What's the total possible score for the ACT?

Calling all ACT-takers! I'm confused about the scoring system. What's the highest total score you can get on the ACT? And how does the grading work for each section? Thanks in advance!

The highest total score you can get on the ACT is 36. This score, referred to as the composite score, is an average of your individual scores on each of the four sections of the ACT: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each of these sections is scored on a scale from 1 to 36.

Here's how the grading works for each section:

Every ACT test has a number of questions that vary slightly from one test to another, but the total possible score for each section is always 36. Each question you get right contributes to your 'raw score' for that section. The raw score is the total number of questions answered correctly.

This raw score is then converted to a 'scaled score' on the 1-36 scale. This conversion is done through a process called equating, which ensures the scores are consistent across different test forms, and that a score of, say, 24 always represents the same level of achievement, no matter when or where the test was taken.

So, the rating scale for each section ranges from 1 to 36, and your composite ACT score is the average of your four section scores, rounded to the nearest whole number. It's important to note that since the four sections are averaged, a strong performance in one section can help offset a weaker performance in another.

I hope this clarifies the grading system on the ACT for you!