What Is the Average Act Score?
The ACT is a standardized college entrance test administered to high school students in every state in the U.S. It was first administered in 1959 and, along with the SAT, is one of the two main college entrance tests taken into consideration by schools across the country. In 2009, more 1.4 million students took the ACT.
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ACT Scoring Basics
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The ACT consists of four sections graded on a scale from 0 to 36 in the areas of reading, English, math and science, with an optional writing section graded from 2 to 12 that is included as part of the English score. The scores are then put together to make a composite score from 0 to 36. The average composite ACT score for American students in 2009 was a 21.1, according to the ACT Web site. While there are notable exceptions every year, students can get a sense of which colleges and universities are the best fit for them based on their score as compared to the typical range of scores achieved by a school's recent admits.
Most Competitive to Elite Schools
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These are the most difficult schools in the country to get into: among others, Harvard, Yale, Northwestern, UCLA, Michigan, USC and Oberlin are at the most competitive and elite levels, and students admitted by these schools typically score highest on the ACT. The range of scores most commonly found for these schools is 28 to 36, with scores above 30 considered to be the norm.
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Very to Highly Competitive Schools
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The next group of schools are also considered difficult to get into, but have slightly lower average ACT scores among admits. Schools in this category include Pepperdine, Ohio State, Syracuse, DePaul, Michigan State and Purdue. The range of scores for admits to these schools is 23 to 27. Many students who find themselves scoring around the national average can achieve this score range on a second attempt at the test with the help of a preparation class or book.
Less Competitive to Competitive Schools
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The final group of schools generally comprises students who have scored near the national average or slightly lower. This category includes schools like Arizona State, Ball State, UC Riverside, San Diego State and Eastern Illinois. The range of scores for admits in these schools is 18 to 22.
Considerations
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The score ranges represent the middle 50 percent of admits to each school and a lower or higher score should not discourage students from applying to schools that they feel would provide them with the educational opportunities they are looking for. Schools do not have requirements for ACT scores, and many other factors go into the admissions decision.
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