How to Get a Good ACT Score: A Comprehensive Guide

The ACT (American College Testing) is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. Achieving a good ACT score can significantly enhance your college application, opening doors to a wider range of educational opportunities and potential scholarships. Less than 0.5% of test-takers earn a perfect ACT score each year. Many students at Ivy League and top colleges earn a 33 or higher on the ACT. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you prepare effectively and improve your ACT score. Preparing for the ACT can be a daunting task, but with the right strategies and a positive mindset, any student can significantly improve their scores.

Understanding the ACT

The ACT consists of four multiple-choice sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. There's also an optional Writing section. Each section is scored from 1 to 36, and the composite score is the average of these four sections. The ACT is a popular college entrance exam and assessment of college readiness. Students can take the test up to 12 times to achieve the highest score possible.

What is a Perfect ACT Score?

The perfect composite score is 36. This score is an average of your four section scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science. While you don’t need a perfect score to get into top colleges, earning a full 36 ACT score can help you be a competitive applicant. Scoring 36 is uncommon and will take a lot of preparation. Getting a perfect ACT score is a pretty rare feat. The number of students in 2020 who scored a full 36 was 5,579 out of over 1.6 million - or about 0.33% of test-takers.

ACT Scores for Top Schools

Even if you don’t earn a 36, coming close is still an excellent result. Scoring in the 90th percentile can help you earn admission to top universities and unlock scholarship opportunities. The middle 50% of students enrolled in prestigious universities like Cornell, Brown, Princeton, Stanford, and NYU all scored between 31 and 36.

How is a Perfect ACT Score Calculated?

The ACT consists of 215 questions across four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. You have two hours and 55 minutes to complete the test. Each section is given a raw score, which then is converted into a scaled score on a scale of 1-36. Finally, your four scaled scores are averaged together to create your ACT composite score. Ultimately, a perfect ACT score doesn’t equate to a perfect test. You can likely miss a couple of questions and still get a perfect 36. The exact conversion between raw and scaled score will depend on your test date and the other students who took it on that date - so the exact number of questions you can miss will vary.

Read also: How to Get Old SAT Scores

Effective Study Strategies

Consistency is key to improving your ACT scores. Create a study schedule that allocates specific times for each subject area three to six months before your scheduled test date-then be sure to stick with it! Breaking down your study sessions into manageable chunks will help you focus on different sections each time. Invest in high-quality study materials such as official ACT prep books, online courses, and reputable study guides. Be sure to use official ACT prep materials and simulate testing conditions when practicing. Students should also perform an in-depth review of missed questions and common mistakes.

Practice Tests: Your Best Friend

Practice tests are really your best friend when it comes to ACT preparation. Start by taking a full-length practice test to establish a baseline score. This will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Focus on Weak Areas

After identifying your weak areas through practice tests, dedicate more time to improving those sections. Use study guides, online resources, and tutoring if necessary. For instance, if you struggle with math, spend extra time reviewing the harder concepts, solving practice problems, and learning test-taking strategies specific to the Math section. If English is the problem, work on your language and writing abilities.

Mastering Test-Taking Techniques

Understanding the content is crucial, but so is mastering test-taking strategies. Learn how to quickly eliminate wrong answer choices, manage your time effectively, and guess intelligently based on context clues when needed.

Time Management

The time allotment for the ACT can feel pretty intense. For example, on the ACT English section, you only get about 36 seconds per question. Practicing the test timed will help you feel comfortable with the time pressure on test day.

Read also: ACT Scores for Loyola

Mindset

Try not to approach the ACT feeling worried about how your performance will impact your chances of getting into college. And don’t consider it a measure of your intelligence, either. The ACT essentially measures how well you can take the ACT. If you approach the test with this mindset, it can take off some of the pressure and change the way you prepare.

Section-Specific Strategies

Tailor your strategy to each section of the ACT.

English Section: Strengthen Grammar and Writing Skills

The English section focuses on grammar, punctuation, and rhetorical skills. Brush up on grammar rules and practice identifying errors in sentences.

Math Section: Enhance Math Skills

The Math section covers a wide range of topics from algebra to trigonometry. Review fundamental math concepts and formulas regularly, and work on practice problems to reinforce your understanding and speed.

