Saltsburg Middle-High School Guidance Office

          ACT

          www.actstudent.org

The ACT (American College Test) is a three-hour multiple-choice examination designed to measure academic achievement in four curriculum areas: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning. The purpose of this test is to measure the skills and knowledge that have been developed since middle school. The ACT assesses high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work.

With breaks, the test will last about 3 -1/2 hours. The test is broken down as follows (in no set order): English - 45 minutes, 75 questions; Mathematics - 60 minutes, 60 questions; Reading - 35 minutes, 40 questions; Science - 35 minutes, 40 questions. On certain dates, the ACT will consist of an additional 5th test which consists of questions that are being researched for possible use on future ACT's.

The scoring method for the ACT is based upon the total number of correct answers, which means there is no guessing penalty. English, Math, Reading, and Science scores are converted to scaled scores between 1-36.

  • The multiple-choice tests cover four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science.
  • The Writing Test, which is optional, measures skill in planning and writing a short essay.

2009-2010 Test Dates

Test Date Regular Deadline Late Fee Required
September 12, 2009* August 7, 2009 August 8 – 21, 2009
October 24, 2009 September 18, 2009 September 19 – October 2, 2009
December 12, 2009 November 6, 2009 November 7 – 20, 2009
February 6, 2010** January 5, 2010 January 6 – 15, 2010
April 10, 2010 March 5, 2010 March 6 – 19, 2010
June 12, 2010 May 7, 2010 May 8 – 21, 2010