Part 1: How to set your goal ACT score
Don't just pull a number out of thin air. Use this three-step framework to find a goal that aligns with your college list.
1. Research your target schools
Most colleges publish a “middle 50%” range. This tells you the scores of the 25th to 75th percentile of students they admitted last year.
- The safety goal: Aim for the school's 75th percentile. If you hit this, you are in the top tier of applicants.
- The realistic goal: Aim for the middle of that 50% range. You'll be right in line with the majority of admitted students.
- The reach goal: If your score is near the 25th percentile, you can still get in, but your GPA and essays will need to do the heavy lifting.
2. Establish your baseline
You can't plan a route if you don't know where you're starting. To find your baseline, take a full-length practice test on Acely or the official ACT website. Both provide an authentic simulation of the “Enhanced ACT” experience you'll see on test day, including the updated timing (more time per question!), fewer total questions, and the option to include or exclude the Science section. Since the ACT is a linear exam rather than adaptive, practicing with these official formats is the only way to master the specific pacing required to hit your target composite score.
3. Calculate the “prep gap”
Once you have your baseline, compare it to your dream school's average. Here is a rough guide for how much study time is needed to move the needle:
| Points needed | Estimated study hours |
|---|---|
| 1–2 points | 10–20 hours |
| 3–4 points | 30–50 hours |
| 5–6 points | 60–90 hours |
| 7–9+ points | 100+ hours |
Part 2: What ACT score do you actually need?
The “right” score depends on your destination. As of 2026, many elite universities have reinstated testing requirements, making your score a central part of your application.
- Ivy League and elite privates: For schools like Harvard, Yale, or MIT, you are looking at a 33–36. A score of 32 or below is often below the middle 50% for these institutions.
- Top public universities: Schools like Georgia Tech, UMich, or UVA have seen their averages climb. Their mid-ranges are typically 30–34.
- State schools: For schools like Penn State, Purdue, or Texas A&M, a score between 26–30 makes you a very strong candidate.
- National average: On a national level, a score of 21 is considered “good” as it is above the national average (which typically hovers around 19–20).
The scholarship factor
A high score isn't just for admissions; it's one of the fastest ways to lower your tuition bill. Many schools offer automatic merit scholarships if you hit a specific score and have a solid GPA.
Part 3: How the ACT is actually scored in 2026
The ACT underwent a major “Enhanced” update in 2025. Here is how the math works now:
- The Core Composite: Your main score is now the average of only three sections: English, Math, and Reading. Each is scored from 1–36.
- The Science shift: The Science section is now optional. If you take it, you get a separate score (1–36), but it is not included in your main Composite score.
- No guessing penalty: Like the SAT, the ACT has no penalty for wrong answers. You should never leave a bubble blank; even a random guess is better than a zero.
- Rounding up: The ACT rounds your average to the nearest whole number. Because there are only three core sections now, a 33.66 will round up to a 34, while a 33.33 will round down to a 33.
- Equating: The ACT uses “equating” to ensure a 30 in April is just as hard to get as a 30 in September. This accounts for slight variations in difficulty between different test forms.
💡STEM majors
If you are a STEM major, colleges will still want to see that Science score!
FAQs
This varies depending on the school you're applying to. This is a great resource to figure out what your target score should be based on a specific school. A great ACT score can boost your college applications significantly.
Don't forget that you can retake the ACT and submit a superscore to many schools as well. Make sure to research the specific superscore policy for the colleges and universities you're applying to.
There are many test format changes, including:
- The Enhanced ACT is 125 minutes (about 2 hours) instead of ~195 minutes. Similar to the digital SAT, pacing is adjusted accordingly.
- Each section has fewer questions overall, so you actually get more time per question. That means in the ACT English & Reading sections, you can spend extra seconds reading carefully and eliminating answers.
- In the new ACT math section, there are now four answer options rather than five.
- The ACT Science section is now completely optional (and the Writing section continues to be optional). You can choose the ACT Core (English, Math, Reading) or add on Science/Writing sections of the ACT, depending on your goals. The Science test can be a great addition if you're applying to a STEM college.
- Students can choose between taking the Enhanced ACT as a paper test or digitally.
Learn more about the changes in our blog post.
This all depends on your baseline score, your target score, and your test date.
If you don't have a baseline score, you can start an Acely trial to take a free ACT practice test and then make your study plan.
To see the most improvement, we recommend studying for at least 3 months for at least 10 hours per week. This can help students boost their score by ~4 points.
With 20 hours of studying per week for 3 months, students can boost their score by more than 9 points. Again, this greatly depends on their starting score.
For best results, we recommend following Acely's Study Plan that dynamically updates as you take Acely mock exams and work through problems in practice mode.