The American College Testing (ACT) is among the most prestigious exams globally. With over 2.5 million students appearing for the test every year, it is a highly competitive exam that requires great preparation. In addition to a stellar personal statement, a high GPA, and a strong letter of recommendation, an impressive standardised test score can help you get into a good college.
So, what's a good ACT score? What score will you need to get into your dream college? Stay with us till the end as we help you understand what a good ACT score should look like depending on your set of college criteria!
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How Important are ACT Scores for College Admissions?
Your ACT scores tell the college admission officers if your CGPA and transcripts are accurate measurements of your academic ability. For instance, a high GPA presented with a low ACT score will suggest that your GPA was inflated and you might stand a chance of rejection from your dream college. Here it is also important to note that a high ACT score can compensate for a low GPA in some cases.
- The ACT is so important to universities because admissions officers use it to judge your academic preparedness for college.
- Your ACT score is also essential to universities because your ACT score will be incorporated into their annual ACT statistics if you're admitted. The general public uses this data to make judgments about the selectivity of the school; the higher the good ACT score range, the more competitive or “better” the public may think the college is.
Suggested: Colleges Accepting Low ACT Scores!
What is Considered a Good ACT Score?
One of two major college entrance exams in the U.S., the ACT assesses students' math, science, and verbal skills. While there's no passing score, earning a high score can aid in securing your acceptance to more selective colleges.
The ACT consists of four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each subject is scored on a scale of 1-36. Your total ACT score is the average of your four section scores. To get good ACT scores, you'll need to aim for around 24 on each section.
The following table presents a common good ACT score range based on percentiles:
|
Percentile |
Composite |
English |
Math |
Reading |
Science |
|
100 |
36 |
36 |
36 |
36 |
36 |
|
99 |
34-35 |
35 |
34-35 |
35-36 |
35 |
|
95 |
31 |
33-34 |
30-31 |
33-34 |
31 |
|
90 |
29 |
30-31 |
28 |
31-32 |
28 |
|
85 |
27 |
27-28 |
26 |
29-30 |
26 |
|
80 |
25-26 |
25 |
25 |
27 |
25 |
|
75 (good) |
24 |
24 |
24 |
25 |
24 |
|
50 (median) |
19-20 |
19 |
18 |
20 |
20 |
If you ask us, whats a good ACT score? In general, a good ACT score is anything above 75 percentile i.e. at least a 24. Students should aim to hit or exceed the 50% mark of the ACT score of their chosen college.
Suggested: Know about the ACT Writing Syllabus
Good ACT Scores for Popular Colleges
Schools vary considerably in the kinds of ACT scores they look for in applicants. Less selective institutions tend to accept scores closer to the National average of 21, whereas more competitive universities often prefer scores in the 32-36 range.
Listed below are the averagely good ACT scores required for some top colleges:
|
School |
25th Percentile Score |
75th Percentile Score |
|
33 |
35 |
|
|
32 |
34 |
|
|
31 |
34 |
|
|
Colorado College |
29 |
33 |
|
34 |
35 |
|
|
27 |
32 |
|
|
25 |
31 |
|
|
29 |
33 |
|
|
34 |
35 |
|
|
31 |
34 |
|
|
28 |
33 |
|
|
31 |
34 |
|
|
31 |
34 |
|
|
28 |
33 |
|
|
35 |
36 |
|
|
28 |
33 |
|
|
32 |
35 |
|
|
32 |
34 |
|
|
33 |
35 |
|
|
33 |
35 |
Suggested: What is the ACT SuperScore?
How to Improve Your ACT Score?
Having known the importance of ACT scores, and what is a good ACT test score, it is time that you work to improve them so that you can fly off to your dream college!
Without question, the best way to improve your ACT score is to take practice tests and study practice questions. Here are some of the steps that you must follow in order to improve your ACT scores effectively:
- Get your baseline score
- Set realistic expectation and goals
- Make a study plan
- Acquaint yourself with the ACT format
- Take practice tests and study practice problems
- Do not stress out on the test day
Suggested: All about the ACT Preparation!
Although less objective, the best way to truly define whether or not you have a good ACT score is knowing whether or not it aligns with your dream school's standards. Before you fill out your college application, it's important to find out if the average ACT score of that selective college is the same or lower than your personal ACT score.
Frequently Asked Questions about a Good ACT Score
Ques. What is the lowest ACT score a college will accept?
Ans. In general, many US colleges and universities accept applicants with 16 or 17 ACT scores. In fact, an ACT score of 16 or lower is accepted by 33 schools. On the other hand, an ACT score of 17 or lower is accepted by 58 schools.
Ques. What is an acceptable ACT score for most colleges?
Ans. While aiming to get into the country's most selective colleges and universities, you should be aiming to get an ACT composite score of 30 or higher.
Ques. What is a good ACT score for scholarships?
Ans. At a minimum, an ACT score of 25 should qualify you for lower-level scholarship money. However, as the amount increases, scholarships become more competitive and the score ranges increase.
Ques. What is a good math ACT score?
Ans. A good math ACT score lies in the range of 28-35.
Ques. What is a good ACT writing score?
Ans. A good ACT writing score is somewhere between 27-34.
Ques. What is a good science ACT score?
Ans. A good science ACT score lies in the range of 25-36.