ACT exam is a multiple-choice-based test for admissions in graduate courses in universities and colleges across the USA. If you want to graduate from any American university, you'll need to take the ACT exam. Science, Mathematics, English, and Reading are the four sections of the ACT exam including the fifth section, Writing, which is optional. The ACT exam, which is akin to a university entrance exam, is a standardized method of measuring a student's aptitude.
Before planning to appear for any test, it is vital to know its requirements and eligibility criteria. This is what this blog is all about. Here we have discussed all the basic ACT exam eligibility including everything you must know. We have also covered the latest 2024 updates for ACT eligibility here.
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Quick Facts About ACT Exam 2024
The ACT exam is a standardized college admission assessment test for high school graduates. The test is used to determine if students are ready for college following high school.
- The ACT evaluates candidates in four areas: English, Math, Reading, and Science.
- The ACT examination registration fee ranges from Rs. 11,000 to Rs. 13,000, based on whether or not you undertake the writing test.
- Whether or not the student takes the writing section of the ACT exam determines the length of the exam. If the student is taking the writing section, the time is 3 hours and 35 minutes; otherwise, it is 2 hours and 55 minutes.
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ACT Exam Eligibility
The ACT does not specify any minimum ACT test eligibility or recognized preconditions for taking the test. Hence, when it comes to ACT eligibility, the test is accessible to all students equally.
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Academic ACT Criteria: ACT being a university and college entrance exam, there are no specific educational requirements in terms of grades and courses. |
Even though there are no ACT criteria for taking the ACT exam, students must complete course-specific requirements specified by the universities they wish to attend. Attempting the optional writing portion is also contingent on whether the universities to which you wish to apply ask for it.
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What is ACT Age Limit?
Although the ACT exam is designed for high school graduates, it is also available to students who are in grades 6, 7, 8, and 9. To talk of the ACT age limit, there is no set age limit for students to appear in the ACT. Candidates from all age groups are eligible to appear in the college entrance test. Generally, the ACT is taken by high school graduates in the USA and those above the age of 13 years. Students under the age of 16 must acquire their parents' approval before taking the ACT examination.
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ACT Test Requirements
After you've confirmed your ACT eligibility, the next step is to complete your ACT test requirements, which include registering for the exam and paying the fees. Let us now look at a step-by-step guide to applying for ACT exam and the documents that you need for the same:
- Register and create your account on the ACT website.
- Provide all your contact details and personal information.
- Share your high school academic and extracurricular activities.
- Provide information on your ideal colleges and career options.
- Choose an appropriate test day and location that works for you.
- Prepare a scanned photo, which will be printed on the admission ticket.
- Pay the applicable fees.
- Download the admission ticket.
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Note. When it comes to the ACT photo requirements, there are certain guidelines that must be followed:
- Single photo with nobody in the background
- The image should be clear. Blurry or hazy images are strictly not acceptable
- Photo of head and shoulders, squarely facing at the camera
- The picture should be in portrait mode and not landscape mode
- No dark glasses are allowed
- There should be no filter or emojis, or lenses in the picture
- The maximum file size is 5 MB
- The photo needs to be 640 x 480 pixels
- The face should be aimed at the camera
- Only JPEG, JPG, PNG, or BMP format allowed
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When to Apply for ACT exam?
Applicants should schedule their test at least two months before the college application deadline. ACT scores often appear 2-8 weeks after the test date. Furthermore, registering a day ahead of time guarantees that you will acquire your scorecards by the time of admission.
Late registration deadlines are usually two to three weeks before the exam date, and registering late will result in a late charge. The registration amount for the ACT examination must be paid with an international credit or debit card. You must a valid international passport to apply for the ACT test. ACT registration is only available online for international students.
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Latest 2024 Updated ACT Eligibility Criteria
The ACT is a college entrance exam that is accepted by nearly all colleges and institutions in the United States. The concerned authorities keep on modifying the test guidelines in accordance with the situations and convenience of the test takes. Let us now go through the latest updates for ACT 2024:
- Instead of the traditional paper-based test, the ACT began to be administered as a computer-based test in 2015. This change did not affect the exam syllabus, total score, or multiple-choice format because only the test-taking format changed.
- As the world battled the coronavirus outbreak in 2021, universities in the United States dropped their SAT/ACT eligibility requirements and went test-optional. Most of the graduation courses in the United States require students to take the SAT or ACT, but due to the ongoing circumstances, universities in the United States had opted to go test-optional for the academic year in 2021.
- Fall 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 terms, undergraduate applicants are not obliged to submit an ACT or SAT score. This policy reform was broadened to guarantee that every student can submit a complete application.
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So this was all about ACT eligibility and related aspects. The results of the ACT are usually available online within eight weeks of the test. If you took the ACT with writing, your writing results will be available two weeks after the reveal of your generic scores. For more such useful insights about your study abroad queries, do get in touch with our counselors at Yocket.
