I'm kinda stressed, gonna be registering for the ACT soon but I'm not sure how much money I should set aside. What's the ACT registration fee like? Does it include a bunch of hidden extras or is it pretty straightforward?
The registration fee for the ACT without the writing portion is $63. If you choose to take the ACT with writing, the fee is $88. Keep in mind these figures only cover the basic cost of taking the test. There are additional fees if you want to make changes to your test center or test date after you've registered. For instance, if you discover that you need to switch your test location after registering, there's a test center change fee, and if you decide to push back your test to a later date, you'll be charged a test date change fee. Each of these can cost around $30.
It's also worth noting that there may be extra charges if you want to send your scores to more than four colleges. The fee for these standard services includes sending scores to up to four colleges. However, if you wish to send to more than four colleges, you'll need to check ACT's website to confirm the current additional score report fee.
If cost is a concern, you may be eligible for an ACT fee waiver. This waives the basic registration fee (for either the no-writing or with-writing test option) for up to two separate test dates. Be sure to discuss this with your school counselor to see if you qualify.
So, in summary, while the core registration fees for the ACT are relatively straightforward, there can be a few extra costs to consider which could range anywhere from no extra cost to $100+ depending on your specific situation.
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