What is the best grade you can get on the ACT?
Asked by: Ms. Kenya Hermiston | Last update: December 3, 2025Score: 4.9/5 (32 votes)
A good ACT score is a composite score of 24 or higher, which would put you in the top 25% of test takers. The national average composite score for the class of 2023 was 19.5, and a “perfect” score on the ACT is the maximum composite score of 36.
What is the best grade to take the ACT?
Common testing year: Junior year is the most common year for students to take the ACT, providing a benchmark for comparison among your peers and preparing you for early college admission.
Can you get a 9 on the ACT?
With a 9 ACT score, you're already strongly competitive for these schools. You're very likely to get admitted if you apply. If you improve your ACT score, your Safety Schools will get better and better.
Is 14 a bad ACT score?
Scores below a 15 on the ACT are considered low at just about any four-year college. You can overcome low scores with a great GPA or an outstanding college application. But even if you're accepted, the school may ask you to take some remedial courses before enrolling.
Is 27 an OK ACT score?
An ACT score of 27 is a respectable score, as it puts you in the 85th percentile of all test takers. This statistic means you scored better than 85% of students who took the ACT. With a score of 27, you definitely have opportunities to get into solid colleges.
ACT Tips & Tricks that ACTUALLY work (minimal studying) in 2024
Is a 28 bad on ACT?
Is a 28 ACT Score (88th Percentile) Good? A score of 28 places you in approximately the 88th percentile of all high school students. With a 28, you're an extremely competitive candidate at a majority of schools, as well as able to consider applying to more selective institutions as well.
Can I get into Harvard with a 27 ACT?
To summarize, while there's no exact "cutoff" ACT score at Harvard, at such a selective institution you likely need to be at least in the 33-34 range to present yourself as a competitive candidate. However, even students with perfect ACT scores are not guaranteed admission.
Is a 1200 ACT score good?
For example, a score in the 75th percentile (approximately a 1200 on the SAT or a 24 on the ACT) would likely be strongly considered at most competitive colleges, while applicants scoring in the 90th percentile or higher (a 1350 on the SAT or a 29 on the ACT) would likely be well received even at highly competitive ...
Is 33 ACT good?
Is 33 a good ACT score? An ACT score of 33 makes you an eligible and competitive applicant at a majority of schools, as well as makes you qualified for a sizable amount of merit aid. Because of all of that, a 33 ACT score is definitely considered good!
Is a 22 bad on the ACT?
A 22 is a decent score and it isn't going to hinder your college application unless you're applying to selective or very selective institutions.
Is a 13 good on a ACT?
A score of 13 on the ACT is indeed below average, as the national average is around 21.
Can a 7th grader take the ACT?
Each year, some 7th graders take the ACT test, primarily as part of talent search programs. Many of these students go on to take the ACT again in 11th or 12th grade (the typical time for most to take this assessment).
What is a bad ACT score?
Each section has a test score range of 1-36: Below Average Score Range: 1-16. Average Score Range: 17-24. Above Average Score Range: 25-36.
Is a 15 good for the ACT?
15 ACT Score Standings
Out of the 1.91 million test-takers, 1589292 scored the same or higher than you. You can apply to 17 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted. You have a very low chance of getting into 1493 schools with this score.
Is 17 a decent ACT score?
National Average ACT Test Scores
Below Average Score Range: 1-16. Average Score Range: 17-24. Above Average Score Range: 25-36.
Is a 36 ACT impressive?
To really press how well a 36 is, it puts you at a 100 percentile — meaning that you scored higher or as high as all test takers. Only 0.19% of test takers earn a 36, which is around 3,700 students in the most recent years. Congratulations!
Is there a big difference between a 33 and 34 ACT?
The 1933 Act controls the registration of securities with SEC and national stock markets, and the 1934 Act controls trading of those securities.
Should I submit a 33 ACT to Yale?
Average ACT: 34
The 25th percentile ACT score is 33, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 35. Even though Yale likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 33 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application.
Is 16 a bad ACT score?
To give you a perspective, an ACT score of 16 puts you at the 28th percentile nationally, meaning that you've scored higher than 28% of all ACT takers. However, keep in mind that colleges look at more than just test scores when considering applications.
Did Will Smith get a 1600 on the SAT?
Will Smith SAT score was a perfect 1600. A rare score few people have earned. Despite this incredible score, Will chose not to attend college, did not even enroll, and decided to pursue his career in music.
What ACT score is 90%?
The 90th percentile of the ACT score range is 28, which matches an SAT score range of 1300-1320. ACT scores of 30 and above and SAT scores of 1360 and up represent the top 5% of all test-takers. SAT concordances with ACT scores of 34, 35, and 36 are 1490-1520, 1530-1560, and 1570-1600 respectively.
Can a 5.0 GPA get me into Harvard?
To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1580 SAT or a 36 ACT. You should also have a 4.2 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score.
What is a perfect ACT score?
What is a Perfect ACT Score? A perfect ACT score is 36. This is the highest possible score a student can achieve on the test. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1-36, with each section receiving a score between 1 and 36, and then a composite score is calculated by averaging the scores from the four required sections.
What is a 4.2 GPA?
A 4.2 GPA is above a 4.0, so it's outside of the normal range for unweighted GPAs. If you have a 4.2, your school uses weighted GPAs, meaning they take class difficulty into account when calculating GPA. A 4.2 indicates that you are earning Bs and B+s in high level classes or As and A+s in mid level classes.