Understanding ACT Raw Scores

Hey guys, bit confused on how ACT raw scores work? Can anyone here explain it to me in simple terms? Want to know how it can affect my final ACT score. Thanks!

Sure, happy to break down ACT raw scores for you!

Your ACT raw score is simply the number of questions you got correct on each section - English, Math, Reading, and Science. It's a straightforward count and does not account for wrong or missed answers; incorrect answers don't subtract from your raw score. Each section has its own maximum raw score: English (75 maximum), Mathematics (60 maximum), Reading (40 maximum), and Science (40 maximum).

Now, here's where it gets slightly more complex. Your raw score does not directly translate to your final ACT composite score. Each raw score needs to go through a process called "scaling" to be converted into a scaled score, which ranges from 1 to 36 for each section. The scaling process is designed to account for minor variations in difficulty across different test versions.

The scaled scores from each of the four sections are then averaged and rounded to the nearest whole number (keeping decimal places up to and including .5 result in rounding down!) to arrive at your final ACT composite score, also ranging between 1 and 36.

The important takeaway is this: while achieving a higher raw score on each section should generally translate to a higher scaled score, the exact conversion isn't consistent from test to test due to the scaling process I mentioned above. Therefore, focus on answering as many questions correctly as possible, and don't stress too much about how your raw score will translate into your final ACT score - the conversion charts are typically only made available after the test administration.

I hope this clears up your confusion! Feel free to ask if you have more questions about the ACT.