ACT Score Calculator

No. This is an estimate based on community-derived conversion tables from recent ACT test forms. The official conversion table varies slightly for each specific test form, and ACT publishes the exact conversion only with score reports. This calculator is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACT, Inc.

Each section (English, Math, Reading, optional Science) has a raw score (number of correct answers) converted to a scaled score from 1 to 36. Your composite is the average of your English, Math, and Reading scaled scores, rounded to the nearest whole number (0.5 rounds up). Science, if taken, is reported separately and contributes to a STEM score (average of Math and Science).

The average ACT composite is around 21. A score of 24+ (74th percentile) is considered good. 28+ (88th percentile) is competitive for most selective colleges. 32+ (97th percentile) is excellent and competitive for elite universities. Top universities like Harvard, MIT, and Stanford typically admit students with composites between 33-36.

As of April 2025, Science is OPTIONAL on the ACT. If you choose to take it, your Science score is reported separately and does NOT count toward your composite. Science is also combined with Math to produce a STEM score. Many students now skip Science entirely. Check with your target colleges to see if they require or prefer Science scores — most do not.

No. You should answer every question, even if you're guessing. A wrong answer and a skipped answer both give you zero raw points, so there's no downside to guessing. With four answer choices, random guessing has a 25% chance of being correct.

Both SAT and ACT are accepted by virtually all US colleges. The SAT is adaptive, shorter (2h 14min), and uses a built-in Desmos calculator on all Math questions. The ACT is non-adaptive, longer for full test, and has tighter pacing per question. The ACT has historically included Science (now optional), which the SAT doesn't have. Students who prefer adaptive testing and stronger reading skills tend to favor the SAT; students who excel in faster-paced questions tend to favor the ACT. Take a practice test of each and pick the one you score higher on.

The Enhanced ACT (2025+ format) is approximately 2 hours 5 minutes without Science, or 2 hours 50 minutes with Science. English is 45 minutes (75 questions), Math is 50 minutes (60 questions), Reading is 40 minutes (40 questions), and optional Science is 40 minutes (40 questions). The optional Writing test adds another 40 minutes if taken.

Superscoring is when colleges take your highest scaled scores in each section across multiple ACT attempts and combine them into a new composite. For example, if you scored English 32, Math 28, Reading 30 on one test and English 29, Math 31, Reading 28 on another, your superscore would use English 32, Math 31, Reading 30 = composite 31. Many top universities accept ACT superscores, including the University of Michigan, Duke, and Johns Hopkins. ACT now sends superscores automatically with your score report. Most students should take the ACT 2-3 times to maximize superscoring potential.

You can take the ACT up to 12 times total. ACT offers test dates 7 times per year (September, October, December, February, April, June, July). Most students take the ACT 2-3 times. Score improvement from retesting is common — about 57% of students see at least a small composite increase on retest.

Take a full-length timed practice test first to identify weak sections. Focus study time on your weakest section, since composite improvement comes from raising your lowest scores. Use official ACT practice tests (available free from ACT.org) — they're the closest match to the real exam. Practice pacing rigorously: ACT Reading and Science give you about 52 seconds per question, which is faster than most students expect. For English, master the grammar rules (subject-verb agreement, comma usage, idiom). For Math, review your algebra II and trigonometry fundamentals. For Reading, practice identifying main ideas and inferring meaning quickly.