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How do the ACT scores chart work?

Hi everyone! I'm a high school junior prepping for the ACT. I'm a bit confused about how the scoring works for the test. Can someone please explain how the score chart works and how to determine where my scores stack up?

9 months ago

Hello! It's great that you're preparing for the ACT and looking to understand the scoring system better. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with 36 being the highest possible score. Various components of the test are scored on this scale, and those sub-scores are utilized to calculate your composite score.

Here's a detailed breakdown of the ACT score chart process:

1. Section Scores: The ACT consists of four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each section is scored on a scale of 1 to 36. To obtain the section scores, your correct answers in each section are counted, and this raw score is converted to the scaled score using a chart specific to that test administration. The conversion chart can differ from one test date to another, as it accounts for minor differences in test difficulty.

2. Composite Score: Once you have your section scores, the composite score is calculated by averaging them. Simply add up your four section scores and divide by the number of sections (4). This will give you an average score that can range from 1 to 36. If the average includes a fraction, it will be rounded to the nearest whole number (0.5 and above rounds up, while below 0.5 rounds down).

3. Writing Score (Optional): If you opt to take the ACT with Writing, you will receive an additional Writing score, separate from your composite score. The Writing section is scored on a scale of 2 to 12 based on the evaluation of two independent graders. This score does not impact your composite score, but some colleges may use it in their admissions assessments.

As for determining where your scores stand, you can research the average ACT scores for the colleges you're interested in, to see how well your scores align with their admitted students' profiles. You can also look up the national percentiles for ACT scores to get an idea of where your score stands among all test-takers. For example, a composite score of 30 would place you in roughly the 93rd percentile, meaning you scored higher than approximately 93% of all test-takers nationwide.

Keep practicing, and good luck with your ACT preparation!

9 months ago

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