Hey guys, I'm taking the ACT soon, and I'm a bit confused about the grading scale. Can anyone help me understand their scoring system? How many points do I need to get a certain score? Thanks!
Hey! Sure, I'd be happy to help you understand the ACT scoring system. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36. The test consists of four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Here's a breakdown of how the scores work for each section:
1. Each section is scored on a scale of 1 to 36.
2. You'll get a raw score for each section, which is the total number of questions you answered correctly (no points are deducted for incorrect answers).
3. The raw score is then converted into a scaled score, which is the section score.
4. Your composite score is calculated as the average of your four section scores, rounded to the nearest whole number.
To give you an idea of what raw scores might correspond to certain section scores, here's an example (though this may not be exact, as the conversion can vary by test date):
- Raw Score 57-60 in English could lead to a Section Score of 36 points.
- Raw Score 56-60 in Math could lead to a Section Score of 36 points.
- Raw Score 38-40 in Reading could lead to a Section Score of 36 points.
- Raw Score 38-40 in Science could lead to a Section Score of 36 points.
It's important to understand that there is no definitive raw-score-to-section-score conversion table because the ACT uses equating, which makes slight adjustments to account for any variations in test difficulty. But the conversations listed above are about what you can expect.
I hope this helps you better understand how the ACT is scored! Best of luck with your upcoming test!
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