The ACT (American College Testing) is a standardized exam that was introduced as an alternative to the SAT used for college admission. The ACT consists of four sections: English, Reading, Math, and Science. There is also an optional Writing portion of the exam.
ACT FORMAT AND TEST DATES
WHAT IS THE ACT?
ACT FORMAT
The ACT is a 3 hour and 30 minute exam consisting of four multiple-choice tests: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and a writing section. The breakdown of each section is as follows:
| ACT Test Section | # of Questions | Content | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGLISH | 75 questions | Punctuation Grammar and usage Sentence structure Rhetorical skills |
45 minutes |
| MATHEMATICS | 60 questions | Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry Plane Geometry/Trigonometry |
60 minutes |
| READING | 40 questions | Social Studies Natural Sciences Prose Fiction Humanities |
35 minutes |
| SCIENCE | 40 questions | Data Representation Research Summaries Conflicting Viewpoints |
35 minutes |
| OPTIONAL WRITING TEST | 1 prompt | Ideas & Analysis Development & Support Organization Language Use & Conventions |
40 minutes |
ACT TEST DATES
Below are official test dates for the ACT’s 2020-2021 season. Check out our downloadable flyer here: Official ACT 2020-2021 Test Dates. Please be advised these dates are subject to change due to COVID-19 related postponements. To view ACT’s official release of test dates, please reference this link.
| 2020-2021 Test Dates | Registration Deadline | Late Registration Deadline | Online Score Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 12, 2020 | August 14, 2020 | August 15, 2020 – August 28, 2020 | September 25, 2020 – November 4, 2020 |
| September 13, 2020* | August 14, 2020 | August 15, 2020 – August 28, 2020 | September 25, 2020 – November 4, 2020 |
| September 19, 2020* | August 14, 2020 | August 15, 2020 – August 28, 2020 | October 2, 2020 – November 13, 2020 |
| October 10, 2020* | September 17, 2020 | September 18, 2020 – September 25, 2020 | October 23, 2020 – December 4, 2020 |
| October 17, 2020* | September 17, 2020 | September 18, 2020 – September 25, 2020 | October 30, 2020 – December 11, 2020 |
| October 24, 2020 | September 17, 2020 | September 18, 2020 – September 25, 2020 | November 6, 2020 – December 18, 2020 |
| October 25, 2020* | September 17, 2020 | September 18, 2020 – September 25, 2020 | November 6, 2020 – December 18, 2020 |
| December 12, 2020 | November 6, 2020 | November 7, 2020 – November 20, 2020 | December 25, 2020 – February 5, 2021 |
| February 6, 2021 | January 8, 2021 | January 9, 2021 – January 15, 2021 | February 19, 2021 – April 2, 2021 |
| April 17, 2021 | March 12, 2021 | March 13, 2021 – March 26, 2021 | April 30, 2021 – June 12, 2021 |
| June 12, 2021 | May 7, 2021 | May 8, 2021 – May 21, 2021 | June 25, 2021 – August 6, 2021 |
| July 17, 2021* | June 18, 2021 | June 19, 2021 – June 25, 2021 | July 30, 2021 – August 30, 2021 |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Don’t stop here! Check out our blog for new posts about preparing for the ACT. Below are a few posts you may find useful.
HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR TARGET SCORE
Though it’s tempting to simply say you want to score “as high as possible” on your college admissions exam, a target score will help you determine how much of your limited time and energy you devote to test preparations. So how should you determine you target score? There are several factors to consider… READ MORE
HOW TO GET A PERFECT SCORE ON THE ACT!
Over one million students take the ACT every year. On average, less than one-tenth of one percent of these students earn a perfect score on the exam. So how can you score a 36 on the ACT? It’s not impossible to get a perfect score, but it does require hard work… READ MORE
FIVE TEST-TAKING SECRETS FOR THE ACT
So you’ve taken a class, or even had a private tutor help you prepare for your test. Is there anything else you can do? While private tutoring remains the most efficient way to improve your score… READ MORE
