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American College Testing
ACT Exam: The "American College Testing", or the ACT exam is a standardised test that is primarily conducted to gauge an individual’s mathematical, scientific, verbal and written skills. The goal of the ACT exam, which is typically taken in the last year or two of high school, is to determine your readiness for college-level studies.
There is an optional ACT writing section as well. In the US, admission to universities and colleges is determined by the ACT. The ACT exam comprises four primary sections. The 2-hour and 55-minute ACT consists of 215 questions. You can, however, extend the period by an additional forty minutes if you choose to complete the optional ACT essay.
Exam Name | ACT |
Official Website | https://www.act.org |
Duration of Exam | 2 hours and 55 minutes |
Popularly Given for | Undergraduate admissions in the US & Canada |
Administered by | ACT, Incorporated |
Mode of Examination | Online |
ACT Fee for Indians | $176.50 = ₹14,630 (approximate) $176.50 + $25.00 (additionally for Optional Writing Section) = ₹16,703 (approximate) |
Scoring | Range of 1 - 36 |
ACT Contact Info. | Phone: 319-337-1270 |
The next test date for the ACT exam is June 8th, and late registration for the same will close on May 19th. Register fast to not miss out on the exams. All the latest ACT updates for 2024 will be available on the official website of the ACT exam.
International students must take the ACT exam to be considered eligible for undergraduate programmes in colleges abroad. Candidates are assessed on their aptitude in mathematical, scientific, writing and reading skills. The ACT curriculum closely resembles high school coursework and assesses candidates' comprehension, critical thinking, and analytical abilities. The ACT is graded from 1 to 36 on a scale that starts with sectional performance and ends with the overall score of the ACT.
ACT stands for 'American College Testing". This exam evaluates high school candidates' college preparation based on their understanding of math, science, and English. The majority of US universities accept international students' ACT scores for admissions purposes. Candidates should check whether or not institutions require ACT scores; if they do, students are not required to submit ACT results unless they prefer to do so.
The following are some justifications for taking the ACT exam in 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
Academic Qualification
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.
Students must complete the online application form with the following information and instructions to register for the ACT.
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:
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:
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: 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 176.50 INR 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 201.50 INR 16,821.05 | It includes reports for you and up to four colleges (if codes are provided when you register). |
Test option change | USD 25 INR 2,086.98 | You may add or remove the writing test through the late deadline in MyACT. |
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 36 INR 3,005.25 | Registration or test date change made during the late period. |
Change fee | USD 42 INR 3,506.12 | It includes making a test date change or test centre change |
Score reports to 5th and 6th college choices | USD 16 INR 1,335.67 | Request online before the test date. Refundable on written request if you do not test. |
Additional Score Reports | USD 18 INR 1,502.62 | You can request additional score reports online after registration. |
Only a few times a year, from September to July, is the ACT conducted. In contrast to previous tests, you are not allowed to choose an exam date that works for you. You must schedule your exam preparation around these dates. These tests are arranged to align with your fall semester application deadlines. The dates of the upcoming 2024 ACT exams are listed as follows:
ACT Testing Dates 2024 | Registration Deadlines |
---|---|
7 & 8 June 2024 | 10 May 2024 |
12 & 13 July 2024 | 14 June 2024 |
The ACT exam is taken throughout the year in several significant locations across India. To register for the exam, candidates must pay the ACT Registration Fee. Indian applicants who wish to take the ACT exam must register at the ACT Test Centre that is closest to them. For convenience, it is recommended that candidates register at the closest ACT testing location.
List of ACT test centres is mentioned below:
ACT Exam Pattern: The four sections of the ACT exam are reading, science, math, and English. The Writing section is an optional section that includes a single, thirty to forty-minute writing prompt that defines a problem and presents two opposing viewpoints. On this part, students are not given a score.
For candidates planning to apply for the ACT, here is the exam pattern for the same.
