The ACT Test Explained: Sections, Scoring, Changes

What is the ACT?

It is one of the two standardized tests US colleges accept for admission, along with the SAT. Many states also give it free to every junior on a school day.

Colleges treat the ACT and the SAT as equals: almost every college that wants a test score accepts either. Some require one, many are test-optional, and a few ignore scores entirely. Each college's Common Data Set (section C9) lists the ACT ranges of the students it enrolled.

The ACT is offered on several national test dates a year, on paper or online at a test center, and on school days in states and districts that contract with ACT.

The real ACT, with where each fact comes from
Who gives it	ACT, Inc., on paper or online at a test center, on national test dates or on a school dayPublished by the ownerACT, "The Enhanced ACT"
English	50 questions in 35 minutesPublished by the ownerACT, "The Enhanced ACT"
Math	45 questions in 50 minutes, four answer choices each; calculator allowedPublished by the ownerACT, "The Enhanced ACT"
Reading	36 questions in 40 minutesPublished by the ownerACT, "The Enhanced ACT"
Science	Optional: 40 questions in 40 minutes, reported separatelyPublished by the ownerACT, "The Enhanced ACT"
Composite	1 to 36: the average of English, Math and ReadingPublished by the ownerACT, "Understanding Your ACT Scores"
Fee	About $70 without Science or Writing for 2025-26; the sources we could read disagree, so check ACT's fee pageReportedACT, "Current ACT fees and services"

What changed on the ACT in 2025?

The enhanced ACT is shorter, with more time per question; Math has four answer choices instead of five; and Science became optional and no longer counts toward the Composite. It began online in April 2025 and covered all national tests from September 2025.

The enhanced ACT, section by section (ACT)
Section	Questions	Minutes	Counts toward the Composite?
English	50	35	Yes
Math	45	50	Yes
Reading	36	40	Yes
Science (optional)	40	40	No: reported separately and in the STEM score
Writing (optional)	1 essay	40	No: reported separately

If you use an older prep book, the content is still useful, but its timing and section lengths are out of date. Practise at the new pace: it is the pace our ACT practice test uses.

How is the ACT scored?

Each section is scored from 1 to 36. The Composite is the average of English, Math and Reading, rounded to the nearest whole number. Science gets its own score, and Math and Science together make a STEM score. There is no penalty for wrong answers.

ACT College Readiness Benchmarks (ACT)
Section	Benchmark
English	18
Math	22
Reading	22
Science	23
STEM	26

ACT reports an average Composite of 19.4 for the class of 2025, and 30% of those graduates met three or more of the four benchmarks. A student at a benchmark has about a 50% chance of a B or better, or a 75% chance of a C or better, in the matching first-year college course.

Many colleges superscore the ACT, combining your best section scores from different dates. For what counts as good at the colleges you are applying to, see what is a good ACT score.

Practise at the new ACT pace

Eight full ACT-style mocks at the real pace per question and 16 section drills, every answer explained.

The ACT Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The ACT Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the ACT Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

8
timed mocks: 16
topic drills: 1
score predictor

What is on each section of the ACT?

English edits passages for grammar, punctuation and style; Math covers pre-algebra to basic trigonometry; Reading has four passages with questions on meaning and craft; Science tests reading data and experiments.

ACT English
50 in 35 min
Four editing passages of five questions each, NO CHANGE first where it applies
ACT Math
45 in 50 min
Algebra, functions, geometry, statistics and number topics, four choices each
ACT Reading
36 in 40 min
Three passages of six questions (literary, social science, humanities, natural science)
ACT Science
40 in 40 min (optional)
Three data and experiment sets of six questions, each built on one table

How much does the ACT cost?

About $70 for the core test in 2025-26, with more for Science or Writing and a fee for late registration. The figures we could read disagree by a few dollars, so check ACT's fee page when you register. Eligible students can get a fee waiver.

Create a MyACT account and choose a test date and a test center (or check whether your school offers the ACT on a school day).
Choose whether to add Science and Writing; check whether the colleges on your list want them.
Practise with timed mocks and section drills, and take at least one official ACT practice test.
On test day, bring your admission ticket, an acceptable photo ID and an approved calculator.
Scores usually arrive in a few weeks; choose which colleges receive them.

When should I take the ACT?

Most students take it for the first time in the spring of junior year, which leaves time for a second sitting in the summer or early in senior year before application deadlines.

Plan backward from your earliest deadline. Scores take a few weeks to arrive, and many students improve on a second attempt once they know where the clock cost them. If your state or school offers a free school-day ACT, take it: it is a real score at no cost, and you can still choose a national date later.

Leave six to ten weeks of steady practice before your first sitting. That is enough to learn the rules behind your misses and get used to the pace, without burning out.

How should I prepare for the ACT?

Take a timed mock to find your weakest section and where you ran out of time, learn the rules behind your misses, drill that section at the real pace, and check progress with an official ACT practice test.

Week 1: take the free [ACT practice test](/act-practice-test) and note your weakest section and any unanswered questions.
Week 2: learn the English rules and Math formulas you missed; one drill a day.
Week 3: take an official ACT practice test for a scale score.
Week 4 and after: rotate drills, and take a full mock each weekend on new passages.

Not sure the ACT is right for you? SAT vs ACT compares them side by side, with the official concordance.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the ACT?

125 minutes of testing for English, Math and Reading, plus 40 minutes for Science and 40 for Writing if you take them, plus breaks.

Is Science required on the ACT?

No. Since 2025, Science is optional and does not count toward the Composite. Some colleges and STEM programs still want it.

Is there a penalty for guessing on the ACT?

No. Answer every question.

How many answer choices does ACT Math have?

Four, on the enhanced ACT (it used to be five).

Is this the real ACT?

No. It is an ACT-style practice test with original questions written for LifeScore. LifeScore is not affiliated with ACT, Inc.

Go into the ACT with the clock on your side

Eight full ACT-style mocks, four drills for each section, every answer explained and a printable study guide, in one payment.