Hey everyone, I'm really confused about how ACT scores are ranked. What do the rankings mean, and how can I find out where my score stands compared to others? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hello! I'm happy to help you understand ACT score rankings. When you receive your ACT score, you'll also get a percentile rank, which is a measure used to compare your score to the scores of other test-takers. The percentile rank indicates the percentage of test-takers who scored equal to, or lower than, your score.
For example, if your ACT composite percentile rank is 85, it means that you scored at or above 85% of test-takers and outperformed 85% of your peers who took the test. Alternatively, it means that 15% of the test-takers scored higher than you. Remember that the ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with a composite score that is an average of the four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science.
To find out where your score stands compared to others, you can consult the ACT score percentile charts which are released by the ACT organization. These charts are usually based on a three-year average of test-takers' scores and are updated annually. You can find a link to the most recent percentile chart on the official ACT website, or simply search for it online.
It is important to note that these percentile rankings help you understand your relative performance but do not determine your acceptance into specific colleges. Each college has its own standards and use of the ACT when making admission decisions, so make sure to thoroughly research the colleges you are interested in to see their ACT score expectations.
I hope this explanation helps to clear up your confusion! Good luck, and feel free to reach out if you have any more questions.
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