The ACT (American College Testing) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. It assesses high school students' general educational development and their ability to succeed in college. The ACT is comprised of four multiple-choice sections: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Each of these sections is scored on a scale of 1 to 36.
The ACT Composite Score is the most commonly reported score and is an average of the scores from the four main sections. This score is crucial for college applications, scholarships, and sometimes course placement.
How the Composite Score is Calculated
Calculating your ACT Composite Score is straightforward. It involves averaging the scores from the four individual sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. The formula is as follows:
The result of this calculation is then rounded to the nearest whole number. For example, if the sum of the four section scores is 105, dividing by 4 gives 26.25, which rounds down to a Composite Score of 26. If the sum were 107, dividing by 4 gives 26.75, which rounds up to a Composite Score of 27.
Why This Calculator is Useful
Practice Test Analysis: After taking a practice ACT test, you can input your section scores to get an immediate estimate of your composite score.
Goal Setting: Understand what section score improvements are needed to reach a target composite score.
College Planning: Get a quick idea of your potential ACT score for college research and application strategy.
Interpreting Your ACT Score
A higher composite score generally indicates stronger academic readiness for college. The average ACT composite score typically falls around 20-21. Scores above 24 are considered strong, and scores above 30 are highly competitive and often qualify for admission to top-tier universities. However, it's important to remember that colleges consider a holistic application, including GPA, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations, not just test scores.
function calculateActScore() {
var englishScore = document.getElementById("englishScore").value;
var mathScore = document.getElementById("mathScore").value;
var readingScore = document.getElementById("readingScore").value;
var scienceScore = document.getElementById("scienceScore").value;
var resultValueElement = document.getElementById("result-value");
// Clear previous results and error messages
resultValueElement.textContent = "–";
// Validate inputs
var scores = [englishScore, mathScore, readingScore, scienceScore];
var validScores = [];
var isValid = true;
for (var i = 0; i < scores.length; i++) {
var score = parseFloat(scores[i]);
if (isNaN(score) || score 36) {
isValid = false;
break;
}
validScores.push(score);
}
if (!isValid) {
resultValueElement.textContent = "Invalid Input";
resultValueElement.style.color = "#dc3545"; // Red for error
return;
}
// Calculate the sum
var sumOfScores = validScores[0] + validScores[1] + validScores[2] + validScores[3];
// Calculate the average and round to the nearest whole number
var compositeScore = Math.round(sumOfScores / 4);
// Display the result
resultValueElement.textContent = compositeScore;
resultValueElement.style.color = "#28a745"; // Green for success
}