A Quick Glance though the ACT Exam

• MIT reestablishes ACT/SAT scores: ACT/SAT scores will be mandatory for students to take admission to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from Fall 2023.

A few highlights of the ACT exam 2023 are given below. You can have a quick look at the table to know more.

• It gives the universities a basis on which they can analyse the merit of a student apart from the Letter of Recommendation (LOR), Statement of Purpose (SOP), GPA etc. 
• The test score is accepted by several colleges and universities in the USA and across the globe.
• It helps those students who want to pursue STEM to stand out from the crowd.
• ACT tests how ready the student is for the course abroad, as it is a curriculum-based test.
• As there is no negative marking and the score is based on the number of correct answers, students can mark answers even for those they are unsure.
• Apart from the composite scores, there are individual subject scores as well. This helps to understand how proficient the student is in all the subjects.
• The exam may be easy to pass as the syllabus includes the topics that are a part of the school syllabus.
• Submission of ACT scores increases the chances of getting scholarships.
• ACT has a profile and education or career planning which can help students after their studies.

1. Though there is no age or academic criteria, you should meet the course-wise criteria set by the respective universities.
2. You should attend the test at least two months before the university application date. It takes two to eight weeks for the results to be published.
3. You should be at least 13 years old or should have completed your high school.
4. You should have a valid international passport.
5. You should have an international debit/credit card.
6. Students below 13 years of age should go with the paper-based test by abiding by the internet privacy laws.
7. Those below 13 years of age should contact the ACT customer service to complete the registration process as they cannot create the MyACT Account.

The ACT exam is usually taken by those students who wish to pursue their Undergraduate studies in the USA. It is accepted by several universities and colleges in the country. There are scholarship opportunities available for those who cleared the test. ACT acts as a base on which the colleges/universities assess a student's academic merit. As several countries follow several syllabi and curricula, it will be difficult for US universities to determine how fit the student is for the seat. This test helps them determine the same. There is no particular eligibility to be met for taking the test. Students in grades 6 to 9 can also attend the test. Students under 13 years of age should take the test with customer service help. There is no maximum age limit either.

• The photo should have only you in it.
• The image should not be blurry, grainy or hazy.
• Only JPG, PNG, JPEG, and BMP formats are allowed.
• The maximum size is 5MB.
• You should not wear dark glasses in the photo.
• The photo needs to be 640*480 pixels.
• The photo should be in portrait mode.
• The photo should have your head and shoulders squarely facing the camera.
• There should be no emojis, filters or lenses in the photo.
• The face should be looking at the camera.

• Request a mail packet from the website.
• Fill in the details, and choose the test date and centre.
• Mail the registration form, which will be delivered within 7-10 days.

The ACT exam fee comes around INR 4835 without the Writing section and INR 6754 with the Writing section. There will be an additional fee of INR 2716 for late registration. You can make payments via credit and debit cards. You can also opt for an online fund transfer.

There are several types of fees for your ACT exam. They include late registration fees, waitlist fees, change fees etc. The following table contains a list of the fees, their purpose and the amount.

The ACT exam contains four sections and one optional section. They have several sub-sections within them. The table below helps you get a better understanding of the ACT exam pattern.

The ACT exam dates will be released on their official website every year from where students can register and choose their test dates and centres. This process of selecting the dates, place etc., is called slot booking. It is very crucial because the slots are offered on a first-come-first-served basis. The test is conducted in several cities in India, and the exam is conducted multiple times a year. You need to apply before the deadline; otherwise, you will have to pay an extra fee.

ACT cutoff is the minimum score you should obtain to get admission to some top colleges/universities in the USA, Europe or Canada. The maximum ACT band score is 36, and this varies for each exam. The final score is calculated by taking the average of all four sections. The composite average score is calculated by taking the sum of all individual scores and subtracting the average from it. The following table shows you the good scores for each section separately. 

If you wish to know about the cutoffs accepted by universities, you can get the same from the table below. This will give you an idea of how to prepare for your test if you have a particular university in your mind.

SAT is another exam students have to undertake to get admission in the USA for an Undergraduate course. Students are often confused about which exam to opt for. However, there are similarities and differences; the table below will help you understand more about the two tests.

• Check the college and university eligibility criteria before sending your scores.
• If you have taken the test multiple times a year, you can choose to send which score.
• The scores will be sent only after both the results of the MCQ section and the Writing section are out.
• Keep your preferred coursework, location etc., in mind before applying.
• You are not shortlisted based on your ACT scores alone. Universities consider your Letter of Recommendation (LOR), academic performance, overall behaviour etc., before making the final decision.