ACT

College (undergraduate) applicants

Total time

Core test (English, Math, Reading) is 125 m...

Sections

Score scale

Each section and the Composite are scored 1...

Cost

$68

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Structure

Section	Questions	Time	Scored
English	50	35 min	1 to 36
Math	45	50 min	1 to 36
Reading	36	40 min	1 to 36
Science (optional, not in Composite)	40	40 min	1 to 36
Writing essay (optional)	1	40 min	-

Total: Core test (English, Math, Reading) is 125 minutes with 131 questions; adding the optional Science section brings it to 165 minutes, and the optional Writing essay adds another 40 minutes. (Applerouth, 2025)

Cost and logistics

Cost	$68 2025-26 base registration fee for the ACT (English, Math, Reading); the optional Science section adds $4 and the optional Writing section adds $25; late registration adds $40 and standby testing $69; prices include score reports for you, your school, and up to four colleges (Kaplan Test Prep; act.org, 2026)
Delivery	On paper, online at a test center, or on your own device (BYOD); test takers can switch between options up to the late registration deadline; national Saturday testing is offered 7 times per year (act.org, 2026)
Retakes	Can be taken up to 12 times in total; ACT suggests most students retest only two to three times (act.org, 2026)
Score release	Multiple-choice scores post 2 to 8 weeks after the test date, with over 97% available online within 1 to 4 weeks; Writing scores typically follow about two weeks after multiple-choice results (BestColleges, 2025)

Fees and policies change; confirm on the official registration page before booking.

What it is for and who accepts it

Used for US college admissions and scholarship qualification; ACT says the test unlocks access to more than 10,000 score-based scholarships (act.org, 2026)

ACT states the test is accepted by 100% of US colleges, and all four-year US universities accept and value it (act.org, 2026)

Worth knowing

The enhanced ACT launched in April 2025 for national online testing, extended to all national Saturday testing (online and paper) in September 2025, and reaches school-day testing in spring 2026 (Applerouth, 2025)
Science became optional in 2025 and no longer factors into the Composite; students who take it get a separate Science score and a STEM score averaging Math and Science (Applerouth, 2025)
On the enhanced ACT, Math questions have four answer choices instead of five, and the core test is about 50 minutes shorter than the old 175-minute format (act.org; Applerouth, 2025)
ACT supports superscoring: the superscore averages your best English, Math, and Reading section scores across test attempts (act.org, 2026)

Prep is on the way

Our adaptive trainer for the ACT is in development: the same engine, games, and mock sections already live for the GMAT. Join the waitlist and you will be first in.

Join the ACT waitlist

Facts on this page are recorded from the sources cited beside each figure, most recently checked 2026-08-19. The exam belongs to its maker; always confirm current fees, formats, and policies on the official registration site before booking a test date.