Hey! I'm new to the ACT and I'm trying to wrap my head around the scoring system. Can someone give me a brief explanation of how ACT scores work, like the different sections and how they're combined? Thanks a lot!
Hello! The ACT scoring can indeed be a bit confusing at first, but I'm happy to help break it down for you. The ACT consists of four main sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each of these sections is individually scored on a scale of 1 to 36.
Here's a brief overview of each section:
1. English: It consists of 75 questions that you need to answer in 45 minutes. The questions mainly focus on grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.
2. Math: In this section, you'll get 60 questions to be answered in 60 minutes. The Math section covers topics such as algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.
3. Reading: There are 40 questions in the Reading section that needs to be completed within 35 minutes. This section tests your reading comprehension and analysis skills.
4. Science: The Science section also contains 40 questions and lasts for 35 minutes. It tests your skills in interpreting and analyzing scientific data and information.
Now, onto the scoring process. To obtain your composite ACT score, first, the raw score for each section is calculated by totaling the number of correct answers in that section. Your raw scores for each section are then converted into scaled scores ranging from 1 to 36 using a process called equating. This conversion accounts for slight differences in difficulty between different test administrations.
Finally, to get your composite ACT score, the scaled scores for each section (English, Math, Reading, and Science) are averaged, and the result is rounded to the nearest whole number. Thus, your composite ACT score will also range from 1 to 36.
In addition to the composite score, you'll also receive a STEM subscore (an average of Math and Science scores) and an ELA subscore (an average of English and Reading scores). These subscores range from 1 to 36 as well.
Keep in mind that there's an optional Writing section, which doesn't affect your composite score. The Writing section is scored separately on a scale of 2 to 12.
I hope this explanation helps you understand how ACT scoring works! Good luck with your preparation and the exam itself!
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