{"id":9300,"date":"2026-01-02T19:03:27","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T19:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/grockit.com\/blog\/?p=9300"},"modified":"2026-01-02T19:03:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T19:03:28","slug":"whats-good-act-score","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/whats-good-act-score\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Good ACT Score? (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul><li>A good ACT score is a composite score of 23 or higher, which would put you in the top 25% of test takers.<\/li><li>The national average composite score for the graduating high school <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.act.org\/content\/act\/en\/products-and-services\/the-act\/scores\/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html\" target=\"_blank\">class of 2024<\/a> was 19.4.<\/li><li>A \u201cperfect\u201d score on the ACT is the maximum composite score of 36.<\/li><li>What is considered a \u201cgood\u201d ACT score will ultimately depend on the individual college or university you are applying to. Different schools will have different ACT score ranges.<\/li><li>Schools are re-evaluating their standardized testing policies, and there is an emerging trend of colleges and universities reinstating testing requirements for admissions.<\/li><li>A top ACT score will make you a more competitive candidate, but it is not the only factor schools look at for admissions.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When setting your ACT score goal for the upcoming admissions season, it\u2019s a good idea to look at the score averages for the schools you\u2019re applying to. Read on for more information about how the ACT is scored, including ACT scores for top universities, ACT score percentiles, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Note: <\/strong><\/em>As of April 2025, students taking the ACT in the U.S. who choose to test online will receive an updated version of the ACT. Two noteworthy changes are that the test is shorter, and the science section is now optional. In September 2025, these changes will apply to the paper-and-pencil ACT as well. Then, in Spring 2026, schools and districts will have these options available. Read our guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/test-changes-2025\/\">ACT updates<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class='avia-iframe-wrap'><iframe title=\"ACT Prep: What is a Good ACT score? | Kaplan SAT &amp; ACT Prep\" width=\"1500\" height=\"844\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Hfgung6dd88?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><a href=\"#ivy-league\">ACT Scores for Ivy League Schools<\/a><\/strong><\/li><li><strong><a href=\"#top-us-universities\">ACT Scores for Top Universities in the U.S.<\/a><\/strong><\/li><li><strong><a href=\"#liberal-arts-colleges\">ACT Scores for Top Liberal Arts Colleges in the U.S.<\/a><\/strong><\/li><li><strong><a href=\"#scoring\">How does ACT scoring work?<\/a><\/strong><\/li><li><strong><a href=\"#ranges\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#ranges\">ACT Score Ranges &amp; Percentiles<\/a><\/strong><\/li><li><strong><a href=\"#college-acceptance\">Does my ACT score determine which college will accept me?<\/a><\/strong><\/li><li><strong><a href=\"#improve-score\">How To Improve Your ACT Score<\/a><\/strong><\/li><li><strong><a href=\"#pop-quiz\">ACT Pop Quiz<\/a><\/strong><\/li><li><strong><a href=\"#conversion-calculator\">SAT\/ACT Score Conversion Calculator<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"ivy-league\">ACT Scores for Ivy League Schools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The eight private universities that comprise the Ivy League are some of the most competitive universities in the U.S. Earning a top ACT score can be an important factor in gaining acceptance into an Ivy League School. A competitive score for any of the Ivy League schools is an ACT score of about 34 (out of 36). In the table below, we showcase the ACT score ranges of the middle 50% of students who gained acceptance into Ivy League Schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Ivy League School<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>ACT Score Range<\/strong>*<\/td><td><strong>Acceptance Rate<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/admission.brown.edu\/explore\/brown-facts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Brown University<\/a><\/td><td>34-36<\/td><td>5.4%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu\/apply\/process\/class-profile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Columbia University<\/a><\/td><td>34-36<\/td><td>3.9%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-colleges\/cornell-university-2711\/applying\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cornell University<\/a><\/td><td>33-35<\/td><td>8%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/admissions.dartmouth.edu\/apply\/class-profile-testing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dartmouth College<\/a><\/td><td>32-35<\/td><td>5.4%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-colleges\/harvard-university-2155\/applying\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Harvard University<\/a><\/td><td>34-36<\/td><td>3%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-colleges\/princeton-university-2627\/applying\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Princeton University<\/a><\/td><td>34-35<\/td><td>4%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-colleges\/university-of-pennsylvania-3378\/applying#:~:text=University%20of%20Pennsylvania%20has%20an,score%20of%2034%20and%2035.