When an ACT test score is correctly interpreted, it can give a student a general idea of how appealing he or she is to colleges. Exam scores are just as important as extracurricular activities and community involvement in demonstrating to a college that an applicant is a sociable, well-rounded individual. Although exam scores are only a snapshot of a student’s abilities, colleges frequently use them to assess and predict a student’s future GPA and overall academic performance if he or she is admitted. Individual section scores, the overall composite score, and the comparison of one person’s score to the rest of the people who have taken the test in recent years can all be used to evaluate an ACT test score.
The composite ACT test score is the sum of all of the section scores, and it ranges from 1 to 36. Because the composite number is difficult to interpret without a point of comparison, it is frequently accompanied a percentile score. The percentile tells the student how well he or she did in comparison to others.
For example, a composite ACT test score of 25 is in the 80th percentile for 2008-2011, which means that a person who received a composite ACT test score of 25 performed at the same level or better than 80% but lower than 20% of those who took the test. The average ACT test score, the frequency with which each score is achieved, and the range of ACT scores that colleges typically admit are all provided ACT and are updated every few years. This information aids a student in determining whether he or she has received an unusually high or low score, and whether or not that score will be sufficient to gain admission to college.
Individual section scores, which are also on a scale of 1 to 36, give a better idea of which subjects the student excels in or struggles with, such as science, math, or language. A high score in language but a low score in math, for example, may equal an average score. This does not provide an accurate picture of the student’s above-average language performance, which may be important if he or she is applying to a language-focused major. If that same student were attempting to major in a math-related field, his or her low math score would indicate that he or she may struggle in that area and would benefit from additional preparation classes.