The ACT - What the Scores Mean

On June 13th, thousands of prospective college students took the ACT. The role of standardized tests in college admissions has been much debated in recent years, but the bottom line is that the majority of 4-year colleges and universities still require either ACT or SAT scores. At the same time, the number of test-optional colleges continues to grow steadily.

So how much do ACT scores matter? Nearly all colleges will say that a student's high school record carries more weight than standardized test scores. At the same time, many applicants will end up in the rejection pile if their scores are significantly lower than averages for the school. Interesting extracurricular activities and a strong high school record can help make up for low test scores, but the strongest applicants will have strength in all three areas.

Most colleges present the ACT scores of enrolled students as two numbers: the 25th percentile and the 75th percentile. In other words, the numbers represent the middle 50% of scores for students who enroll at the college. The charts below provide comparisons of ACT scores for a range of colleges and universities:

• ACT scores for the Ivy League
• ACT scores for top universities
• ACT scores for top liberal arts colleges
• ACT scores for top public universities
• ACT scores for the University of California campuses

ACT scores for the June 13th exam will be available at the ACT website beginning on June 24th.