Reading Section: Improve Reading Speed

The ACT Reading section can be challenging due to time constraints. Improving your reading speed and comprehension will help you tackle this section much more efficiently.

Science Section: Interpret Data

Unique to the ACT, the Science section tests your ability to interpret data and analyze scientific information. Practice reading scientific graphs, charts, and tables. Enhance your skills in interpreting scientific experiments and drawing conclusions from given data. Familiarize yourself with common scientific terms and concepts that frequently appear on the test.

Expert Tips for Acing the ACT

We interviewed two students who achieved a perfect ACT score and compiled their advice for acing the test.

Change Your Mindset

“I like to tell students that it’s more like a game - the test makers use certain tricks, and if you learn how to identify and overcome those tricks you can get as many points as possible in the allotted time,” said Grant Pace, a tutor with Ivy Tutors Network and perfect ACT scorer.

Take Practice Tests and Use Official Study Materials

“For any student trying to get a perfect score, exposure to test material is a huge factor,” said Pace. “The difference between a 35 and a 36 can come down to one question, so it’s important to expose yourself to as many questions as possible and learn from any mistakes made so you don’t repeat them.”

Mimic Actual Testing Conditions

“Take a practice test under testing conditions and then go through the questions you missed,” advised Pace. “From there, assess what questions you think you could quickly learn how to do correctly and which ones you can’t - knowing which questions to skip and guess on can save time to study and answer more manageable questions.”

Analyze the Questions You Miss

Perfect ACT scorers take their studying to the next level by really analyzing the questions they miss on practice tests. Reviewing your mistakes carefully will help you continue to improve. “For every question you got wrong, write a paragraph detailing what you got wrong, how to prove the correct answer, and a tip for next time,” said Alex Nelson, a mentor with Ivy Scholars and perfect ACT and SAT scorer. Nelson calls these “mistake journals” and encourages students to use them to notice trends and improvements. This can help you focus your study time on weaker subject matter.

Skip the Last-Minute Prep

Cramming the night before and morning of your ACT isn’t a strong strategy. Many agree that retaining information last minute is unlikely and it’s better not to burn out so close to the test. “What I always tell my students is truly last-minute, day-before preparation isn’t able to help all that much,” said Nelson. “Once you reach a week before the test, it’s too late to cram your head with new equations and vocab words; instead, focus on material you understand but may have made careless errors on previously.” Last-minute prep should involve energizing yourself for a long test day. Get a good night’s rest, stay hydrated, and have a filling breakfast.

Test Day Preparation

It pays to make a plan before test day. Be as prepared as possible by researching the testing location, how to get there, and what you need to bring, such as an admission ticket, a photo ID, a calculator, and snacks. Arrive early to avoid any last-minute stress.

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

A healthy body and mind are crucial for optimal test performance. Ensuring you get enough sleep, eating nutritious meals, and exercising regularly are important to do throughout the school year, but it’s especially crucial when you’re preparing for the ACT.

Positive Mindset

Last but not least, be sure to maintain a positive attitude and believe in your ability to succeed on the ACT. Confidence can significantly impact your performance. Practice positive thinking. Know yourself and your abilities.

Additional Strategies to Improve Your ACT Score

The ACT is different from the tests you take in school, so you need to approach it differently too. These simple strategies are tailor-made for the ACT and come from our proven test-cracking methods. Following these tips are some of the best ways to improve your ACT Score.

Work Questions Out of Order

Spending too much time on the hardest problems means you may rush through the easiest. Instead of working questions in order, ask yourself whether a question is a Do Now, Later, or Never.

NOW: Does a question look okay? Do you know how to do it?
LATER: Will this question take a long time to work? Leave it and come back to it later.
NEVER: Know the topics that are your worst, and learn the signs that flash danger. Don’t waste time on questions you should never do.

Guessing Strategy

There is no penalty for wrong answers on the ACT, so you should never leave any blanks on your answer sheet. When you guess on Never questions, pick your favorite two-letter combo of answers and stick with it. For example, always choose A/F or C/H. If you’re consistent, you’re more likely to pick up points. Just because you don’t work a question doesn’t mean you don’t answer it.

Find the Wrong Answers

Multiple-choice tests offer one great advantage: They provide the correct answer right there on the page. Forget the right answer-find the wrong ones.

