The ACT exam is defined by the founding organization as “a mission-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success.”

With over 60 years of experience and pioneering research in the field of standardized testing, ACT prides itself on being a trusted leader in displaying a student’s college and career readiness. 

A complete history and timeline of the ACT exam can be found on their website. Additionally, you can view a 2-minute video on “Who We Are Today” by visiting YouTube. 

Average Scores for the ACT

A “good” score on the ACT will depend on your goals and your college admissions requirements. 

The highest possible score for the ACT is 36, though the average score is 21. 

Scoring a result of 23 will set you above the national average and make you stand out among the many applicants at your potential college choices.

The following displays score ranges for various prospective colleges and their admittance: 

SCHOOL	ACT COMPOSITE SCORE(25TH–75TH PERCENTILE)	ACCEPTANCE RATE
Columbia University	32–35	6%
Harvard College	32–35	5%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	33–35	8%
New York University	29–33	32%
Princeton University	32–35	7%
University of California—Berkeley	29–34	15%
University of Pennsylvania	31–34	10%
Yale University	31–35	7%

To see your peers scores, here is included the ACT score percentiles from the class of 2021, complete with various divisions of the ACT.

Score	ACT English Percentile	ACT Math Percentile	ACT Reading Percentile	ACT Science Percentile	Composite Percentile
1	1	1	1	1	1
5	1	1	1	1	1
10	7	1	3	3	1
13	19	4	14	10	10
16	37	33	29	26	28
18	45	49	39	39	41
20	55	58	50	51	53
22	65	65	61	64	64
24	75	74	71	77	74
26	82	84	77	85	82
28	86	91	82	90	88
30	89	94	86	93	93
34	96	99	96	98	99
36	100	100	100	100	100

Understanding Your Scores

While some students are content to keep the scores they’ve received on their first attempt, others choose to retake the exam to attempt a higher score. 

According to the experts, even just a bump of a few points can make a big difference for students going through the college admissions process. 

As colleges view your scores, they infer qualities about your determination, study skills, and test taking abilities. While you are so much more than that as a person, it’s helpful for schools to have a basic understanding of your scholastic strengths and weaknesses. 

A basic chart of test scores can be found below:

ACT score < 16 = bottom 25% of scorers

ACT score of 21 = right on average

ACT score of 24+ = top 25% of scorers

ACT score of 29+ = top 10% of scorers

ACT of 31+ = top 5%  of scorers

ACT score of 35+ = top 1% of scorers

No matter your score, the ACT is available for retesting as desired. If you feel that your college or scholarship requirements would be better served with a higher score, you can attempt the exam again. 

Depending on your first choice, you may wish to retake the ACT exam if your school requests a minimum score for admittance. 

For Ivy League colleges, making yourself stand out among the applicants can be done in several ways including a stellar ACT or SAT test score. 

Here are  the ACT test scores from some of the most prestigious and popular colleges in the United States:

School	25th Percentile ACT	75th Percentile ACT	US News Ranking (National Universities)	2020 Acceptance Rate
Princeton University	32	35	1	6%
Harvard University	33	35	2	5%
Yale University	33	35	4	6%
Columbia University	33	35	3	6%
MIT	34	36	4	7%
University of Chicago	33	35	6	6%
Stanford University	32	35	6	4%
University of Pennsylvania	32	35	8	8%
Northwestern University	33	35	9	9%
Duke University	33	35	12	8%
Johns Hopkins University	32	35	9	7%
Dartmouth College	32	35	13	10%
Brown University	32	35	14	7%
University of Notre Dame	33	35	19	17%
Vanderbilt University	33	35	14	11%
Cornell University	32	35	18	11%
University of California, Los Angeles	27	34	20	18%
University of California, Berkeley	28	34	22	18%
University of Southern California	30	34	24	13%
Georgetown University	31	34	23	16%
Carnegie Mellon University	33	35	26	22%
University of Michigan	31	34	24	28%
Wake Forest University	29	33	28	28%
University of Virginia	30	34	26	27%
New York University	30	34	30	19%
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill	27	33	28	22%
Boston College	31	34	35	27%
Boston University	29	32	42	22%
Villanova University	31	34	53	29%
University of Georgia	27	32	57	48%
Ohio State University	28	32	53	48%
Penn State University	25	30	63	51%
Clemson University	27	32	74	47%
Texas A&M University	26	31	66	61%

However, even if you’re applying to a state college, you may not need to retake the exam. Colleges look at other characteristics of their prospective students, including:

• GPA | Your GPA is a general indicator of your academic performance, study skills, and scholastic achievement. If your GPA isn’t something you want to brag about, there are still other factors that can help you stand out to the admissions team. If your GPA was extremely low in the first few years but you’ve worked hard to bring it back up again, explain your story in your admissions interview. College admissions counselors love a good comeback story!
• Hobbies & Extracurriculars | Do you play a musical instrument? A sport? Are you a part of an after-school robotics club? If so, these attributes are very interesting to prospective admissions counselors. Be sure to include this information in your application.
• Personality & Character | Who you are as a person can be a very influential factor in reserving your spot. College admissions teams may look for students who show positive character traits, like tenacity, perseverance, and  respectfulness. The fact that you are dreaming big and shooting for the stars already shows them that you are an opportunity they won’t want to miss out on!

What to Do Next

The results you get may be adequate for your own goals, or you may plan to take the exam again when you’ve completed more coursework. 

Remember that everyone must go at their own pace. Trial and error is a part of the game!

Be sure to give yourself plenty of rest the night before, and eat a balanced diet to give your body the nutrients it needs to be at your best.

For specialized help in crushing the ACT, reach out to an experienced tutor who can walk you through the material you’re going to be facing on the exam.