An Overview of the ACT Test Part II

Introduction

This is the second part on the ACT test. The first part is viewable here. I will cover the different score reports, SAT/ACT conversion, what a good ACT score is and standby testing.

Score Reports

Although not as well known as the SAT, the ACT processes scores just as quickly for the multiple choice sections. The essay section takes about 2 weeks longer.

Scores are viewable online at your ACT account and will be available about 3 weeks after testing.

There are three different reports: Student, High School, and College.

Student: This is the score report that you will receive in the mail about 3-8 weeks after the test date. I received my student report about 7 weeks after my October 23rd test. It reports the same stuff as what you see online, though it has an extra career planning section.

High School: Your high school will receive your scores through this score report. Since NUSHS isn’t listed, they won’t receive your scores. It will arrive around the same time as the Student Report and contains the same stuff.

College: The colleges that you have listed to receive you scores will also receive a score report but I’m guessing that it should be earlier since the colleges are in the US. The earliest would be 3 weeks. It reports, according to the ACT, “everything on the Student and High School report, plus the grades you reported in up to 30 high school courses. It may also include predictions about your performance in specific college programs and courses.”

ACT to SAT/SAT to ACT Conversion

Here is the method for converting ACT to SAT, vice versa. The concordance table is below.

The SAT CR+M+W total score can be related to the ACT Composite using the following equation:

Estimated SAT CR+M score = (SAT CR+M+W score +15) / 1.5

Round this value to the nearest 10, and then use the concordance table to get the estimated ACT Composite score.

The ACT Composite can be related to the SAT CR+M+W scale by first converting the ACT Composite score to the SAT CR+M scale using the concordance table, and then using the following equation:

Estimated SAT CR+M+W score = (1.5 x SAT CR+M score) – 15

This number is rounded to the nearest 10.

Multiplying by 1.5 puts the value on the correct scale. The subtraction of 15 points is done because SAT W scores are lower, on average, than the SAT CR and SAT M scores. For example, in the 2007 College Board National Report, the average SAT W score is 494, while the average SAT CR score is 502 and the average SAT M score is 515. The average difference is about 15.

More information can be found at: http://www.act.org/aap/concordance/

What’s a good ACT score?

Now, most of you would think that an SAT score of 2100-2190 as good, 2200-2290 as being competitive and 2300 and above as exceptional. Then what about the ACT?

Here’s what I think:

I would consider a score at the 99th percentile as being competitive and what you should be aiming for. Here is the score for each subject and the composite score that would be ideal. All are at the 99th percentile.

English: 34

Mathematics: 34

Reading: 34

Science: 33

Composite: 33

Some words about standby testing

The thing about the ACT that I don’t like is that you cannot expect to get your results before the registration of the next test date. That means that if you think you did not do as well as you should and want to test again, you need to sign up and pay even before you get your scores.

Or…

You could try standby testing! This method is NOT advised. There are two ways to do standby testing.

First, you can fill in the form for standby testing and bring it to the test centre and hope that they have extra booklets.

Another way to do standby testing is to sign up for a later test date (e.g. April 2011) and try to change the exam date to the date you are planning to test as a standby for (e.g. February 2011).

From my experience, priority is given to those who choose the second option. Somehow, a lot of people tend to choose the first, me included. I still do not recommend standby testing; see Viona’s proposed guide on planning your college application.

Conclusion

Choices are great. Since you now know about ACT and the SAT, do see which exam you prefer and think you’ll do better on. Some say that the ACT is more memory-driven while the SAT is based on strategy. Whatever the exam, preparation is essential. Do look at the list of resources that I have listed under ‘Preparing’ in the first part of this overview as a guide!

Good luck!

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About the Author:

For reasons of privacy and that someone may identify her, the author of this article has chosen to remain anonymous. However, you may like to know that she goes to a school very near CC16 and will graduate next year.