected in fall of 2018.[14] In July 2024, the ACT announced that the test duration was shortened; the science section, like the writing one, would become optional; and online testing would be rolled out nationally in spring 2025 and for school-day testing in spring 2026.[15]

Historical Number of SAT and ACT Test Takers

The ACT has seen a gradual increase in the number of test takers since its inception, and in 2012 the ACT surpassed the SAT for the first time in total test takers; that year, 1,666,017 students took the ACT and 1,664,479 students took the SAT.[16]

  1. ^ "Test Descriptions – ACT Student". ACT, Inc. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  2. ^ "Understand Your Scores – Sample Student Report – ACT Student". ACT, Inc. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  3. ^ "Registration – Test Dates in the U.S., U.S. Territories, and Canada – ACT Student". ACT, Inc. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  4. ^ "Registration – Test Dates in Other Countries – ACT Student". ACT, Inc. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  5. ^ "Test Center Locations, Dates, and Codes". ACT, Inc. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  6. ^ "Test Center Codes – International – ACT Student". ACT Inc. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference NationalReport was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Current ACT Fees and Services". ACT, Inc. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  9. ^ "The ACT Test Help and Frequently Asked Questions – Am I eligible for a fee waiver?". ACT, Inc. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  10. ^ a b "About ACT: History". Archived from the original on October 8, 2006. Retrieved October 25, 2006. Name changed in 1996.
  11. ^ "About the ACT Test". About the ACT Test - K12 Solutions. ACT. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  12. ^ "ACT Assessment", Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2007. Archived August 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine October 31, 2009.
  13. ^ "A (Mostly) Brief History Of The SAT and ACTs". Erik the Red. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  14. ^ Recine, David (July 21, 2017). "When Will the ACT Start Computer-Based Testing?". Magoosh Blog | High School. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  15. ^ Godwin, Janet (July 15, 2024). "The ACT Test Is Evolving". ACT. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  16. ^ Pope, Justin (September 24, 2012). "SAT scores edge down; ACT now more popular exam". Associated Press. Yahoo News. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013.