The ACT test is a curriculum-based achievement test, meaning it measures what students have learned in school, and tests them on the knowledge and skills they should have prior to pursuing a college or career path.
The ACT is not an aptitude or IQ test, it is a standardized achievement test, used for admissions purposes, scholarship eligibility, course placement, remediation, and retention.
Composite scores range from one to 36; and each section test (English, math, reading, science) is also scored on a scale from 1–36. The composite score given to each student is the average of the four tests added together, rounded to the nearest whole number. Students taking the optional writing test can score from two to 12.
The ACT is offered in the US on seven national test dates in September, October, December, February, April, June and July. ACT testing is also administered internationally on five international test dates, and on school days in the US. in select states and school districts that pay for their students to test.
Contact ACT for further information or to register for a test, via their website: www.act.org
ACT scores compare to SATs (see full concordance tables here).