The ACT course consists of 3 components:
Lessons: 16 lessons (2.5 hours each) that cover high-yield test information.
Practice Tests: 8 custom-written practice tests that provide an objective way to assess progression through the course.
Homework: The online resources consist of Learning Modules, the Question Bank, and thousands of Explanations.
The entire course is 65 hours and spans 2 months in the summer and 4 months in the fall.
Your ACT composite score is still reported on a scale of 1–36. With the Enhanced ACT, the composite score is calculated by averaging your English, Math, and Reading section scores and rounding to the nearest whole number.
The Science section is now optional and no longer included in the composite score. If you choose to take Science, you will receive a separate Science score, out of 36.
The optional Writing (essay) section is scored by two graders on a scale of 1–6, for a combined score out of 12. Most colleges focus primarily on the ACT composite score and do not consider the essay. Schools that review the essay evaluate it separately from the composite score.
There is no single “acceptable” ACT score, because each college sets its own expectations. You can find a school’s typical score range by reviewing its admissions website or looking at ACT score profiles from previous admission cycles. To find the latest data, Google "College Data Set" + the school name, and look for the most recent year.
However, it’s important not to treat a school’s average or median ACT score as your target score. If your score is at the median, that means half of the applicants scored higher than you, which can make your application less competitive.
A more strategic goal is to aim for the 75th percentile ACT score of admitted students for that specific college. Scoring at or above this level puts you in a stronger position and helps ensure your test score supports your application.
99% of schools will accept your score from either the SAT or ACT test, as long as you have followed the score policies in place at that university.
The ACT is not required nor preferred over the SAT at any 4 year university in the US.
There are many differences between the two tests, so it comes down to your specific strengths and weaknesses as a student. The "easier" test will come down to student preference.
There are two main ACT score reporting policies used by colleges: Score Choice and Report All Scores.
Most colleges follow the Score Choice policy. Under this method, students can choose which official ACT scores to send, allowing them to submit only their strongest test results. Schools that use Score Choice include Harvard University, the University of Michigan, and Michigan State University.
Some colleges follow a Report All Scores policy, which requires students to submit all official test scores. For these schools, we recommend limiting the number of official test administrations to no more than three. If you are registered for an exam but do not feel prepared, it can still be beneficial to take the test for experience and cancel the score immediately afterward, rather than canceling the test date entirely. This allows you to gain familiarity with the testing environment without adding a score to your record. Georgetown University is an example of a school that requires all scores to be reported.
Because score reporting policies vary by school and can change over time, it is essential to verify requirements directly on each college’s official admissions website. Avoid relying on third-party websites, as this information may be inaccurate or outdated.
Most students receive their ACT scores within 2–8 weeks after their test date. Scores are released online through your ACT account, and you will receive an email notification when they are available.
If you take the optional Writing (essay) section, your essay score typically takes an additional 2-3 weeks to be reported.
Keep in mind that score release timelines can vary slightly based on test date, testing format, and volume of testers.
You can check your ACT results online at http://www.actstudent.org/scores/ once they're released. You can also find out additional information about ACT score reporting at this website.
