Updated: Jun 6, 2023
American College Testing also known as ACT is a standardized test taken by high school students to test their preparedness for college and to also take admission to universities in the United States of America as well as Canada. The exam can be taken during or after high school from within America as well as around the globe. International students i.e. students outside of America are advised to apply for the ACT through online portal only. ACT like the SAT is one of the most trusted ways of testing student’s aptitude knowledge since the year 1959. Many colleges and universities in America serve the test scores as a basis checkpoint for undergraduate admissions.
| FEE TYPE | DESCRIPTION | COST |
| Registration Fee (with writing) | The basic fee for ACT test with Writing | $54.50 |
| Registration Fee (without writing) | The basic fee for ACT test without Writing | $38 |
| International Fee | For students registering outside of US | $37 |
| Late Fee | If registered after the deadline but before final late registration | $24 |
| Waitlist Fee | If registered after the late registration deadline | $47 |
| Change Fee | If test date, test center or test type is changed | $23 |
| Section Name | No. of Questions | Time Duration (in minutes) | Marking Scheme |
| ENGLISH | 75 | 45 | 1 - 36 |
| MATHEMATICS | 60 | 60 | 1 - 36 |
| SCIENCE | 40 | 35 | 1 - 36 |
| READING | 40 | 35 | 1 - 36 |
| WRITING (OPTIONAL) | 1 essay | 40 | 1 - 12 |
| TOTAL: | 216 | 3 hours 40 minutes |
SECTION 1: READING
5 passages with 75 sub MCQs designed to test Usage and Mechanics and Rhetorical Skills of a candidate.
Type of questions include:
SECTION 2: MATHEMATICS
A calculator might be allowed for this section.
Questions can be based upon:
SECTION 3: SCIENCE
Contains 7 passages with sub 40 MCQs.
Topics include:
Question type may include:
SECTION 4: READING
Contains 4 passages with sub 40 MCQs.
Topics include:
Question type may be based upon:
SECTION 5: WRITING (OPTIONAL)
As the ACT is designed for admission to undergraduate programs, the most important thing it provides is by saving time as it compensates for multiple exams required for admission. Students have the benefit of taking the exam again in order to improve their score or make up for their low score (if applicable) during high school. A student also gets the benefit of exploring their strong and weak points through this examination and can choose a suitable course for them accordingly. It also helps in getting good internships if you get into a major university through this exam. Good ACT score equals good internships.
Official website:
https://www.act.org/
