A leading US college entrance exam, taken by over two million students a year. Scores are accepted by every US university and many leading universities worldwide.

Three core sections — English (50 questions, 35 min), Math (45, 50 min) and Reading (36, 40 min) — plus two optional sections, Science (40, 40 min) and Writing (one essay, 40 min). Core sections take about 2 hours 15 minutes.

Each core section is scored 1 to 36, and the composite is their average. Writing is scored separately, 2 to 12, and doesn't affect the composite.

Yes. You can retake the ACT and submit your highest results. Many students improve on a second attempt.

If you've taken the ACT more than once, a superscore combines your highest section scores across test dates into one composite, which you can send from your MyACT account. Since September 2025, the superscore composite is based on three sections only: English, Math and Reading. Science still counts toward your STEM score.