Understanding ACT Scores: Percentiles

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone here knows how ACT scores correspond with percentiles? I want to get a better understanding of where I stand compared to others. Thanks in advance!

Hey there! Understanding percentiles can be quite useful in knowing where you stand compared to other test-takers. ACT scores use percentiles to show how well you performed relative to others who took the test. For example, if your score is in the 90th percentile, it means you scored equal to or better than 90% of the test-takers. Likewise, if you're in the 50th percentile, you scored better than half of the test-takers.

Here's a rough breakdown of ACT scores and their corresponding percentiles to give you a general idea:

- 36: 99+ percentile (99.9%)

- 35: 99th percentile

- 34: 99th percentile

- 33: 98th percentile

- 32: 97th percentile

- 31: 96th percentile

- 30: 94th percentile

- 29: 92nd percentile

- 28: 89th percentile

- 27: 86th percentile

- 26: 81st percentile

- 25: 76th percentile

- 24: 71st percentile

- 23: 65th percentile

- 22: 59th percentile

- 21: 53rd percentile

- 20: 47th percentile

Keep in mind these percentiles can change slightly from year to year, but they’re unlikely to fluctuate too drastically. You can visit the official ACT website for the most recent percentile charts. This information can help you set goals for your score and determine your competitiveness at certain colleges and universities. Just remember that different colleges have different standards for ACT scores—while the most selective institutions will expect you to be in a percentile in the high 90s, plenty of excellent schools are open to students who are in lower percentiles.

Additionally, while test scores are one aspect of college admissions, factors like GPA, extracurriculars, essays, and recommendation letters are also important in the holistic review process. So, even if you’re in the 99th percentile, don’t neglect these other areas, whereas if you didn’t do as well as you’d hoped on the ACT, remember that having notable strengths in other areas of your profile can help compensate for that. Good luck!