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">University of Pennsylvania<\/a><\/td><td>34-35<\/td><td>6%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/admissions.yale.edu\/standardized-testing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yale University<\/a><\/td><td>33-35<\/td><td>5%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>*middle 50% of students accepted<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"top-us-universities\">ACT Scores for Top Universities in the U.S.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the Ivy League ACT scores listed above, you may be wondering about ACT scores needed for other top universities in the U.S. Read on for information about ACT scores needed for these top universities.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_toggle_container  avia-builder-el-first \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-1\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-1\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for Duke University<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-1\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> The middle 50% of students who gain acceptance into Duke University have an ACT score between 34\u201335. Duke is located in Durham, NC and gives its students flexibility to design their own degree program and encourages undergraduate students to pursue their own research interests. The school\u2019s acceptance rate for the class of 2028 was 5.4%. <\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-2\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-2\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for Johns Hopkins University<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-2\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> The middle 50% of students who gain acceptance into Johns Hopkins University have an ACT score between 34\u201336. Located in downtown Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is a private research-based university with under 6,000 undergraduate students and a 6% acceptance rate. <\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-3\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-3\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for MIT<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-3\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> The middle 50% of students who gained acceptance into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for the class of 2028 have an ACT score between 35\u201336. MIT, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a science and technology-based university that was founded in 1861 for the purpose of advancing the Industrial Revolution. There are under 5,000 MIT undergraduates, and there\u2019s no ACT score cutoff for admissions.<\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-4\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-4\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for Stanford University<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-4\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> The middle 50% of students who gain acceptance into Stanford University have an ACT score between 34\u201335. Located in California\u2019s Silicon Valley, it\u2019s no wonder that Stanford is one of the country\u2019s leading research universities. Stanford has approximately 7,600 undergraduate students and a 3.6% acceptance rate for the Class of 2028. <\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-5\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-5\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for the University of Chicago<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-5\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> Students who gain acceptance into the University of Chicago have an ACT score between 23\u201336. Located in downtown Chicago, the University of Chicago is a research-based institution that aims to teach students how, not what, to think. The University of Chicago has a 5% acceptance rate and under 8,000 undergraduate students. <\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"liberal-arts-colleges\">ACT Scores for Top Liberal Arts Colleges in the U.S.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though they might not have quite the name recognition of schools like Harvard or Stanford, the best liberal arts colleges are just as competitive as the Ivy League and other top universities. Read on for the ACT scores of admitted students to some of the top liberal arts colleges in the United States. Keep in mind that these schools view applicants holistically; they\u2019re interested in more than just your ACT score, and the vast majority of liberal arts colleges don\u2019t have a minimum ACT score cutoff.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-6\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-6\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for Amherst College<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-6\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> Students who gain acceptance into Amherst College have an average ACT score of 34. Amherst has a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and 88% of classes have fewer than 30 students, allowing for discussion-based learning and close relationships with professors and other students. It\u2019s located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and offers 42 majors spanning the arts, natural sciences, social studies, and humanities. Accepted students in the Class of 2028 got an average ACT English score of 35, an average math score of 33, and an average composite score of 34. <\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-7\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-7\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for Pomona College<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-7\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> The middle 50% of students who gain acceptance into Pomona College have an ACT score between 33 and 35. Pomona is located in Claremont, CA, not far from Los Angeles. It\u2019s one of the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five