The ACT is a standardized multiple-choice college entrance exam that measures high school students’ level on English, math, reading and science. Many students take it during their junior or senior year as part of their college application process. It is scored on a scale of 1-36 with scores being used for admissions and scholarships.

“The ACT was not what I expected, but I have hope that I did well enough as this test is a very important for colleges and placements next year,” said junior Teresa Kurishingal.

On Tuesday March 10, juniors took the real ACT and underclassmen took the pre-ACT. However, the Pre ACT is a 9th-10th grade level test that scores on a scale of 1-35 to simulate the ACT test. It serves as a practice and early prediction of performance. It helps students recognize their weaknesses or areas they can improve on.

Many people compare the SAT and ACT but both have multiple differences. For instance, many students say the ACT is more about the pacing and SAT focuses more on reasoning.

The ACT also includes a separate science section while the SAT does not have a dedicated science section. The ACT generally contains more questions and gives students less time per question, making time management especially important.

Despite these differences, colleges across the United States typically treat both tests equally and accept scores from either exam. Because of this, students often choose the test that better matches their strengths, whether that means working quickly through questions or taking more time to analyze complex problems.

Preparing through practice tests and reviewing weaker areas can help students improve their scores and feel more confident on test day.