Ultimately, whether a score can be considered good depends on what your schools are looking for and how competitive their applicant pools are. What Is a Good ACT Score Based on Your Colleges?Ĭolleges and universities have different score expectations, making the notion of a good ACT score relative.
Note that percentiles may change slightly each year. The following table presents a common range of good ACT scores based on percentiles. Students can use percentiles to get a sense of how their ACT scores compare with those of other test-takers. To get a good ACT score, then, you'll need to aim for around 24 on each section. Your total ACT score is the average of your four section scores. Each subject is scored on a scale of 1-36. The ACT consists of four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. This is why it's better to aim even higher, ideally for the top 25% - or a composite score of around 24. That said, a 20 won't cut it at many competitive colleges. As such, any composite score above the 50th percentile, or 19-20, can be considered a solid score. What's a good ACT score? More importantly, what score will you need to get into your dream college?Ī good ACT score ranks you higher than the majority of test-takers. Be sure to confirm whether your schools require ACT/SAT scores for admission before you register for a test.Īll test-takers should spend some time figuring out what score to aim for. Recently, many institutions have adopted test-optional policies due to COVID-19. Not all colleges require standardized test scores for admission. While there's no passing score, earning a high score can aid in securing you acceptance to more selective colleges. One of two major college entrance exams in the U.S., the ACT assesses students' math, science, and verbal skills. In addition to a stellar personal statement, a high GPA, and strong letters of recommendation, an impressive standardized test score can help you get into a good college. The ACT Writing section is optional and uses a separate scoring scale.Students should aim to hit or exceed the middle 50% of ACT scores at their chosen colleges.