Efficient Bubbling Technique

Work a page at a time on English and Math and a passage at a time on Reading and Science. Circle your answers right on the booklet. Then, transfer a page’s worth of answers to the answer sheet at one time. Know the best way to bubble in.

Understanding ACT Scores

Are you feeling a little lost when it comes to your ACT scores? Don't worry, because today we're going to break down ACT scores and help you understand what they mean for your college application process. You’ve answered the questions and we’ve scored the results. First, we counted the number of questions on each test that you answered correctly. We did not deduct any points for incorrect answers.

Score Range

Your Composite score and each test score (English, mathematics, reading, science) range from 1 (low) to 36 (high). Each reporting category includes the total number of questions in that category, the total number of questions in that category you answered correctly, and the percentage of questions correct. Score reports help students get the most from their test results. Users wishing to drill down further into what their scores mean can directly reference Reporting Category information found in their score reports.

What is a "Good" ACT Score?

During your college application process having an ACT score can help you realize your dream of going to college. It is important to keep in mind that a "good" ACT score can vary greatly from person to person depending on their individual goals and college preferences. The standard for what is considered a "good" ACT score will differ based on the selectivity and academic rigor of the colleges you have in mind. Different colleges have varying average ACT score ranges. While some universities may look for students with scores in the 30s, others may consider scores in the mid-20s as competitive. To get a clear understanding of what score you should aim for, research the average ACT scores of the schools you're interested in. Your national ranks tell you how your scores compare to those earned by recent high school graduates who took the ACT.

Minimum ACT Score for Colleges

In general, the lowest ACT score that colleges will accept varies from institution to institution. However, most colleges have a minimum requirement of 18 or 20 on the ACT. While there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer, a “good” ACT score is generally considered to be above the national average, which was 19.4 as of 2024. Colleges consider a range of ACT scores when making admissions decisions, giving students some flexibility. Commonly, students with scores in the range of 20-23 are still considered competitive at many mid-tier colleges. For more selective schools, a score in the 24-28 range will increase your chances of admission. However, for highly selective institutions, aiming for an ACT score above 30 can significantly enhance your application.

Holistic Admissions

While ACT scores do play a role in the admissions process, it's essential to remember that they are just one aspect considered by colleges. Admissions committees also look at your high school transcript, extracurricular activities, essays, and other factors to assess your overall potential as a student.

ACT Benchmarks

The Benchmarks are scores on the ACT subject-area tests that represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in corresponding credit-bearing first-year college courses. These college courses include English composition, college algebra, introductory social science courses, and biology. Taking the ACT with writing will provide additional scores to you and the schools to which you have ACT report scores. ACT and the College Board have completed a concordance study that is designed to examine the relationship between scores on the ACT test and the SAT.

Aim for a Score Reflecting Your Abilities

Understanding what ACT scores colleges accept and what they consider "good" is a valuable piece of information for any aspiring college student. Keep in mind that each college has its own set of requirements, and what might be considered acceptable at one institution may be different elsewhere. Therefore, it is important to aim for a score that reflects your abilities and showcases your potential.

Additional Resources

ACT Prep Books: Invest in the best ACT prep books to boost your scores.
ACT vs. SAT: Understand the differences between the ACT and SAT to decide which test is right for you.
ACT Test Dates: Plan the best time to take your standardized tests.

Aiming for a Top Score (33+)

Only 1-2% of all 2 million ACT test takers can get to this score. For some, it's intuitive because they are geniuses but for most others, it takes multiple tries. For some getting a 33 will be the theoretical max for them and for others, they will be able to move up from a 33 to a 34 or to 35 or 36 with enough deliberate preparation.

So let's be clear about something, you might not get to a 33+ score ever. But if you want to try you have to prep differently than you have been because it's not working. Here are my tips for attempting to get a 98th - 99th percentile score.

Don't assume this information is readily available in some book, it isn't. You may have to invest some money in taking a college prep course like Kaplan, Princeton Review, or SuperTutorTV (Best ACT course)
For the Love of ACT Science -Michael Cerro
The College Panda's ACT Writing
The College Panda's ACT English
The College Panda's ACT Math
The College Panda's ACT Math Workbook
Download as many ACT practice tests as you can find or buy previous years' copies of the Official ACT Prep Guide from 2019-20, 2020-21, etc.

tags: #how #to #get #a #good #ACT