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What is ACT? Everything You Need to Know

16 August 2024 by
Study Abroad

What is ACT? ACT means American College Testing, which is conducted to help high school students prepare for college. This standardised test will assess applicants' Mathematics, Science, and English proficiency.

Some universities in the United States use ACT scores in admission, especially for international students. Candidates need to verify whether the universities of their choice are among those that do not require the SAT or ACT scores for that they need to be well versed with the exams to study abroad. Where such a policy exists, the requirements for ACT scores may not necessarily be compulsory if the applicants do not tender them.

The ACT, one of the most widely used college entrance exams, measures high school students' college preparedness through multiple-choice questions in four competencies. In this blog, we'll pry all the information related to the ACT exam

ACT Exam Highlights

Candidates can check out the necessary information related to the ACT exam mentioned below:

Exam

ACT Exam

Full Form

American College Testing

Official website

www.act.org 

Duration

2 hours and 55 minutes

Mode of exam

Online

Popular for

Undergraduate admissions in the US & Canada

Score

Range of 1 - 36

ACT Test Full Form

American College Testing is the ACT test full form. This test determines whether or not high school applicants are fit to attend college, based on their past knowledge in Mathematics, Science, and English. The majority of the universities in the United States allow international students to use ACT scores for admission. 

Candidates have to verify whether the universities they are applying for are test-optional or not, and if they are then the candidates need not necessarily have to submit their ACT scores if they are not willing to do so at all.

ACT Test Components

Understanding what ACT test is crucial before applying for the examination. We’ve jotted down the list of subjects you need to prepare for the ACT test. The ACT test covers the following subjects:

English: This section measures students' knowledge of standard English usage, writing, and language mechanics.

Math: The Math section plays a significant role in determining the student's ability in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, problem-solving, and data analysis.

Reading: The Reading section tests a student's ability to read, comprehend, and understand the tests and make inferences based on what is given to them.

Science: This may involve a student's ability to analyse and interpret scientific data and concepts—biology, including chemistry, physics, and the sciences of the Earth.

Writing (optional): The writing section brings the students a prompt to which they are supposed to build an argumentative essay. It is optional, though some colleges and universities may demand it.

ACT Test Exam Pattern

Candidates are advised to check out the ACT test exam pattern before starting preparation for ACT Test:

Subject

Duration

No. of Questions

Sub Subjects

English

45 minutes

75

Usage/Mechanics


  • Punctuation
  • Grammar and usage
  • Sentence structure

Rhetorical Skills


  • Strategy
  • Organisation
  • Style

Mathematics

60 minutes

60 MCQs

  • Pre-algebra
  • Geometry
  • Elementary Algebra
  • Intermediate
  • Plane geometry
  • Trigonometry
  • Algebra
  • Coordinate

Science

35 minutes

40

  • Data representation like graphs and tables
  • Research summaries
  • Conflicting viewpoints

Reading

35 minutes

40

Four passages are given, each passage from different sections like social studies, natural science, fiction, and humanities

Optional Writing

40 minutes


One writing prompt

Total

3 hours and 35 minutes (excluding breaks)

215 

4 Sections

Conclusion

In the end, we hope you get all the information you need about the ACT exam in the above blog. To ace the ACT test, remember to use the online resources and do some practice exams while preparing for the exam. If one can form study groups or attend specific tutoring courses, that is also very good.

Oh, and if you do need to do it again, you can, but you should do it EARLY enough to receive the score before the deadline to apply to college!

Read Also: How Many Types of IELTS: Test Format & Test Preparation