Hey folks, I've been digging around trying to figure out how ACT scores are calculated. It's all a bit confusing, if anyone could break down the process for me, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
Sure, I'd be happy to explain how ACT scores are calculated!
The ACT is composed of four sections: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Each of these sections is scored separately on a scale of 1 to 36. These section scores are what's referred to as your "raw" score, which is how many questions you got correct.
The raw score in each section is then converted to a scaled score also in the range of 1 to 36. ACT uses a special algorithm for this conversion and this conversion chart can vary slightly from test to test.
Then, your composite score is calculated as an average of the scaled scores from the four sections. It's simply the sum of the four section scores, divided by four and rounded to the nearest whole number. Like the individual sections, the composite score ranges from 1 to 36.
Lastly, it's worth mentioning that if you take the optional writing test, which is a separate test after the multiple choice test, it doesn't affect your composite score. The writing test is scored separately on a scale of 2 to 12.
The key takeaway is that the ACT composite score is an average of your four section scores and all of these scores are on a scale of 1 to 36.
Let me know if any part of this is unclear!
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