ACT Exams
American College Testing
About the ACT
The ACT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test administered by ACT, Inc.
The purpose of the ACT test is to measure a high school student's readiness for college, and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. College admissions officers will review standardized test scores alongside your high school GPA, the classes you took in high school, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays. How important ACT scores are in the college application process varies from school to school.
Overall, the higher you score on the ACT and/or SAT, the more options for attending and paying for college will be available to you.
When should I take the ACT?
Most high school students take the ACT, SAT, or both during the spring of their junior year or fall of their senior year. It's important to leave time to re-take the test if you need to raise your score before you apply to college. The ACT exam is offered nationally every year in September, October, December, February*, April, June, and July*. View all upcoming ACT test dates.
Pre-ACT
The PreACT compared to the ACT
Because the PreACT is designed to prepare younger learners for the ACT test, it's similar to the ACT in many ways. Although the PreACT does not have the optional Writing section that comes with the ACT, it does have the same four multiple choice sections: English, Reading, Math, and Science. Moreover, the content in these sections is at the same difficulty level as the ACT.
The length of the PreACT and ACT are different, however. The four main sections of the ACT take 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete, while the PreACT's four sections have a time limit of 1 hour 55 minutes. The fact that the PreACT takes an hour less than the ACT makes it easier than the main exam. Even with questions of similar difficulty, it simply isn't as hard to score well on a significantly shorter test. So if you take the PreACT, bear in mind that PreACT success is just the first step toward scoring well on the longer, more challenging ACT.
The Difference Between the PreACT and the PSAT
Both the PreACT and the PSAT are shortened, diagnostic versions of their corresponding college entrance exams, the ACT and SAT. Both tests are shorter and thus slightly easier than their official college admissions counterparts as well.
The biggest thing that separates the PreACT and the PSAT is the National Merit Scholarship. PSAT scores are the official criteria for earning National Merit Scholarships. PreACT scores don't qualify students for any major scholarships.