Understanding ACT Score Calculation

Hi all! I just took the ACT and I'm trying to figure out how they calculate the overall ACT score. Is there a formula or something I can follow to get an idea of my composite score before I receive the official results?

Hello! The ACT is scored by averaging the scores from each of the four subject areas: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each subject is given a score ranging from 1 to 36. Here's a breakdown of how you can estimate your composite ACT score:

1. First, find your raw scores for each section. This is the number of questions you answered correctly in each subject area.

2. Convert your raw scores into scaled scores for each section using the ACT's scoring chart, which is unique to each test administration. Keep in mind that each test date has its own scoring chart, so you'll need to find the specific chart for your test date in order to get accurate scores. Unfortunately, those official conversion tables are not readily available to test-takers before the scores are released.

However, you can use an unofficial chart or previous historical charts to get a rough idea of what your scaled scores might be. Just be aware that these are approximate and may differ slightly from the official conversion table.

3. Once you have your scaled scores for each section (English, Math, Reading, and Science), add them all up.

4. Divide the summed score by 4 and round to the nearest whole number. This will give you your composite ACT score, which ranges from 1 to 36.

For example, if your estimated scaled scores are:

English: 33

Math: 29

Reading: 31

Science: 28

Add these together: 33 + 29 + 31 + 28 = 121

Divide by 4: 121 / 4 = 30.25

Round to the nearest whole number: 30

Your estimated composite ACT score would be 30. Just remember that this is an approximation, and your official score may be slightly different. Good luck!