ACT

ACT (American College Testing)

The ACT^® test is a standardized college entrance test which measures the knowledge of a high school student aspiring for a college degree in the US and is administered by the ACT, a non-profit organisation of the similar name. One of the most sought-after college admissions test, ACT test score is accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the US and is valid for a period of five years. Considering ACT test 2018 a college admission test, it is typically taken by high school graduates and those above 13 years of age. The ACT 2018 test questions are directly related to what a child has learnt in his/ her high school courses in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Every day you attend class you are preparing for the ACT. The harder you work in school, the more prepared you will be for the test. ACT test 2018 is conducted in two formats, namely ACT (without writing) and ACT (with writing) and the ACT 2018 test is administered on seven national dates while, internationally, it is held five times in a year. Any aspirant can choose to take 12 attempts for appearing in the ACT test.

There is a sharp distinction between SAT and ACT. Unlike the former, ACT 2018 is not an Aptitude or an IQ test, as questions are directly related to what students have learnt during the high school days. The ACT test also measures the endurance level of a candidate as in accordance with the ACT 2018 exam pattern, they need to solve 215 questions in a span of about four hours.

The ACT exam to be conducted on June 9, 2018, will be administered in the paper/pencil format. The computer-based platform will be used for testing in September 2018 and beyond.

 

Salient Features

• The ACT exam pattern 2018 is designed based on high school curriculum to evaluate the academic capability of an aspirant in English, Mathematics, Reading and Science.
• ACT Scores 2018 is based on the number of correct answers. There is no negative marking for incorrect answers.
• It includes enhanced scoring pattern for reliable college and career planning insights: STEM Score, ELA Score, Progress Toward Career Readiness Indicator, and Text Complexity Progress Indicator.

 

ACT Test 2018 Overview

 

Exam Name	ACT
Exam Level	International
Conducting Body	ACT (non-profit)
Widely accepted	Almost all U.S. colleges
Exam Dates	Seven times nationally and Five times internationally per year
Test Time	2 hours 55 minutes + 40-minute essay (optional)
Score Range	Composite (writing domain scores: 2–12)
Structure	4 tests + optional writing test
Negative Marking	No
Marks	215
Exam Format	Two formats- ACT (no writing)                       ACT (with writing)
Number of Questions	215 or 216 (One extra essay question for ACT with writing)
Type of Questions	Multiple-choice questions (MCQ)
Testing Subjects	English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science
Other information	Additional 40 minutes is given to candidates who opt for ACT (with optional essay writing)

 

 

ACT Exam Pattern 2018:

 

English:

The duration of the English test is 45 minutes and consists of 75 multiple-choice questions, covering six areas: sentence structure, strategy, punctuation, grammar and usage, organization, and style. Questions pertaining to punctuation, grammar and sentence structure come under the Usage/Mechanics. Questions pertaining to strategy, organization and style are part of the Rhetorical Skills subscore.

 

Mathematics: 

According to the ACT 2018 exam pattern, the mathematics section of ACT test takes 60 minutes to complete 60 questions; a multiple-choice test which assesses a student’s mathematical capability typically acquired in school courses until Grade 12.

Test takers need to use their analytical and reasoning skills to solve practical problems in the mathematics section. Also, candidates need to know and apply the basic formulas and computational skills, basic knowledge of the subject. Candidates are not expected to know complex formulas and perform extensive computation in the ACT examination. A permitted calculator can be used on the mathematics section alone. It is the responsibility of the test takers to ensure whether their calculator is permitted.

 

Reading:

The reading section of the ACT Test is a 35-minute test comprising of 40 multiple-choice questions that evaluate candidates’ ability to solve reading comprehension questions. During the test, aspirants are required to derive meaning from several academic text passages that they are presented by:

• Referring to what has been explicitly mentioned
• Using their reasoning skills to determine the implicit meaning

 

Science:

The science test, according to the ACT exam pattern 2018 measures the candidate's Reasoning, Interpretation, Analysis, Evaluation, and problem-solving skills, which are considered a pre-requisite for admission in the natural sciences. The entire Science section takes 35-minutes to complete and comprises of 40 questions. Use of calculator isn’t allowed during the science test.

 

Writing (Essay): 

The 40-minute writing test (or essay test) includes one writing prompt for judging a student’s writing skills –especially those skills that were acquired in high school and in entry-level college composition courses.

The test describes an issue and presents three alternatives before the student. Students are then required to evaluate and analyse these alternatives; come up with their own perspective, and finally to compare their perspective with those given. Also, scores aren’t affected by the nature of perspective you take.

 

 

Subjects	Number of Questions	Duration	Score Range	Content
Mathematics	60 Five-choices, multiple-choice questions	60	1-36	Pre-algebra, elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, coordinate geometry, geometry, elementary trigonometry, reasoning, and problem-solving questions
Reading	40 Four-choice, multiple-choice referring and reasoning questions	35	1–36	Reading comprehension
Science	40 Four-choices for one question, multiple-choice data representation, research summaries, and conflicting viewpoints questions	35	1–36	Interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving questions
English	75 Four-choice, multiple-choice usage/mechanics and rhetorical skills questions	45	1–36	Usage/mechanics and rhetorical skills
Optional Writing Test (not included in composite score)	One writing prompt	40	1-12	Writing skills
Total	215 (216 including the optional essay)	2 hours and 55 minutes (additional 40 minutes for the Essay)	Composite score- 1-36	Average (mean) of all section scores except Writing

 

ACT Registration

The most common and fastest way to enrol for ACT test 2018 is through online mode, though students in the US have the option of registering through the mail as well. The process of ACT 2018 registration is as follows:

Step 1 – Create ACT web account

Step 2 – Login to ACT web account and fill in registration details

Step 3 – Pay ACT 2018 Registration Fee

 

After the online registration of the ACT test 2018, aspirants would be permitted to-

• Select test centres and manage ACT 2018 test dates
• Keep track of his/her scorecard and also download reports sent in PDF format
• Correct or modify information, if required.
• Add/remove colleges where one wishes to send his/her reports.

 

Test Dates

The ACT 2018 test is scheduled seven times a year in the United States and its territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada: in September, October, December, February, April, June, and July. However, in New York State, the test is not offered in the months of February and July. In other locations, the ACT is offered five times a year: in September, October, December, April, and June. The ACT is offered only on Saturdays except for those with credible religious obligations, who may take the test on another day. The ACT test 2018 is conducted on seven national and five international test dates every year.

Click here for ACT Dates 2018

 

Test Centres

Close to two million students from more than 130 countries appear for the ACT 2018 test annually, making it the most popular admission test for college admission in the US. With ACT test centres spread across all major cities, prospective test takers can select an ACT test centre as per their convenience. Candidates can choose the ACT test centre at the time of the registration of ACT 2018 test.

In order to select the test centre of ACT 2018:

• Select their country and state.
• Pick test centres of ACT test 2018 from the dropdown list
• You can narrow down the search even further by typing part or full name of the city.
• There is an option to narrow down the search by entering city or test as well.

 

Scores

The composite score of ACT 2018 is ranged between 1-36. The ACT test 2018 result (without writing) is usually available at the end of the second week from the test date, while the result for ACT 2018 with writing (optional) takes two more weeks to get evaluated. Also, students opting for ACT test 2018 with writing cannot send their ACT scores (without writing), unless the scores of writing test have been added. It is because ACT reports scores only for entire test dates. ACT scores are sent to the student, his or her high school, and up to four colleges of the student's choice (optional).

 

Additional Info

Visit website: http://www.act.org