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ACT Exam: Every student who has passed class 12th with impressive grades aspires to get enrolled in one of the top universities abroad which can further hone their skills in their respective career. And it becomes equally important to know that getting admission to colleges in the United States and Canada is a cumbersome task and takes utmost effort for a student to set their feet despite repeated tries.
However, with the advancement in the educational system, the introduction to new examinations have helped students achieve their dreams by getting into their dream universities. One such examination is the American College Testing, also known as the ACT exam.
This Blog Includes:
Understanding the ACT Exam
ACT is considered a standardized test required to be taken by students who are looking forward to enrolling in various undergraduate schools in the US and Canada. It has been primarily developed to check and evaluate the written, verbal, mathematical as well as scientific skills of the students. Possessing these abilities allows students to easily grab a seat in their preferred universities. Not to forget, the ACT exam is accepted by almost all the 4-year colleges and universities in the US and more than 225 universities outside of the country.
Here are some of the latest changes with respect to ACT exam-
- It is conducted 6 times a year in the months of February, April, June, July, September, October and December
- Unlike the SAT exam, the ACT exam is available only in Computer-Based format
- It has 4 sections on Mathematics, English, Reading and Science along with an optional section on writing.
- Applicants above the age of 13 can appear for the test.
- Your score for the ACT exam will be calculated on a range of 1 to 36 without including the optional section of writing.
ACT Exam Important Dates 2024
Students from India who wish to study abroad in the US or Canada must take the ACT 2024 exam. Before taking the exam, students are recommended to go through the important ACT exam dates for 2024. The following list includes the ACT Exam Dates 2024 for students in India. To avoid any last-minute bother, it is crucial for candidates to verify the registration deadlines and apply before the deadline.
Upcoming ACT Exam Dates 2024
The ACT exam dates shown below have been formally announced; they could be altered in the future. To avoid late registration costs, applicants must be able to submit their applications before the specified registration deadline.
The following dates for the 2024 ACT exam have also been revealed and are mentioned below:
| ACT Exam Dates 2024 | Registration Deadlines |
| 07-08 June 2024 | 10 May 2024 |
| 12-13 July 2024 | 14 June 2024 |
| 13-14 September, 2024 | 16 August 2024 |
| 25-26 October 2024 | 27 September 2024 |
| 13-14 December 2024 | 15 November 2024 |
ACT Dates for Late Registration 2024
ACT Exam Registration: The option to register later is available to applicants who would like to take the ACT exam on a certain date but did not apply for it by the suggested registration deadline. Even after the official registration window expires, ACT late registrations are still accepted for a limited amount of time.
The ACT exam late registration dates are set and cannot be altered. USD 36 (INR 2,997.67) late registration fee is further assessed. Let’s examine the ACT exam dates and their late registration dates in the following table:
| ACT Exam Dates 2024 | Registration Deadlines |
| 07-08 June 2024 | 10 May 2024 |
| 12-13 July 2024 | 14 June 2024 |
| 13-14 September, 2024 | 16 August 2024 |
| 25-26 October 2024 | 27 September 2024 |
ACT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2024
The ACT exam is available to all high school students who wish to apply to undergraduate programmes at colleges and universities; thus, there aren’t many stringent eligibility requirements. Nonetheless, the following are some crucial things to remember:
Age Limit
- As such, there is no minimum or maximum age required to appear for ACT exam.
Academic Qualification
- The test is mostly intended for high school students who want to apply to colleges on an undergraduate basis. If you meet the age criteria, you can still take the exam even if you are not enrolled in high school.
In general, the ACT exam is available to all students who satisfy the requirements, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to highlight your academic abilities and potential to schools and universities.
ACT Registration 2024: Step By Step Process
Students must complete the online application form with the following information and instructions to register for the ACT.
- Register online by making an ACT web account if you intend to take the test at one of the approved testing locations in India.
- For the ACT, select a test day and location.
- Make a student profile, finish the application request, and send in the necessary additional documentation.
- An instant confirmation of your registration will be sent to you.
- Use an online funds transfer or credit/debit card to pay the exam fee.
- The time to register is usually three to four weeks before the test date.
- There will be a late registration fee if you register after the deadline, which is normally two to three weeks before the test date.
Documents Required to Fill ACT Application Form
Students must complete the online application form with the following information and instructions to register for the ACT.
First, the following needs to be ready to register for the ACT exam:
- Ownership of a laptop or computer connected to the internet.
- Submission of full course data from high school.
- The possibility to pay the registration fees for ACT with a credit or debit card.
