How to Interpret Your Student’s Recent ACT Score

In March, public high schools across Wisconsin (and some private schools) administered the ACT to juniors during the school day. Scores have started coming out, so students may be wondering what they mean and how to use their score to make a plan going forward. We have you covered!

Interpreting Scores

The Basics

On each ACT, students receive a score out of 36 on four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. The English, Math, and Reading scores are averaged to create a Composite score, which is rounded to the nearest whole number. (For example, Composite scores of 26.67 and 27.33 both would be rounded to 27.) The Science score is no longer included in the Composite score but is reported along with the other section scores. On the in-school ACT, students also took the Writing section, but they can ignore that score – no colleges in the US* consider students’ Writing scores, and the Writing does not factor into the Composite score whatsoever.

*Some international schools may require the Writing section.

Superscores

For students who have taken more than one exam, the ACT will also provide a superscore. The superscore takes students’ best section scores from individual exams and averages them, which often results in a higher Composite score. Although some colleges (such as UW-Madison) do not accept superscores, many do; students should check with their counselors regarding different schools’ requirements. When a student logs into their ACT account, the superscore is the first score they’ll see – they will need to scroll down to see their performance on individual test dates.

Score Reports

In addition to their Composite and section scores, students received a score report for the March exam, but it is pretty minimal – it just shows the number of items missed on each section as a whole and by question type. However, on three exams per year, students can receive their full test booklet, along with the exact answers they missed. This is called My Answer Key (MAK). For this school year, the MAK can still be requested for the April and June exams. As tutors, we find that reviewing the problems from actual administered exams is much more useful than looking at the score reports, so the April and June exams will be particularly valuable for students to understand their performance in greater depth.

Making a Plan

Number of Exams To Take

First, students need to decide if they even need to take any additional exams at all! 

• Students should check with their counselors to see if their March scores (and any previous scores) are competitive for the colleges they are considering. 
• While some colleges have begun requiring test scores again, many colleges remain test-optional, meaning they will look at standardized test scores if students submit them but won’t penalize students if they don’t. Our view is that taking more exams can only help students by giving them flexibility: if their score is competitive, they can submit it, and if it remains lower than they’d like, they don’t have to.
• Students can also search college websites for the range of scores from the 25th to the 75th percentile. However, these ranges tend to be skewed upward because students with lower test scores may not submit scores under test-optional policies. Remember that superscores are accepted at many colleges and universities. 

If students do want or need to improve their scores, we recommend taking at least three official exams, for a couple of reasons:

• Scores tend to improve as students become more familiar with the test and the official, proctored, and timed testing environment. 
• Even if Composite scores on individual exams remain the same, higher section scores can lead to higher superscores. For instance, if a student’s lowest score in March was Reading, focusing on that section going forward could improve their superscore, even if none of the other sections improve (or only improve slightly).

ACT vs. SAT

Students may also be wondering if the ACT is right for them or if the SAT is better for their skill set. Taking a practice SAT, and comparing the result to the March ACT score, could be a useful way to make that determination. (The tests have “Concordance” tables that allow for direct comparison of ACT and SAT scores.) If a student took the PSAT in October, that exam can also be a useful comparison, as PSAT and SAT scores track each other pretty closely. Students can complete practice SATs on their own using the College Board’s Bluebook app or sign up for a proctored practice SAT with us!

Future Dates and Deadlines

The remaining exam dates and regular registration deadlines for the Class of 2027 are as follows; the fall SAT dates are “anticipated” but not yet confirmed by the College Board. Each exam also has a late registration deadline that requires an additional fee. The test dates on which the ACT releases its full exams are starred; as I mentioned above, we often recommend targeting those exams so that students can get their booklets back and review the individual problems they missed. (The SAT does not release its exam materials.)

* = My Answer Key released

As part of any plan, students can continue to test into their senior year, even if they plan to apply Early Decision or Early Action. October is typically the latest test date we recommend for seniors, but this is a general guideline; October exams might be too late for certain schools or programs, while others may accept scores from the December exams. It’s a good idea for students to check with a counselor and/or the schools they are interested in to confirm the latest exam the schools will accept.

Final Thoughts

We know how busy this time of year is for juniors – AP exams, spring sports and activities, prom, finals, and college visits, with college applications on the horizon. Taking the ACT again might feel like just one thing too many. But by using March ACT scores to make a plan for the next several months, students can maximize the chances of getting a score that will get them where they want to go!