What is the ACT and why should I take it?
The ACT is designed to assess what high school students have learned in school. The multiple-choice tests cover four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. The optional Writing Test measures skill in planning and writing a short essay.
ACT results are accepted by virtually all U.S. colleges and universities.
The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete with breaks. Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (or approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes if you take the Writing Test).
In the U.S., the ACT is administered on five national test dates, in October, December, February, April, and June. In selected states, the ACT is also offered in late September.
The 2004–2005 basic registration fees, which include score reports for up to four college choices, are:
- ACT Assessment—$28.00 (outside the U.S., $45.00)
- ACT Assessment Plus Writing—$42.00 (not available outside the U.S. for 2004–2005)
Why should I take the ACT?
There are at least four good reasons to take the ACT:
1. The ACT Assessment tests are universally accepted for college admission. The ACT Assessment is now accepted by virtually all colleges and universities in the U.S., including all of the Ivy League schools.
2. The ACT Assessment multiple-choice tests are curriculum based. The ACT Assessment is not an aptitude or an IQ test. Instead, the questions on the ACT are directly related to what you have learned in your high school courses in English, mathematics, and science. Because the ACT tests are based on what is taught in the high school curriculum, students are generally more comfortable with the ACT than they are with the traditional aptitude tests or tests with narrower content.
3. The ACT Assessment is more than a test. In addition to the tests, the ACT also provides test takers with a unique interest inventory that provides valuable information for career and educational planning and a student profile section that provides a comprehensive profile of your work in high school and your future plans.
4. The ACT Assessment is a good value. As a private, not-for-profit organization governed by educators, ACT is committed to providing services at the lowest possible cost. Accordingly, the ACT Assessment provides a comprehensive package of educational assessment and career planning services for college-bound students at a modest fee that is lower than the fee for the competing admission test.
Source: ACT, Inc.