Mistakes to Avoid while Filling ACT Application Form
Students must complete the online application form with the following information and instructions to register for the ACT.
Let’s go on to discuss some typical errors you should avoid when registering for ACT after learning how to do so:
- Pay attention to the application deadlines.
- Find your test location in advance and complete the necessary information.
- Before submitting a photo, thoroughly review the guidelines.
- Obtain the Test Information Release in advance
It is strongly advised that you schedule your ACT exam in advance. It can be a time-consuming procedure from enrolling in it to getting ready for the ACT to actually taking the test. The work is always worthwhile, though, because your test results may allow you to enrol in the international university of your dreams.
ACT Exam Fee 2024
ACT Exam Fee: The ACT Exam fee ranges between INR 14,734 to INR 16,821. Options selected by test-takers determine the cost of the ACT exam. A different fee will be charged to those who select a writing test (INR 16,821), while another price will be charged to those who do not select a writing test (INR 14,734). The total ACT application fee, which varies according to the option selected, is shown in the following table:
| ACT Tests | Fee | Description |
| The full ACT without writing | USD 176.50INR 14,734.07 | It includes reports for you and up to four colleges (if codes are provided when you register). |
| The full ACT with writing | USD 201.50INR 16,821.05 | It includes reports for you and up to four colleges (if codes are provided when you register). |
| Test option change | USD 25INR 2,086.98 | You may add or remove the writing test through the late deadline in MyACT. |
Additional Fees
Students who modify their ACT applications to make changes in any of the following categories may be assessed an extra fee:
| Additional ACT Tests | Fees | Description |
| Late registration fee | USD 36INR 3,005.25 | Registration or test date change made during the late period. |
| Change fee | USD 42INR 3,506.12 | It includes making a test date change or test centre change |
| Score reports to 5th and 6th college choices | USD 16INR 1,335.67 | Request online before the test date. Refundable on written request if you do not test. |
| Additional Score Reports | USD 18INR 1,502.62 | You can request additional score reports online after registration. |
ACT Exam Pattern 2024
The test is segregated into two sections. Following the second test, there is a little break. The fourth test comes after the second break. This is exclusive to individuals enrolled in the optional writing test.
The subject-wise exam pattern is mentioned below:
| Subjects | Duration (minutes) | Number of Questions/Tasks | Number of Answer Options |
| Mathematics | 60 | 60 | Multiple-choice questions with four or five choices |
| Reading | 35 | 40 | Multiple-choice referring and reasoning questions with four or five choices |
| Science | 35 | 40 | Four-choices for one question, multiple-choice data representation, research summaries, and conflicting viewpoints questions |
| English | 45 | 75 | Four-choice, multiple-choice usage/mechanics and rhetorical skills questions |
| Writing (optional essay) | 40 | 1 | One writing prompt |
ACT Exam Syllabus 2024
ACT Exam Syllabus: The ACT syllabus comprises 215 MCQ-based questions. The ACT exam syllabus covers subjects from all main disciplines to ensure a fair evaluation. The four primary disciplines of the ACT 2024 Exam Syllabus are reading, science, math, English, and writing (optional). This is because the exam is designed in a way that allows candidates to link it to their high school curriculum.
The ACT syllabus is structured to evaluate an applicant’s capacity for logical reasoning, problem-solving, and editing. Unlike the SAT, the ACT syllabus is larger and consists of two extra components. Additionally, there is an optional writing section that costs extra; this is just for ACT students, not SAT applicants.
ACT Exam Section-Wise Syllabus
The four areas of the ACT exam are reading, science, math, and English. One extra portion, titled “Writing,” is available upon request and consists of a single, thirty to forty-minute prompt. In this segment, students receive no credit.
ACT English Syllabus
The English portion of the ACT primarily focuses on the following areas of study to assess the student’s proficiency in the language:
| Exam Section | Syllabus |
| English(45 minutes) | Usage/MechanicsPunctuationGrammar and usageSentence structure Rhetorical SkillsStrategyOrganisationStyle |
The above-mentioned table is an overview of the whole syllabus. To check the detailed syllabus, go through the topics below:
- Usage/Mechanics: Students must use their understanding of grammatical rules, usage, and mechanics to identify errors in the text in this portion, which is weighted 52–55%.
- Punctuation: The questions evaluate the understanding of both the “end of the sentence” and internal punctuation, emphasising how punctuation relates to meaning.
- Grammar and Usage: Pronoun case, verb development, idiomatic usage, the production of comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs, and the agreement between subject and verb as well as between modifiers and the word modified are all tested in this section.
- Sentence Structure: Candidates are evaluated on their comprehension of the relationships between and among clauses, changes in construction, and modifier placement.
