Hey all, I've been practicing for the ACT lately and can't help but wonder what the national average score is. What score should I aim for to be above average?
The national average ACT score as of the most recent data is around 20.7 out of 36. Keep in mind, though, that "average" varies widely depending on the colleges you're interested in. For more selective schools, you'll want an ACT score significantly higher, usually in the upper 20s or low 30s. If you're looking to be a highly competitive applicant, a score in the 30-36 range is often beneficial at highly-selective institutions. Your target score really depends on the academic profile of the schools you're interested in. To make sure you're aiming for the right score, consider researching the 25th-75th percentile scores at a variety of institutions you might be interested in. This range is the middle 50% of scores for admitted students, so it can provide a good indicator of what a competitive score might look like for those schools.
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