The ACT (American College Testing Program) is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. The ACT is accepted by all colleges and universities in the United States and more than 200 other universities around the world. It is currently administered by ACT, a nonprofit organization of the same name. The ACT test covers four academic skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning, and direct writing test (writing test is optional).
The ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes long. If you choose to take the ACT with Essay, the test will be 3 hours and 35 minutes long (40 minutes added). Some colleges may require that you complete the ACT Writing Test. You can confirm each college’s admissions policies on the school website or on our school profiles.
Most high school students take the ACT is in between year 9 and early year 12. The ACT exam is offered nationally every year in September, October, December, February, April, June, and July.
Each section of the ACT is scored on a 1 to 36 point scale. Your composite ACT score is the average of your four section scores, also on a scale from 1 to 36. If you take the ACT with Writing Test, you will receive a separate score on the Writing Test.
| Section | Minutes to Complete | Number of questions | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 45 Minutes | 75 questions | Testing Usage, Mechanics, and Rhetorical Skills |
| Math | 60 Minutes | 60 questions | Testing Pre-Algebra, Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, Plane Geometry, and Trigonometry |
| Reading | 35 Minutes | 40 questions | Passages include Social Studies, Natural Sciences, Literary Narrative or Prose Fiction, and Humanities |
| Science | 35 Minutes | 40 questions | Testing Data Analysis, Experimental Results, Conflicting Viewpoint |
| Writing | 40 Minutes | *optional | You will be asked to write about your position on an issue in response to a question |