- Rhetorical Skills: This section, which has a weighting of 15–17%, evaluates students’ proficiency with appropriate tone and consistency in speech.
- Strategy: These questions assess how well you develop a topic by evaluating the impact of adding, removing, or changing supporting material; determining the right language for the essay’s aim and audience; and assessing the assertions’ significance in relation to one another.
- Organisation: Your ability to arrange ideas and select strong opening, transitional, and closing sentences will be evaluated in these questions.
- Style: You will be tested on your ability to select suitable words and imagery, control sentence structure, uphold an acceptable degree of style and tone, and steer clear of unclear pronouns.
ACT Mathematics Syllabus
The ACT’s mathematics test falls into two main categories:
| Section | ACT Math Syllabus |
| Mathematics(60 minutes) | Coordinate geometry plane geometryTrigonometryPre-algebra elementary AlgebraIntermediate Algebra |
The above-mentioned table is an overview of the whole syllabus of ACT exam. To check the detailed syllabus, go through the topics below:
- Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra: This section, which is weighted 57–60%, is designed to gauge the applicant’s comprehension of these subjects in general.
- Pre-Algebra: Applicants must respond to questions based on operations such as whole numbers, decimals, place value; exponents; square roots and approximations; fractions, one-variable linear equations, and integers; scientific notation; factors; ratio, proportion, data collection, representation, and interpretation; and percent; as well as knowledge of descriptive statistics.
- Elementary Algebra: Candidates for Elementary Algebra must answer problems involving the solution of quadratic equations, the multiplication of binomials, the solution of linear equations, inequalities, substitution, and the simplification of expressions.
- Plane geometry/trigonometry: This section has a weighting of 12–15%, and the key takeaway is how well students apply their knowledge.
- Plane Geometry: The questions include volume, polygons, lines and angles, parallelograms, triangles, and the characteristics of circles, triangles, and parallelograms.
- Trigonometry: The problems revolve around graphing trigonometric functions and triangles, solving trigonometric equations, and trigonometric identities and graphs.
ACT Reading Syllabus
Three categories comprise the weighting of the reading portion of the ACT exam: integration of knowledge & ideas (13–23%), craft & structure (25–30%), and key ideas & details (52–60%). The following subject areas are used to evaluate the students:
| Section | ACT Reading Syllabus |
| Reading(35 minutes) | Reading Comprehension, Four passages are given, each passage from a different section like social studies, natural science, fiction and humanities |
The above-mentioned table is an overview of the whole syllabus. To check the detailed syllabus, go through the topics below:
- Social Studies: The passages that these questions are based on cover topics in the following areas: political science, education, sociology, history, geography, anthropology, business, economics, psychology, and biography.
- Natural Sciences: These questions are based on passages from the following fields: physics, medicine, microbiology, anatomy, physiology, technology, chemistry, zoology, biology, botany, natural history, ecology, and geology.
- Literary Narrative or Prose Fiction: These questions centre around passages from novels, memoirs, short tales, and personal essays, whether they are literary narratives or prose fiction. The prose fiction section contains questions that are based on excerpts from books and short tales.
- Humanities: Works from the fields of art, dance, film, language, radio, literary criticism, philosophy, music, television, ethics, architecture, and theatre have served as a base for these topics.
ACT Science Syllabus
The sub-sections in the science part of the ACT determine how much weight each one is given. Read on to find more information:
| Section | ACT Science Syllabus |
| Science(35 minutes) | Data representations like graphs and tablesResearch summariesConflicting viewpoints |
The above-mentioned table is an overview of the whole syllabus. To check the detailed syllabus, go through the topics below:
- Data Representation (25–30%): Information in this area is presented graphically and tabularly in a style suggestive of scientific literature and journals. Skills including graph reading, interpreting data from tables, and interpreting scatterplots are measured by the questions in this style.
- Summary of Research (45–60%): Experiments are described in this section. The design of experiments and the justification of findings are the main topics of the questions.
- Conflicting Viewpoints (15–20%): This section contains a number of theories or points of view that are at odds with one another and may be founded on different premises or insufficient information. The examination, comprehension, and contrast of competing theories are the main topics of the questions.
So that was all about the ACT exam 2024. Hope the blog has answered your queries regarding the topic.
FAQs
ACT is also known as American College Testing and is considered a standardized test required to be taken by students who are looking forward to enrolling in various undergraduate schools in the US and Canada.
The ACT exam is conducted by ACT, Inc.
The ACT exam is a 2-hour 55-minute long test plus 40-minute essay is optional.
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