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.

2010-2011 Test Dates

Test Date Regular Deadline Late Fee Required
September 11, 2010* August 6, 2010 August 7 – 20, 2010
October 23, 2010 September 17, 2010 September 18 – October 1, 2010
December 11, 2010 November 5, 2010 November 6 – 19, 2010
February 12, 2011** January 7, 2011 January 8 – 21, 2011
April 9, 2011 March 4, 2011 March 5 – 18, 2011
June 11, 2011 May 6, 2011 May 7 – 20, 2011