undergraduate colleges and two graduate schools within several blocks of each other that share a library and other resources. Pomona students can take courses at the other colleges in the consortium. There\u2019s a big emphasis on undergraduate research at Pomona\u2014even in students\u2019 freshman year\u2014and small class sizes (averaging about 13 students per class) encourage seminar-based learning over lectures. <\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-8\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-8\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for Swarthmore College<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-8\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> The middle 50% of students who gain acceptance into Swarthmore College have an ACT score between 33 and 34. Swarthmore is unique among liberal arts colleges in a couple of ways. First, it offers an engineering degree, which is a departure from the norm in a liberal arts education. Second, students\u2019 first semester is essentially pass\/fail. The classes you take go on your transcript, but your grades in the classes don\u2019t. That allows students to sample a variety of classes without the fear that an unfamiliar subject will lower their GPA. Swarthmore is also one of the top producers of Fulbright scholars and students. It\u2019s located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, not far from Philadelphia. <\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-9\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-9\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for Wellesley College<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-9\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> The middle 50% of students who gain acceptance into Wellesley College have an ACT score between 33 and 35. Wellesley is a women\u2019s college in Wellesley, MA. It has programs with other nearby universities, allowing students to take classes (and even get degrees in conjunction with) Babson College, MIT, Brandeis University, and Olin College of Engineering. Wellesley boasts 50+ departmental and interdepartmental majors, and 94% of Wellesley graduates are employed or accepted into graduate school within the first six months of graduation. <\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_heading \" > <section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-10\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-10\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">ACT Score Needed for Williams College<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-10\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p> The middle 50% of students who gain acceptance into Williams College have an ACT score between 33 and 35. Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Williams College has a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 36 available majors offered through the college\u2019s three academic branches: arts and humanities, social sciences, and science and mathematics. Graduate degrees are offered in art history and development economics only. Williams has an 8.5% acceptance rate. <\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; color:#000000;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading   avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Should I take the ACT more than once?<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#000000'><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Many students take the ACT multiple times. This allows them to combine their best score from each ACT subject into an ACT Superscore. You can evaluate the competitiveness of your ACT score by comparing it to the average score used by the colleges you are applying to, instead of comparing yourself to the national average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"scoring\">How does ACT scoring work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The ACT is scored on a 1 to 36 scale in each section in 1-point increments. The four multiple-choice sections (English, Math, Reading, and Science) will all have raw scores provided separately. Because of the 2025 test changes, your ACT composite score will now be an average of your English, Reading, and Math scores on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 36 (highest).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ACT\u2019s relatively small scoring scale means that small improvements in your score can make a big difference in your percentile ranking (sometimes, a 1-point increase in your score can boost your percentile ranking by 5 points). Remember that on the ACT, you are NOT penalized for wrong answers. Understanding the scoring and knowing how to approach each section is an important part of doing your best on test day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; color:#000000;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading   avia-builder-el-11  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Optional ACT Science Section Scoring<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#000000'><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to 2025 test updates, the science section has become optional on the digital ACT and will become optional on the paper-and-pencil version as of September 2025. Schools and districts will have these options available in Spring 2026. As a result, the reporting of your science score will change if you have taken the enhanced ACT. Students who choose to take the science section will receive a science score on their report, similar to the current (optional) writing score. Additionally, a STEM score will be reported, combining performance on the science and math sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; color:#000000;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading   avia-builder-el-12  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT Writing Test (Essay) Scoring<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#000000'><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The ACT features an optional 40-minute writing test, which consists of writing one essay based on the given prompt. While not required by schools, the ACT writing test is recommended to showcase your writing abilities. Your score on the writing test does not affect your composite score. Your Writing score will range from 2 (lowest) to 12 (highest). The Writing score is the average of your four domain scores for Writing (Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, and Language Use &amp; Conventions). Note that an image of your ACT essay will be available to the schools you send your scores to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will also receive an ELA score, which combines your performance on the English, reading, and (if you took it) writing sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot-2025-07-30-094653.png\" alt=\"ACT Scoring graphic\" class=\"wp-image-48587\" width=\"901\" height=\"640\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; color:#000000;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading   avia-builder-el-13  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_promobox  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ACT Superscore<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#000000'><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>ACT test-takers now have the ability to take the ACT multiple times and then combine their best score from each ACT subject into an ACT Superscore. Your ACT Superscore can increase your odds of getting admitted to the college of your choice by better reflecting your abilities and skills. Wondering if your target school(s) Superscores the ACT? And if so, how to Superscore your ACT? Read more about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/how-many-times-should-you-take-the-act\/\">ACT Superscore system.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"ranges\">ACT Score Ranges &amp; Percentiles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are the ACT score ranges and percentiles based on national score ranks.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div  style='background:#240f6e;color:#ffffff;border-color:#222222;' class='av_promobox  avia-button-no   avia-builder-el-14  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_promobox  rounded-corner-effect'>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><\/p>\n<h2><span  class=\"av_font_icon avia_animate_when_visible avia-icon-animate  av-icon-style-  avia-icon-pos-left \" style=\"color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff;\"><span class='av-icon-char' style='font-size:25px;line-height:25px;' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #fff;\">Best ACT Score Ranges<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><div  class='avia-progress-bar-container  avia_animate_when_almost_visible  avia-builder-el-16  el_after_av_font_icon  el_before_av_hr  av-striped-bar av-animated-bar '><div class='avia-progress-bar red-bar icon-bar-no'><div class='progress' ><div class='bar-outer'><div class='bar' style='width: 96%' data-progress='96'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">These scores will put you in the top 10% of all test takers<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Best ACT English Scores:<\/span> 28 &#8211; 36<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Best ACT Math Scores:<\/span>&nbsp; 27 &#8211; 36<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Best ACT Reading Scores:<\/span> 31 &#8211; 36<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Best ACT Science Scores:<\/span> 27 &#8211; 36<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Best ACT STEM Scores:<\/span> 27 &#8211; 36<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Best Composite ACT Scores:<\/span> 28 &#8211; 36<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><div  style='height:25px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-17  el_after_av_progress  el_before_av_font_icon '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p>\n<h2><span  class=\"av_font_icon avia_animate_when_visible avia-icon-animate  av-icon-style-  avia-icon-pos-left \" style=\"color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff;\"><span class='av-icon-char' style='font-size:25px;line-height:25px;' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Competitive&nbsp;ACT Score Ranges<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><div  class='avia-progress-bar-container  avia_animate_when_almost_visible  avia-builder-el-19  el_after_av_font_icon  el_before_av_hr  av-striped-bar av-animated-bar '><div class='avia-progress-bar blue-bar icon-bar-no'><div class='progress' ><div class='bar-outer'><div class='bar' style='width: 76%' data-progress='76'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nThese scores will put you in a highly competitive place in admissions (top 25% of all test takers)<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Competitive ACT English Scores:<\/span> <span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">23 &#8211; 27<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Competitive ACT Math Scores:<\/span>&nbsp; <span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">23 &#8211; 26<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Competitive ACT Reading Scores:<\/span> <span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">24 &#8211; 30<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Competitive ACT Science Scores:<\/span> <span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">23 &#8211; 26<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Competitive ACT STEM Scores:<\/span> <span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">23 &#8211; 26<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Competitive Composite ACT Scores:<\/span> <span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">23 &#8211; 27<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p><div  style='height:25px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-20  el_after_av_progress  el_before_av_font_icon '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p>\n<h2><span  class=\"av_font_icon avia_animate_when_visible avia-icon-animate  av-icon-style-  avia-icon-pos-left \" style=\"color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff;\"><span class='av-icon-char' style='font-size:25px;line-height:25px;' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Good ACT Score Ranges<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><div  class='avia-progress-bar-container  avia_animate_when_almost_visible  avia-builder-el-22  el_after_av_font_icon  el_before_av_hr  av-striped-bar av-animated-bar '><div class='avia-progress-bar green-bar icon-bar-no'><div class='progress' ><div class='bar-outer'><div class='bar' style='width: 54%' data-progress='54'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nThese good ACT scores put you ahead of the pack (50%+), but won&#8217;t be as advantageous when applying to highly competitive programs<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Good ACT English Scores:<\/span> 18 &#8211; 22<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Good ACT Math Scores:<\/span>&nbsp; 17 &#8211; 22<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Good ACT Reading Scores:<\/span> 20 &#8211; 23<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Good ACT Science Scores:<\/span> 19 &#8211; 22<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Good ACT STEM Scores:<\/span> 18 &#8211; 22<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Good Composite ACT Scores:<\/span> 19 &#8211; 22<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><div  style='height:25px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-23  el_after_av_progress  el_before_av_font_icon '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p>\n<h2><span  class=\"av_font_icon avia_animate_when_visible avia-icon-animate  av-icon-style-  avia-icon-pos-left \" style=\"color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff;\"><span class='av-icon-char' style='font-size:25px;line-height:25px;' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Below Average ACT Score Ranges<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><div  class='avia-progress-bar-container  avia_animate_when_almost_visible  avia-builder-el-25  el_after_av_font_icon  avia-builder-el-last  av-striped-bar av-animated-bar '><div class='avia-progress-bar orange-bar icon-bar-no'><div class='progress' ><div class='bar-outer'><div class='bar' style='width: 37%' data-progress='37'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nThese scores may be enough to get into a wide variety of college programs, but will be below average compared to the testing population<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Below Average ACT English Scores:<\/span> 17 or lower<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Below Average ACT<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\"> Math Scores:<\/span>&nbsp; 16 or lower<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Below Average ACT<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\"> Reading Scores:<\/span> 19 or lower<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Below Average ACT <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Science Scores:<\/span> 18 or lower<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Below Average ACT <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">STEM Scores:<\/span> 17 or lower<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #f5f5f5;\">Below Average Composite ACT Scores:<\/span>&nbsp;18 or lower<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"college-acceptance\">Does my ACT score determine which college will accept me?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, your ACT score does not stand alone. Whether or not you are admitted to a college program (and whether or not you receive scholarship money) depends on several factors. In addition to focusing on getting the best ACT score possible, you should also work on obtaining the best GPA possible, writing a spectacular personal statement, taking a challenging course load, and rounding out your application with extracurricular activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div  style='background:#240f6e;color:#ffffff;border-color:#240f6e;' class='av_promobox  avia-button-no   avia-builder-el-26  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_heading  rounded-corner-effect'>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Expert ACT Tip<\/span><\/p>\n<p>A good ACT score can allow you to shine in the college admissions journey, even within a test-optional landscape. Presenting a competitive ACT score to your prospective school signals to admissions officers that you are a student who consistently exceeds expectations. Beyond this, a strong performance on your ACT can help you secure valuable scholarship opportunities. In short, a strong ACT score can help open doors for you.