The ACT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test administered by ACT, Inc.

The purpose of the ACT test is to measure a high school student’s readiness for college, and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. College admissions officers will review standardized test scores alongside your high school GPA, the classes you took in high school, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays. How important ACT scores are in the college application process varies from school to school.

Overall, the higher you score on the ACT and/or SAT, the more options you have for attending and paying for college.

ACT is divided into four sections

• English
• Reading
• Math
• Science

The ACT also includes an optional 40-minute Writing Test. Some colleges may require that you complete the ACT Writing Test. You can confirm each college’s admissions policies on the school website.

The ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes long. If you choose to take the ACT with Essay, the test will be 3 hours and 35 minutes long.

Each section of the ACT is scored on a 1 to 36-point scale. Your composite ACT score is the average of your four section scores, also on a scale from 1 to 36. If you take the ACT with Writing Test, you will receive a separate score for the Essay.

PSAT as the name suggests, is the Preliminary SAT
There are three different PSAT exams:

• PSAT 8/9

Designed to assess your strengths and areas of improvement during middle/high school (8/9 Grades).
9^th Grade students will know if they need to focus on AP World History or AP European History.
The students who have taken the test will have the opportunity to connect with educational access organizations through the college board.
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• PSAT 10

Designed for Grade 10 focused on the most crucial skills and knowledge.
The test measures your high school learning and indicates what you need to succeed in college and career training.
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• PSAT/NMSQT

Same assessment as the PSAT 10—and, as its name implies, it’s not just a preliminary SAT. NMSQT stands for National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Top scores on this test could qualify students not only for the National Merit Scholarship Program but also for substantial scholarships at various other colleges.

If you are familiar with the structure of the new SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT will feel familiar to you. Just like the new SAT, the revised PSAT/NMSQT focuses on college and career readiness, and it echoes the same knowledge and skills tested by the redesigned SAT.

The test follows a similar format as the SAT and the content is broken into three sections:

• Math [48 Questions]
• Evidence based Reading [47 Questions] and Writing [44 Questions]

• PSAT 8/9 – Once in September through March and once in April
• PSAT 10 – Dates vary with school.
• PSAT/NMSQT – October of 11^th grade.

The PSAT is two hours and 45 minutes long.

Each section of the PSAT is scored on a 160 to 760-point scale. Your total PSAT score is the sum of your section scores. The highest possible PSAT score is 1520.