When Should I Retake The ACT? - Analyze Ed

When should I retake the ACT?

Improving your score by retaking

According to ACT, over half of the students who take the test a second time do better than they did on the first test. However, ACT also notes that the higher your score is on a test, the less likely it is that you will improve your score by taking the test again.

No matter when you decide to retake the ACT, remember that colleges only consider your highest score although they will have access to all your previous scores. Starting in 2020, the ACT will allow you to retake only sections of the test instead of taking the entire test. You can sign up to only take one or two sections of the ACT again. See NY Times article for more details.

For most students, taking the test at least twice is a good idea. Certainly this means more studying, paying the test fees and going through the stress of test-taking, but it is often worth it. Going into the test a second time, you have a better idea of what to expect and have more direct experience with taking the actual test.

We all have off-days, so perhaps you were feeling ill or tired or just didn't prepare for it well the first time. In these cases it might be a good idea to retake the test. If your ACT score didn't live up to your score on the practice test you took at home, then this might be another reason to retake.

Many students take the test once during their Junior year and once in their senior year. Many states offer senior retake days to allow for students to improve their score and qualify for state scholarships.

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