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; color:#000000;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading   avia-builder-el-27  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_promobox  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Test-Optional ACT Scores<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#000000'><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Some schools have made ACT test scores optional as part of their application requirements. Skipping the ACT may sound like a good idea, but if you are looking to have your application stand out, a good ACT score is still one of the best ways to do that. Just because a school has decided to allow applicants to exclude ACT test scores does not mean other applicants are not continuing to submit ACT scores when applying. A recent Kaplan survey of college admissions officers found that among surveyed test-optional schools, 67 percent say if a student submits a competitive SAT or ACT score, it helps their application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"improve-score\">How To Improve Your ACT Score<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Increasing your ACT score even a few points can help you get into your target school. Kaplan is the official ACT test prep provider and offers a wide range of ACT prep courses and resources to help you succeed on the exam, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>ACT Question of the Day: <\/strong>Get a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaplanquizzes.com\/act\/\">free ACT practice question<\/a> with detailed answer explanations delivered straight to your inbox every day.<\/li><li><strong>Free ACT Practice Test:<\/strong> Take a free half-length <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/act\/free\/act-free-practice-test\">ACT practice test<\/a> with official ACT questions to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie before test day.<\/li><li><strong>ACT Study Plans:<\/strong> Whether you have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/how-to-study-for-the-act-in-3-months\/\">three months<\/a> before the exam or just a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/1-month-act-study-plan\/\">few weeks,<\/a> we have free ACT study plans that will help keep you organized.<\/li><li><strong>ACT Prep Courses:<\/strong> We have many options for ACT prep to suit your schedule. See our full list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/act\/act-courses\">ACT prep courses<\/a> here.<\/li><li><strong>ACT Tutoring:<\/strong> Our expert ACT tutors will tailor your studies to your needs. Learn more about our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/act\/courses\/act-tutoring\">ACT tutoring<\/a> options.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\t<div  style='background:#240f6e;color:#ffffff;border-color:#240f6e;' class='av_promobox  avia-button-no   avia-builder-el-28  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_sidebar  rounded-corner-effect'>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Expert ACT Tip<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Why did I miss it (or get it correct)? Reviewing questions is an essential part of preparing to achieve your highest score. Review every single question you work on. If you got it correct, reinforce what you did well\u2014or, if it was a lucky guess or a missed opportunity to use a time-saving strategy, what you could have done better. If you got a question incorrect, figure out what you need to do next time to avoid that mistake. Mistakes are part of the process\u2014embrace and learn from them. Don&#8217;t leave a question behind until you can explain why the correct choice is 100% objectively correct and why each incorrect choice is 100% objectively incorrect.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"pop-quiz\">ACT Pop Quiz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>How would you do on the ACT? Take our short quiz and then review the answers.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-29  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_sidebar '><div id=\"custom_html-76\" class=\"widget_text widget clearfix widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><div><div class='op-interactive' id='638a2c7d889b9a59e25dec34' data-title='ACT Pop Quiz' data-url='https:\/\/kaplannorthamerica.outgrow.us\/638a2c7d889b9a59e25dec34?vHeight=1' data-width='100%'><\/div><script>var og_temp=document.createElement('script');og_temp.async=true;og_temp.defer=true;og_temp.src='\/\/dyv6f9ner1ir9.cloudfront.net\/assets\/js\/nloader.js',og_temp.onload=function(){initIframe('638a2c7d889b9a59e25dec34')},document.querySelector('head').appendChild(og_temp)<\/script><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"conversion-calculator\">ACT\/SAT Score Conversion Calculator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Quickly convert your ACT score to an SAT score using our free calculator.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-30  el_after_av_sidebar  el_before_av_sidebar '><div id=\"custom_html-75\" class=\"widget_text widget clearfix widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><div><div class='op-interactive' id='653fd87a619d825b5e0bdfba' data-title='ACT SAT Score Conversion Calculator' data-url='https:\/\/kaplannorthamerica.outgrow.us\/653fd87a619d825b5e0bdfba?vHeight=1' data-width='100%'><\/div><script>var og_temp=document.createElement('script');og_temp.async=true;og_temp.defer=true;og_temp.src='\/\/dyv6f9ner1ir9.cloudfront.net\/assets\/js\/nloader.js',og_temp.onload=function(){initIframe('653fd87a619d825b5e0bdfba')},document.querySelector('head').appendChild(og_temp)<\/script><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em><em>Written by Kaplan experts, reviewed by Melissa McLaughlin, Pre-College Content Developer and Heather Waite, Director of Content and Curriculum, Pre-College<\/em>&nbsp;<em>at Kaplan North America.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A good ACT score is a composite score of 23 or higher, which would put you in the top 25% of test takers. The national average composite score for the graduating high school class of 2024 was 19.4. A \u201cperfect\u201d score on the ACT is the maximum composite score of 36. What is considered a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46383,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[58],"tags":[60],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9300"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9300"}],"version-history":[{"count":46,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49073,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9300\/revisions\/49073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}