ACT Subjects | Test Duration | Sub-sections | Total Questions |
---|---|---|---|
English | 45 minutes | Usage/Mechanics
Rhetorical Skills
| 75 Questions |
Math | 60 minutes |
| 60 multiple-choice questions |
Reading | 35 minutes | Four passages are given, each passage from different sections like social studies, natural science, fiction, and humanities | 40 questions |
Science | 35 minutes |
| 40 questions |
Optional writing test | 40 minutes | One writing prompt | |
Total | 3 hours and 35 minutes (excluding breaks) | 4 sections (one optional) | 215 question |
The required subjects for the ACT exam are science, reading, math, and English. There is, however, an optional writing portion on this exam. An overview of the ACT exam's syllabus, divided into sections, is provided below:
Sub-Categories | No. of questions | Time allotted | Types of questions |
---|---|---|---|
English | 75 multiple-choice questions | 45 minutes | Test sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, and rhetorical skills. |
Reading | 40 multiple-choice questions | 35 minutes | Four paragraphs, from the genres prose fiction, humanities, social studies, and social sciences, with 10 questions each. |
Science | 40 multiple-choice questions | 35 minutes | Science-based paragraphs are presented with research summaries, graphs, tables, and charts. |
Math | 60-multiple choice questions | 60 minutes | Geometry, Trigonometry, Algebra I and II. |
Writing (Optional) | 1 essay prompt | 40 minutes | complement the English and reading tests. |
ACT Preparation: There are two methods for ACT preparation: coaching classes and self-study. Each of these choices has particular advantages, thus none of them is superior than the others. Since these two approaches cater to different audiences, they cannot be compared. Exam taker needs and preferences will determine the study technique that is selected.
Self-Study: Self-study might be a preferable choice to prepare for the ACT if cost is an issue and one is quite confident in their ability to prepare well without supervision. Although there are ways to cut costs on individual tuition and classes, there are additional considerations to make. You need self-discipline, motivation, and a solid library of books and study materials in order to study independently.
Coaching: Coaching sessions are a preferable choice if you have limited time and require expert advice to ensure a competitive edge in exam preparation. You'll have a group of professionals assisting you and access to a superior study resource. Because attending lessons on time will become routine to you, you'll be able to better manage your time. Additionally, spending time with other students who are also getting ready for the ACT will boost your confidence.
You must first consider your criteria before deciding on the best ACT preparation strategy.
Some of the books that candidates can consider while preparing for the ACT are mentioned below:
Name of the Book | Link to Buy |
---|---|
The Official ACT Prep Guide (Red Book) | Click Here to Buy |
Barron’s ACT Premium Study Guide | Click Here to Buy |
The ACT Black Book | Click Here to Buy |
Up Your Score: ACT, The Underground guide | Click Here to Buy |
Princeton Review’s Premium ACT Prep | Click Here to Buy |
To practice the mock tests for the ACT exams, the candidate needs to register on the MyACT official website. There, the candidate will be able to check and solve the practice questions for the exams.
The candidate's exam date is used to determine the ACT exam result. The detailed ACT results are broken down into composite and sectional scores. Scores for the ACT exam range from 1 to 36. ACT, Inc. is responsible for administering the ACT exam. The exam in question is a standardised assessment that applicants to undergraduate programmes, primarily in the US and Canada, must take. Students' written, mathematical, verbal, and scientific skills are assessed on the ACT exam.
Some of the most prestigious universities in the United States are among the eight that make up the Ivy League. Getting accepted into an Ivy League school may depend in part on achieving a high ACT score. An ACT score of roughly 34 (out of 36) is competitive for any Ivy League school. The ACT score ranges for Ivy League schools in 2024 are shown in the table below.
Ivy League School | ACT Score Range | Acceptance Rate |
---|---|---|
Brown University | 34-36 | 5% |
Columbia University | 34-35 | 3.9% |
Cornell University | 33-35 | 7% |
Dartmouth College | 32-35 | 6.2% |
Harvard University | 34-36 | 3% |
Princeton University | 34-35 | 6% |
University of Pennsylvania | 34-35 | 7% |
Yale University | 31-36 | 5% |
The American College Test provides free results to four universities. The results are transmitted automatically. Additionally, the results of an ACT writing test taken by a candidate are disclosed only after the writing test results are made public. To share their score reports with other colleges and scholarship organisations, candidates can obtain extra reports. You have two options for reporting your ACT scores: online or over the phone at 319.337.1270. The ACT will process the scores within a week of receiving the request for score reporting.
The candidates will be required to pay a processing charge of $13 for each regular report. The request for score reporting cannot be cancelled or modified once it has been submitted.
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