ACT Score Expectations for Most Colleges?

Feeling a little bit stressed about the ACT. Can anyone tell me what score most colleges are expecting? Is there some kind of benchmark or average I should aim for to keep my options open?

Of course, it's completely normal to feel stressed about standardized tests such as the ACT. To answer your question, the score expectation varies greatly depending on the colleges to which you're applying. However, as a broad guideline, a score of 21 is the national average. This can serve as a starting benchmark.

When considering "most colleges", those that have more lax admission requirements might find an ACT score around this average to be acceptable. However, the more selective the college is, the higher the average ACT score of admitted students tends to be.

To give you a sense of what selective colleges might expect: for moderately selective colleges, a score of 24-26 is often considered competitive. For highly selective colleges, a score of 30 or above is usually competitive. For the most selective colleges, like the Ivy League or similar institutions, successful applicants usually have scores of 33 and above.

To set an ACT goal score, I recommend making a list of the schools you're interested in and researching the average ACT scores of admitted students at each of these colleges.

Keep in mind that while test scores are important, they are just one component of your application. Colleges also look at things like your GPA, your extracurricular activities, your essays, and letters of recommendation. So those are equally important areas to invest time and effort into as well.